With great power and torque
comes great responsibility. Having power at your beck and call is one thing,
but putting it to good use is another challenge altogether. Have you realised
that the only contact your car and all its horsepower have with the road are
your tyres? Whether it’s speeding, taking corners, slowing down or stopping,
everything depends upon the levels of grip they offer.
Here’s how to get the most
out of your tyres
1 PRESSURED FOR
PERFORMANCE
Tyre pressure is the
fundamental essential of good performance, so always keep a check on it. You’re
probably tired of hearing this, but it is indeed one of the most important
aspects of tyre care. Maintaining the recommended tyre pressure improves
everything: ride quality, grip levels, handling and even fuel efficiency.
Under-inflated tyres increase the contact patch and this can improve grip
levels, but owing to the added drag, this comes at the cost of fuel efficiency.
2 TREAD
DEPTH
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The grooves on the tyre are
designed to provide maximum grip on surfaces both dry and wet. They channel
water away from the tyre to improve road holding. The tread depth can be
measured using a depth gauge or even your car key blade. If the grooves are
less than two millimetres deep, replacement is recommended.
3 STAY
ALIGNED
If you find your car behaving a bit wayward or not responding as
you would normally expect it to, the wheel alignment definitely needs a once
over. Timely wheel alignment not only ensures better stability, but also
prevents uneven or excessive tyre wear, which can lead to premature replacement
of the tyre.
4 DATE CHECK
Tyres have an expiry date too. Whether you use your vehicle often
or not, tyres age and that includes the spare tyre as well. Any tyres five
years old or more should be replaced. This should be done even if the tyre
appears usable visually.
Look closely at the side wall and you will notice that they have a
manufacturing date as well. There is usually a bevelled surface with four
digits, for example, 0204. The first two digits indicate the week of
manufacture and the last two indicate the year. ‘0204’ signifies that the tyre
was manufactured in the second week of 2004. It is advisable not to buy tyres
which have been stored for too long; depending on how particular you are, that
period could be between one and two years.
5 DAMAGE CONTROL
Minimising tyre damage when
the vehicle is in use is one of the best ways to ensure better tyre life.
Considering that the road surfaces somtimes are far from the best, it is better
to
avoid speeding on rough
roads. Avoid hitting bumps at
speed; they’re called speed-breakers
for a reason. Remember to take on pot-holes carefully and avoid creeping over
the
road shoulder. Another area
which needs attention is parking in unfamiliar places. Avoid parking on or
against obstacles which cause the tyre to deform. It can lead to bulges in the
sidewall, which can seriously hamper performance.
6 THE RIGHT
MATCH
Each tyre model is designed
with a specific tread pattern and every manufacturer tries to feature patterns
as unique as they are
useful. Thus, it is
important to always use the same tyre specification from the same manufacturer.
Even when replacement is due, it is advisable to replace both the front or both
the rear tyres, if either one from the set needs replacement. Some
four-wheel-drive vehicles also require all four tyres to be changed
simultaneously so as to achieve optimum results.
7 STEPPING UP
A number of people want to
have fatter tyres with larger wheel rims. These modifications come at a serious
price, not just in the monetary sense, but also in performance and efficiency.
If you have a base or a mid-variant of a car and wish to upsize your tyres,
find out what tyres the top model uses. If it does use a different size, you
can safely upgrade to that specification. If not, consider everything from the
width, aspect ratio and diameter as any change would mean the risk of added
friction or, worse, rubbing against other components and leading to damage.
8 MONITOR YOUR
RUBBER
Make it a habit to take a
quick look at your tyres before you head out. This gives you the chance to
check for any objects stuck in the grooves or piercing the tyres. If you do
notice something, you can use your car key blade to coax the object out. Be
careful not to use excessive force. Some stones can get wedged tight between
grooves and can even damage the key blade.
9 USED
TYRES?
Don’t skip common-sense safety to save a few bucks. Quite a few
stores offer used or re-treaded tyres for less than half the price of a new
one. Realise that these tyres have been discarded in the first place and the
last thing you should be doing is wrapping your wheels up in them. Always buy
new tyres from reputed stores and of proven brands. We have no shortage of good
tyre brands in India and many are well-suited for our road conditions.
Article have been written by: Mechell Tim
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