How to enhance the durability of tyres

The essential component of a vehicle is its tyres. Tyres are used to carry weight, braking and traction control of the vehicle. A majority of people overlook the importance of tyres by roughly using them without proper maintenance. The lack of care while driving and overlooking the maintenance leads to premature wear of the tyres. We are the ones who determine their lifespan because they totally depend on the driving style and proper maintenance. We often ask about the durability of tyres while purchasing them. The quality of tyres does play a role in the sustainability and durability, but a large portion of it depends on how they are used. The quality of roads in Pakistan is not very good which must be kept in mind while driving because you may get surprised by a pothole or an uneven bump that may cause serious damage to your vehicle.

Moreover, there is some other factors that we need to keep an eye on. Ignoring the wheel alignment, balancing, tyre pressure, tyre rotation, and overloading may result in the considerable decrease in durability and the lifespan of the tires. Tyres are by no means an inexpensive accessory of the vehicle and must be maintained very carefully. One of the things most of the people in Pakistan are worried about is spending extra money on their vehicles. This practice not only saves you from spending the extra money but also keeps you safe while driving. Following factors would help you in increasing the durability of the tyres of your vehicle.

Correct wheel alignment:

The adjustment of angles of the wheels of a vehicle is known as wheel alignment. Wheel alignment plays an important role in the durability of the tyres. Due to incorrect wheel alignment, the tyres experience uneven wear of the treads through the edges. It may result in squealing tyres, and the vehicle is moving toward the right or left direction. The steering wheel also gets crooked while driving straight on the road hence making you lose the trajectory. Tyres are a very important part of a vehicle, and if you ignore the wheel alignment, it may lead to their reduced lifespan. The durability of tyres can be increased by driving your vehicle with the correct wheel alignment to avoid the uneven wear of the treads of the tyres. It’s recommended to get your vehicle to a nearby mechanic if you experience one of the above symptoms while driving to get your wheels inspected for wheel balancing.

 

Recommended tyre pressure:

Tyre pressure has its own significance in the durability of the tyres of a vehicle. Every vehicle comes with a recommended tyre pressure (measured in psi) that should be observed to maintain and extend the lifespan of the tyres. Both under-inflated and over-inflated tyres affect the fuel economy, reduced tire’s lifespan and handling of the vehicle. Under-inflated tyres cause more friction of tyres with the surface of the road hence resulting in a tread wear along the sides of the tyre whereas over-inflated tyres tend to experience less grip on the road hence making them wear out from the center. It’s also very dangerous to drive a vehicle with over-inflated tyres because it gives you less control of the car at high speeds and can result in an accident. Therefore, to increase the durability and lifespan of the tyres, it’s important to regularly keep a check on the tyre air pressure to avoid such circumstances.

Avoid Overloading:

Overloading your vehicle leads to damage to the tyres as well as other parts of the vehicle. All the tyres are capable of carrying a certain amount of weight that should not be exceeded at any cost. It puts an extra amount of pressure on the tyres and reduces their capability to carry weight and durability on a long-term basis. One must also ensure that the vehicle is not unevenly loaded to avoid any harm to a specific tire due to extra weight. In case of an equally distributed weight, the vehicle moves with a smooth drive. A smooth ride results in better fuel efficiency since overweight results in more engine power for the same amount of acceleration. Overloading also causes increased friction between the tyres and the road which may result in the wear of the tyres prematurely.

Rotation of tyres:

Another major factor that results in reduced lifespan and decreased durability is the uneven wear of all tyres of the vehicle. Uneven wear of a tyre occurs when you don’t rotate the position of tyres after a specific mileage. It’s recommended to rotate the position of the front and rear tyres with each other in any pattern to make sure the tyres wear out evenly. Not all the tyres face even wear while driving on the road. So, if you want to enhance the durability and performance of your vehicle’s tyres, ensure to plan their rotation after 10,000 km. If you don’t follow this practice, you might have to change one or two tyres of your car before they complete their lifespan due to excessive wear. The front tyres must be in good shape at all times. It’s easier to drive your car to a tyre shop and ask for a rotation of tyres which doesn’t even take much time.

Avoid potholes:

Most of the roads in Pakistan have holes and bumps that may damage the suspension and durability of the tyres if you drive casually. Driving habits define the lifespan of the tyres you are using on your vehicle. Driving through potholes at high speeds may cause considerable damage to the tyres of your vehicle and even result in a blow-out. Moreover, metallic road studs are used in Pakistan instead of the ones made with rubber. These metallic road studs may even blow-out a new tyre if the speed is not reduced while crossing them. Therefore it’s better to drive at a safe speed so that slowing down might not be an issue in case of a pothole or an unseen speed hump. Not only this practice enhances the durability of the tyres of your vehicle but also keeps them safe from any serious damage which may cost you very badly.

Wheel balancing:

The distribution of mass within a complete unit of the wheel is referred to as wheel balancing. A proper wheel balancing results in a smooth and comfortable drive at high speeds. An uneven balance may usually occur due to the uneven wear of tyres or when you change a tyre of your vehicle. It’s necessary to get the wheel balancing done. Otherwise, it may result in an annoying vibration of the steering wheel and shaking vehicle when driving at high speed. The tyre treads start to wear quickly across the edges if you keep driving with an unbalanced wheel. It’s essential to make sure the wheels of your vehicle are balanced to increase the life of your tyres. Tyres wear out prematurely in case of unbalanced weight. An additional weight bead is added to the wheel of the vehicle to balance it with the rest of them.

Regular tyre cleaning:

Washing and keeping the tyres clean is very important to prolong their life and durability. Tyres face a lot of wear and tear while you drive the vehicle since they are exposed to every kind of road in Pakistan. During the process, it gathers a lot of mud, dust particles and chemicals. Once you drive your vehicle home, it’s necessary to properly wash and clean them to save the rubber of tyres from wearing out due to these chemicals and similar products. The spare tyre or the ones not in use should also be kept in a cover to avoid any damage to them. Therefore, cleaning and keeping the tyres in good condition is the secret to increasing their durability and reliability.

Understand the importance of tyres in your vehicle and keep them maintained on a scheduled basis to avoid any inconvenience. The more effort you put in, the best results you will get through enhanced durability, sustainability, and reliability of your tyres.

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