Keep your tyres properly inflated. Under-inflation increases heat build-up in the tyres, causing them to wear out more on the outside and shorten their lifespan. It also reduces fuel efficiency and makes steering unresponsive. Over-inflation causes tyres to expand more than needed, and also wear them out in the centre.
Each tyre wears out at a different rate as each supports a different weight. Tyre rotation should be done every 7,000 to 8,000 km to achieve even tread wear and maximise tread life. Tyres should be balanced whenever they are remounted.
Look out for the tread wear indicator which shows up as a continuous line running across the entire tread when the tyres begin to wear out. These lines become visible at approximately 1.5mm below the tyre surface - a sign that it's time to change tyres.
Maintain car tyres at the manufacturer's recommended pressure. Some marques will even advise a different level for front and back tyres, and if the car is carrying a heavy load or doing a long distance journey. The spare tyre has a lower recommended pressure than the main tyres.
Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper
West Coast Plaza
12 years ago
