Most of the drivers don’t get a tyre change for their cars until they really have to. The only times that you give any attention to your car tyres are when there’s a tyre blowout, or you have a flat tyre. But, honestly, I don't blame you. I mean, with your busy life and jam-packed schedule, taking the time out to check the tyres is next to impossible. And it’s okay.
Having said that, you can’t just neglect your car tyres altogether and keep on driving like you don’t care. 18% of car accidents in Pakistan happen because of tyre bursts. That’s a pretty serious percentage, right? So, make sure you inspect your tyres at least once or twice a month.
Mainly, there are two things you need to check to see if your car needs a tyre change.
- Tread depth
- Age
Checking the tread depth of a tyre
When the tread is worn down, the tyres lose their traction and grip on the road. Add some rain to the road you are driving on (with your word down tyres), and the results will be dangerous. So, don’t do that, and instead, check the tread depth of your tyres with this simple hack.
There is an old and easy trick to measure the tread depth of a tyre. All you need is a pair of gloves and a coin. Insert the coin into the tread with Jinnah’s head pointing towards the tyre. If you can see any part of Jinnah’s head, the tyre is worn out. So, it’s time for you to replace the tyre.
Pro-Tip: Repeat this step at various locations around the tyre. If the Jinnah’s head is not visible anywhere, your tyre is good. If not, the tread depth is uneven, and it’s best that you go ahead and do the tyre change.
Basically, if the tread depth of a tyre is 2/32nds of an inch or less, it means the tyre has exceeded its usable life. When you insert the coin in the tire tread head-down, and the head is visible, it tells you that the tread depth is not enough for a safe drive. So, go get new tyres from a workshop or, if you want to save some money, you can find tyres for sale online and replace them at home.
Calculating the age of a tyre
It’s important to check the age of your tyre because tyres are made of rubber. Over time, the rubber dries and the cracks can lead to a blowout or flat tyre. It doesn’t even matter if there’s plenty of tread left when the tyres are too old.
Tyres have a date stamp on the sidewall. You have to check the sidewall to find a four-digit code next to some other codes. You have to look for the one that does not have any letters, just all four digits.
The first two digits will tell you the week of the year, and the last two will tell you the year the tyre was manufactured. For example, if the code is “0912”, it means the tyre was manufactured in the 9th week of 2012. So, it was the start of March 2012.
Now, you have to calculate the age of your tyre to see if it’s 6 years old yet. Because experts recommend that tyres should be replaced at the age of 5 or 6. If your tyre is 6 or older, it definitely needs to be replaced.
Final Tips for Tyre Change
Now that you know the two important factors of determining if your car needs tyre change or not, here are a few extra tips for you to drive safe at all times.
- If you see cracks in the sidewall or in between the tread blocks, replace the tyre immediately. The cracks will expose the internal material of the tyre (metal or fabric cords), which will increase the risk of a tyre blowout or air loss.
- Always replace tyres as a set of 4 in all-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive vehicles and at minimum as a pair in two-wheel drive vehicles. This will ensure that all tyres have uniform tread depth.
The bottom line is that the tyres of your car have a life. You have to take care of their life, so they take care of yours. So, keep a check on the health of your tyres and say a timely goodbye if they have worn out.
Welcome to ALS Tyres Wokingham with over 30 years experience, ALS Tyres Wokingham specialise in supply and Fitting of car tyres to an extremely high standard.
