With winter fast approaching it’s never been so important to make sure your tyres are in tip top condition. Not so long ago you were limited to your local tyre fitter but the internet has opened up a whole new market, helping you get the best price for your tyres. One such online tyre supplier is www.tirendo.co.uk who offer fast delivery to your home or one of their selected fitting “partners”. There really isn’t any excuse for rolling on bad rubber!
With that in mind we’ve put together our top 5 winter tyre tips to help keep you and your car safe as temperatures drop.
1. Check your tyre pressures
Keeping your tyres at the recommended pressure is essential to both maximizing the performance and life span of your tyres. It’s recommended that you check your tyre pressures at least once a week using a quality tyre pressure gauge.
An underinflated tyre can have a drastic effect on the handing of your vehicle, causing excess tyre roll and in extreme circumstances tyre failure.
Low tyre pressures will also impact on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. An underinflated tyre could decrease your fuel efficiency by up to 10%. Read more about maximizing vehicle efficiency on our hypermiling techniques page.
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2. Check your tread depth
The legal tread limit for a tyre is 1.6mm, this should continue across the entire circumference of the tyre for at least 75% of its width. Most tyres will have wear indicator to help you keep track of how much life your tyres have left. When the tread level is in line with the indicator they have reached the legal tread limit and should be replaced.
For more on the laws regarding tyres see the .gov website
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-6-vehicle-maintenance-safety-and-security
3. Have a full size spare
Many new cars come from the factory without a spare wheel, these days having a full size spare is seen as an optional extra. A tyre repair kit is handy for punctures but pretty useless if you’ve experienced a blow out or terminal tyre failure. We suggest that you always carry a full size spare to help get you rolling as quickly as possible if the worst does happen.
4. Inspect your tyres for damage
Tyre damage can often go unnoticed, often with fatal consequences. Any deep cuts, damage or penetrating objects may cause the tyre to unexpectedly fail. Tyre failure at any speed may cause total loss of control… you know the rest.
You should check for tyre damage at least once a week and before any long journey. If you’re in any doubt then we suggest you have your tyres inspected by your local tyre fitters or garage.
5. Buy the right tyres
Advances in tyre technology mean that there is a wide range of tyres to choose from, each offering very different characteristics.
Eco-Tyres
Eco-tyres offer increased fuel efficiency over standard tyres. Through clever design and tyre compounds they help reduce the rolling resistance of a tyre, making them more efficient.
6. Shop around
We know we said our top 5 but shopping around is vital to getting the very best deal for your tyres. With online shops such as tyres-outlet.co.uk you may save more than you think, allowing you to opt for a higher performance model or even replace more tyres for your budget.
If you’d like to share any other tyre tips then please get in touch in the comments section below.
