Tyre Tips Ahead of Hitting the Road These Holidays

Senior Living Magazine caught up with Douglas Wasserman, owner of Millennial Tyres.  Douglas with his extensive experience in the tyre industry is able to offer his clients preferential rates, on popular brands of tyres and batteries through his network of affiliated fitment centres.  He shared the following tips with us ahead of the festive season.

DO

• Check your tyre pressure when the tyres are cold.
• Use an accurate tyre pressure gauge.
• Have tyres inspected if you notice regular pressure loss.
• Use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressures – refer to the owner’s manual/door panel.
• Check tyre pressure before going on a long trip, and reset to the recommended pressures for the full load.
• After the trip, reduce the pressure recommended for normal driving conditions, and do so when tyres are cold.
• Use valve caps to protect the valve core – steel valve caps with a rubber seal are most effective.
• Have wheel alignment checked in line with the manufacturer’s specifications and not just the front wheels – regular car tyres every 10,000km; 4×4 all terrain/multi-terrain tyres every 8,000km.
• Have the alignment checked if you know that you have hit a pothole or pavement.

DON’T

• Bleed the tyres (let the pressure out) when they are hot
• Rely on the gauge at the service station as many are inaccurate.
• Re-inflate a tyre that goes flat often and hope that it will be fine.
• Use 200 kPa unless it is the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure.

Signs your car needs wheel alignment

• Uneven wear (this may occur on the outside of your tyres more often).
• In some cases, your wheel alignment may be to spec, yet the vehicle still pulls to one side due to “tyre conicity” or “radial pull”.
• Car drifting to one side.
• Steering wheel vibrating.
• Car is driving straight, but the steering wheel is not.

Top tips

• Balance tyres every time you get a new set.
• Re-balance, rotate and align tyres every 8,000 – 10,000 km to ensure a smooth ride and get maximum tyre life.
• Balancing should be done for any new wheels or rims.

Source:  Millennial Tyres – top-brand tyres at discounted prices! Contact Douglas on 082 568 0139 or visit www.millennialtyres.co.za