There are common myths relating to tyre selection, maintenance and installation. Here are a few frequently asked questions about tyres that will answer many of your queries:
Q: What is the average age of a tyre?
Ans: The average age of a tyre is 40,000 km in mixed conditions. Driving on entirely plain and smooth roads extends the age of tyres to up to 60,000 km. However, frequent driving on bumpy and uneven roads decreases the life of tyres from 40,000 km to 30,000 km approximately.
Q: What happens if a tyre is not replaced after it has completed its life?
Ans: The grip on the base of the tyre withers off. The tyre may also go out of shape and it can also burst.
Q: Why does a tyre burst?
Ans. When a tyre goes old, it loses its resistance to withstand high temperature. Hence, it does not resists heat generated due to vigorous friction on long routes which results in bursting. This is more common in hot weather conditions. Hot weather and heat caused due to friction adds up and results in bursting of tyre.
Q: How can I examine the condition of tyres?
Ans: First of all keep in mind the kilometers you have driven on a particular set of tyres. Secondly, test the depth of the tread with a coin. For a tyre in good or average condition, the depth of the tread should be at least three times the cinch of the coin. If it is less, then the tyre is worn out and cannot run for a long period.
Q: How often should I check my spare wheel?
Ans: Check the PSI level of your spare wheel every six months. If you travel long distances very often, it is recommended to replace the original spare wheel of your car with a new good quality wheel.
Q: What is Wheel Alignment?
Ans: Wheel Alignment means to adjust the angles of the wheels in such a manner that they run precisely to one another and perpendicular to the road. Well aligned wheels are necessary for maximum tyre life and hence improves the smoothness of your drive.
Q: What is Wheel Balancing? Is it same as Wheel Alignment?
Ans: Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment are two totally different things. Wheel Balancing allows the tyre to rotate without causing vibrations or wobbling.
Q: How do I know if my wheels are unaligned?
Ans: There are few common symptoms of unaligned wheels that you should keep in mind:
- Uneven wear of tread.
- Pulling to a certain angle despite no movement provided from the steering wheel.
- Drifting on a leveled road.
Q: How do I know if my wheels are out of balance?
Ans: Few symptoms of unbalanced wheels that will help you determine whether your wheels are out of balance or not:
- Quivering in the steering wheel at a certain high speed.
- Juddering of floorboard at certain high speed.
- Cupped wear pattern on tires.
Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment should be checked every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers to prevent unwanted wear of tyres and furthermore to ensure smooth driving experience.
I hope we have covered most of the FAQs. If you have any more in mind, let us know in the comments and we would be more than happy to respond and address them here and in our Tyre Guide Section
You forgot to answer the biggest question. Wheels or tyres?
Why doesn’t somebody proofread before it gets posted? “every 8,000 to 10,00 kilometers”
The writer doesn’t know the terminology and is interchangeably using spare wheel and spare tyre.
Why post things like quivering, juddering and cupped wear … why not also make people aware of local slang so they can easily discuss with their mechanic~
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