Tread Depth

UK law says tyre tread on cars must be a minimum of 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tread, all the way around the circumference of the tyre. This can easily checked with the use of a 20p coin.  However, safety experts recommend that the minimum safe tread depth is 3mm - something to consider when checking your tyres.

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Tyre Condition

As all car owners know, tyres experience a lot of wear and tear; braking, hard turning, kerb edging and infamous potholes, not to mention the constant contact with the road surface.

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As part of your regular checks look to see if there objects have become embedded in your tyres; remove stones, sticks, thorns and anything else that doesn't belong.  If you see an object like a nail, screw or something that could puncture your tyre give us a call for a free inspection, we can determine if an object is a risk and advise accordingly.

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Check the sidewall of your tyres for any kind of bulge or lump, if you find anything you should get booked in with us as any change to the side of a tyre indicates damage and risks failure/blowout.

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Tyres that have been soft and driven for extended periods, left flat, have spent a long time in the sun or are simply old can all exhibit signs of splits and cracks.  If you see such wear in your tyres and are unsure if they need replacing stop by our unit in Mildenhall for a free inspection.  As an aside, even a car that is rarely used should have its tyres changed roughly every 5 years because of the perishing nature of tyre materials.

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Tyre Pressure

One of the easiest ways to maintain your tyres and your safety on the road is by keeping the correct air pressure in your tyres.

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Under-inflated tyres affect handling and grip, and risk sudden and rapid deflation, especially during long and fast journeys.  If under-inflated your car will use more fuel than needed and you'll shorten the life of your tyres. Over-inflating reduces ride comfort, affects handling and stopping distances (as there's less tyre in contact with the road), increases wear in the middle of the tyre tread and suffers greater risk of impact damage (*consider those local pot holes again!).

 

You'll normally find your tyre pressures noted in your handbook or on a plate on the inside of the door sill, or on the filler cap door.  Can't find what your tyre pressure should be? ​Jump over to TyreSafe.org and look for the car registration box, enter your reg' and get the correct pressures for your make and model of vehicle. 

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We strongly recommend customers check their tyres before any long journey, and especially if under load or with the family in the car; it really isn't worth getting a blowout on the motorway for the sake of 5 minutes checking your tyres and getting the pressure right (don't forget to check your spare).

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*Do everyone a favour, if you see a bad pothole please take a picture (safely) and put it on our Facebook page along with its location so there's a better chance locals will miss it.  Punctures and tyre damage are good for our business but nobody likes spending money on tyres if it can be avoided, right?!