Handy Tyre Maintenance Tips | Morley Tyre Centre Perth

Imagine yourself driving peacefully along a serene road. Everything appears to be going smoothly until suddenly, an unexpected obstacle appears—a stray animal, a blown-out tyre, or something on the road causing your car to lose traction, making it slide. Panic sets in, but you know that what truly matters in such situations is having reliable traction in your tyres.

Understanding the significance of maintaining your car tyres not only makes you a responsible driver but also ensures your safety on the road. So, let’s delve into the importance of caring for your tyres and becoming one of the safest drivers out there.

Tyre Inspection Before Heading Out

Regular inspection and maintenance of your tyres will help prolong their lifespan. The condition of your tyre tread is one indicator of your vehicle’s health. Regular checks of all four tyres can help diagnose potential problems that may require professional intervention. Inspect your tyres at least once a month, as well as before and after long journeys.

Check Your Tyre Pressure

Tyre pressure has a huge impact on the general handling of your car including braking, steering and even mileage. Tyres naturally lose pressure over time so check your pressures every month to not only ensure the longevity of your tyres, but to avoid any dangerous consequences of incorrect pressures, such as a blowout.

Underinflated tyres can increase your fuel usage and cause tyre wear on the outside edge, whereas overinflated tyres can cause wear on the inside edge of the tyre tread and reduce their grip.

Check Your Tyre Treads

Tyre treads are essential for your safety and should be checked frequently. First, search for any visible signs of wear on your tyres, then use the ‘20p check’ (below) to ensure that they adhere to the minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

• How to check tyre tread? Simply stand a 20p coin upright between the grooves of your tyre and if your tread doesn’t obscure the coin’s border, it’s likely they need to be replaced. If you are concerned about tyre tread wear, book an appointment at your local garage immediately.

Wheel Alignment Check

Wheel alignment should be done after every 5,000 kms or whenever any irregular wear on tyre is found. Out-of-alignment situations are mainly caused by problems in the suspension, the system that connects your car with tyres.

Wheel Balancing Check

Wheel balancing allows the tyres and wheels to spin without causing any vibrations. This is recommended for better ride, handling and safety. Balance the wheel assembly whenever vibrations are felt during running. Out-of-balance situations are caused by improper weight distribution in the wheel and the tyre.

Rotate Your Tyres

Having front or rear wheel drive also affects tyre wear and causes tyres to wear unevenly and at different rates. Avoid this by rotating your front and back tyres every 2,000 – 3,000 miles. Although, it’s worth noting that some vehicles have different sized tyres that cannot be rotated.

Timely Tyre Replacement

Tyre life varies. It depends on your driving habits, the climate you live in and how well you maintain your tyres. All tyres wear out or become damaged and will eventually need replacing. Always replace tyres once tread wear indicator is visible.

Use Seasonal Tyres

A simple tyre care tip is to use seasonal tyres. This means swapping to summer tyres in summer and winter tyres in the – yep, you guessed it – winter. Summer tyres deliver grip on wet and dry roads and perform well at higher temperatures. If used when it’s too cold, they can harden and become dangerous to drive.

Conversely, if winter tyres are used when temperatures are above seven degrees, they heat up too quickly which can significantly increase tyre wear. It’s a common misconception that winter tyres are only needed for snowy and icy conditions. They are made with special rubber compounds that stay elastic at cooler temperatures and will decrease wear. Rotating your tyres with the seasons could help them to last much longer.

Avoid Sudden Maneuvers

Abrupt acceleration, braking, or sharp turns can cause excessive tyre wear and reduce their lifespan. Drive smoothly and anticipate traffic situations to avoid unnecessary strain on the tyres.

Keep Tyres Clean

Regularly clean your tyres to remove dirt, debris and road grime. Accumulated contaminants can damage the tyre’s rubber and compromise performance.

Drive Mindfully

Hard braking, wheel-spinning and speeding can all cause tyre wear, so it’s important to cultivate good driving habits to help keep your tyres at their best, wherever the road takes you. Try to avoid sharp cornering and late braking, leave a larger distance between you and the vehicle in front and be mindful of your speed. 

Seek Professional Help

If you notice abnormal wear patterns, vibrations, or any other tyre-related issues, seek professional assistance from a qualified mechanic or tyre specialist at Morley Tyre Centre.

At Morley Tyre Centre, our experienced team is here to help you stay road-ready with professional wheel balancing, alignment and tyre services. Visit us today for expert advice and dependable service you can trust.