The condition of the tires on a vehicle are perhaps one of the most vital elements that contribute to road safety. Tires have direct contact with on-/off-road surfaces to which they are needed to create a ”grip”. The better the grip, the more traction will be created between tire and road. Increased traction enables greater handling of the vehicle through better steering, a more stable ride and a better brake performance when facing unexpected road hazards.
Tire Safety doesn’t just include knowing when it is time to replace an old or worn out tire. Tire safety is also about proper tire maintenance and ensuring that your vehicle is equipped with the correct tire type to handle your driving requirements. Below looks at some basic tire maintenance that will extend the life and safety aspects of your tires.
1. Select the Right Tire for your Vehicle
Choosing the correct set of tires can depend on the kind of driving the vehicle is typically exposed to. You may be a city dweller and spend most of your driving time stuck in rush hour traffic. On the other hand, you may be looking for heavy duty tires for your light-truck or SUV to handle off-road and heavy loads. The typical weather conditions that your tires will be exposed to also contribute to the correct tire selection. All-Season tires give an all-year-round performance against moderate weather conditions but are not recommended for use on harsher conditions such as heavy snow or heavy mud surfaces. Understand your normal driving conditions and choose a set of tires accordingly to expect the correct performance response.
2. Maintain Correct Tire Pressure
This is undisputed as being one of the most important safety checks. It is recommended that that tire inflation pressure is checked, at a minimum, once a month. Either an under- or over-inflated tire often leads to problems, maintaining proper tire pressure is extremely important.
Underinflation leads to rapid and uneven wear on the tire treads as the tire is unable to maintain its correct shape. Lower inflation also leads to a build up of heat and there will be significant loss in steering precision and stability. It is interesting to know that underinflation is the most common cause of tire failure.
Overinflation, on the other hand, can be more easily damaged on contact with rough surfaces or unpredictable hazards such as potholes along the road. It can also lead to “bulging” of the tire which results in a decrease of stopping distance and a rougher ride.
Become familiar with the tires recommended cold inflation pressure (normal pressure before the car is driven) This measure is referred to as the ”PSI – pounds per square inch of air pressure”. The tire information placard will identify the correct tire sizes, inflation pressure and the vehicle weight capacity. This placard should be located on the “B-Pillar” of the drivers-side door or, depending on the vehicle, on any inward facing surface next to the driver’s seat. Most new vehicles will also list the recommended tire inflation pressure in the owner’s manual. To check tire pressure at home, buy a tire gauge and store it in the glove compartment of your vehicle.
Apart from the safety aspect that proper inflation brings in terms of stability, responsiveness and traction it also contributes in optimizing fuel economy of your vehicle. Be safe and save into the bargain!
3. Identify any Tread Wear and Tread Separation
The main function of Tire Treads is to get the correct response from your vehicle against different driving conditions. For example, the tread depth on a mud tire is typically deeper and wider than a standard tire to prevent build-up of mud in the tires that would, otherwise, cause the vehicle to loose traction. Without traction, there is little grip to the surface and the driver can loose steering and handling control.
A key safety check is to examine tire treads for any uneven tread wear. Check grooves on the tires and remove debris that may be wedged in the treads. Tires whose treads are significantly worn down (flush to the wear indicator bars on the tire) are not safe for driving and should be replaced.
Also check for any tread separation where the tread of the tire is separated from the actual body of the tire. This is a very serious defect that can lead to a tire blowout with fatal consequences. If you see any degree of tread separation, have the tire replaced immediately.
4. Never Exceed Load Ratings
Another very common cause of tire failure is due to overloading. All tires come with maximum load ratings (normally seen on the tire sidewall) and exceeding the load limits can lead to structural damage on the tire. Don’t forget to account for any additional weight that your vehicle may require, for example towing a trailer, as this will also add stress to the load your tires needs to support.
5. Regular Tire Rotation
It is generally recommended to rotate your car tires every 5,000 to 6000 miles. You can check the owner’s manual for more specific information. Though most vehicles come equipped with 4 tires each wheel position, front or back, can experience different levels of wear and tear. Tire rotation helps achieve the maximum tread life with each tire working in as maximum tire positions as possible.
The main rotation patterns that should be performed will depend on whether your vehicle is fitted or not with unidirectional tires. Unidirectional tires need to follow a pattern where the tires from the same side are interchanged, rear-right to front-right etc. Non-unidirectional tires can follow a “cross-rotation” pattern with a rear-right tire interchanged with a left-front tire and so on.
6. Understand Tire Temperatures
Whilst it may not always be possible to measure tire temperature, it is easy to identify what contributes to them reaching high or excessive levels. Tires generally start with a cold pressure in the morning and warm up throughout the day. The rise in temperature has a number of contributing factors, one of the main being how hard you drive your vehicle. The harder you drive your vehicle, the hotter the tire will become. High temperatures will certainly shorten the life span of a tire but, more importantly in terms of safety, will influence the handling of the vehicle. Under normal driving conditions tire pressure will be affected by both cold and warm air temperatures regardless of how you drive. Perhaps the best rule of thumb for safe driving is to go at a moderate speed allowing your tires to handle an emergency stop or avoid an oncoming hazard on the road.
A Tire is Not for Life, but Tire Safety can Save a Life
The above are some basics in tire safety most of which can be easily carried out by any driver without needing a high level of mechanical skill (though it might be nice to have a helping hand with the tire rotation!). On a final point, it is critical that any new or replacement tire you purchase must be an almost if not identical match to the existing tires on the vehicle if you are not replacing all four. Any mismatch will result in a vehicle that has unpredictable performance and will be much harder to control.
Replacing one, a set or four tires will lighten the load in your wallet but do remember the task the tires are required to perform and safely into the bargain. Whatever way we look at it, being prepared against some of the potential hazards all drivers face on our roads today is not simply about getting the maximum life span out of their tires – wouldn’t you agree?