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Manufacturing technology for tires has progressed through the years by leaps and bounds. Sophisticated methods and intricate treading patterns (designed with computer simulations of real-life driving scenarios) are being employed to create durable tires for Indian roads.
An ideal tire, according to automobile experts, must aid good mileage, wear slowly, provide better steering control and give an overall smoother ride. However, the performance of your car tire depends upon its condition and may diminish over time due to normal wear and tear.
If you take some elementary care of your tires you can guarantee them a longer life and avoid spending a small fortune on a new set of tires. Read on to know five tips that will let you add more miles to your tires:
Tip 1: Maintain Optimum Tire Pressure:
A healthy set of wheels go a long way in maintaining the health of your dream vehicle. Periodic checking of tire pressure gives you more mileage from your engine, while keeping stress away from it. An under-inflated tire will require more energy to move, leading to lesser fuel efficiency and engine stress. Optimally-inflated car tires will grip the road surface better than either under- or over-inflated tires, leading to better control on the vehicle. A higher-than-specified tire pressure can be a hazard, since on long drives, the air inside may heat up and expand. This can lead to tire bursts. Also with underinflated tires, the surface contact area decreases dramatically and handling on wet surfaces becomes a major issue.
Tip 2: Check Tire Tread:
New tires have around 8-9 mm of tread depth. This will eventually, become shallower as the tire begins to wear. But the tread depth should never fall below 1.6 mm. So a careful examination of tread wear should be performed before any long drive, as also periodically. Also do check for uneven wear by moving your hand over the tire. It should feel smooth. If it doesn't, either the tires aren't inflated correctly or there is a problem with alignment.
Tip 3: Rotate Your Tires:
Rotation of tires is a good way to have even wearing of tread and a longer tread life. Rotate tires every 5,000 to 8000 kms. Given is an image of a widely used cross-pattern rotation for front- and rear-axled drive vehicles.
Tip 4: Be Alert While Steering Your Car:
If you feel a vibration while holding the steering wheel of your car, it could mean that the wheel is not correctly balanced. This could lead to excessive tire wear and tear. Get your car mechanic to inspect the cause of the vibration. If required, get your wheel balanced on a wheel balancing machine.
Tip 5: More Do's and Don'ts
1. Do not mix tires of different manufacturers on the same axle.
2. Anticipate braking response and avoid braking hard while driving.
3. Do not accelerate too quickly, tires can get damaged.
4. Check the wheel alignment regularly if your tires frequently encounter bad roads. Improper wheel alignment can decrease your tire mileage by as much as 30%!
5. Ensure your tires are not misaligned, as they can wear faster and make driving hazardous.
Modern cars, faster and better than their erstwhile counterparts, depend on well-maintained tires to complement driving comfort, safety and pleasure. Follow these tips to get the best out of your tires and subsequently your car.
