Tyres are just important as any other part of your car. They make sure you stop and go efficiently. Your car tyres are like a lifeline. Driving on worn off tyres can cause a fatal accident in case of an emergency. Not only will your braking be severely affected, but also there is a chance of a blowout when driving at high speeds.
Also Read: DIY – Using The Tyre Repair Kit To Fix A Tyre Puncture
That is why you need to be careful with old tyres. Frist of all, the tyres are prone to dry rot. The sun is the biggest enemy of rubber. So even if your car is seldom driven, or you are buying old used tyres that apparently look new, keep in mind that the sun has taken its toll on the rubber of the tyres. Spare tyres usually last long because they are safe in the boot of the car, away from direct sunlight. But tyres that are exposed to sunlight start to lose their efficiency. A safe bet to when changing the tyres is somewhere between 4 to 6 years. There is no exact answer to the riddle. It all depends on the kilometres done by the car, and the road conditions those tyres have seen.
A tyre that has seen a lot of off roading is, of course, going to show excessive signs of wear and tear compared to a tyre that has only been driven on clean city roads. So observe the tyres closes. If you see an excessive amount of small cracks in the sidewalls of the car tyres. And when the tyre starts to skid even with the safe amount of tread on them, it is time to replace the tyres.
Also, try to get the tyre of same size and dimensions when replacement. Eleventh gen Toyota Corolla and 9th gen Honda Civic was being sold with Euro Star 195/65-R15 tyres. The new 2016 Honda Civic has been launched with massive 215/55-R16 tyres. It will be interesting to see how that tyre does in Pakistani driving conditions.
But whatever the case, maybe you should go out and have a detailed look at the condition of your current tyres on your car if you haven’t done it lately. Drive safe.
Yes, dry rot, specially common in smuggled tyres. Recently smuggling of tyres has lessened, therefore incidences of dry rot also have lessened. Tyres with dry rot usually fail by the bead separation method.