Brian Joss –
Maintaining your tyres should be part of your budget. Otherwise you’ll soon find out how much it will cost you if you don’t. That’s the view of Tiger Wheel & Tyre (TWT).
“If ever there was a reason to to find the budget and to make time for tyre maintenance, then it’s discovering the real cost of not maintaining your tyres,” said group marketing executive, Joe du Plooy.
“Tyre maintenance comes down to one primary goal – protecting the life of the tread. Tyres will wear out, but the goal is to ensure that the tread wears out evenly, allowing you to get the maximum life from your tyres.”
Here are some simple maintenance must-dos from TWT
- Inflate tyres correctly: underinflation increases rolling resistance, causing rapid tread wear and greater fuel consumption while generating greater heat that further shortens your tyres’ life. Overinflation concentrates the weight of the vehicle down the centre of the tyres, causing uneven and rapid tread wear.
- Fill up with nitrogen. Filling your tyres with nitrogen instead of air is also a good way of maintaining tyre pressure for longer. When filled with Nitrogen, tyres run at a lower temperature, making them more durable and lasting up to 20% longer.
- Check wheel alignment frequently. Misalignment results in one-sided tread wear. On average, alignment should be checked every six months or 8 000km to 10 000km and whenever you make contact with a pothole or pavement.
- Rotate tyres regularly. Swapping tyres from front to back will compensate for uneven tread wear and extend their lifespan. Check your manufacturer’s recommendations, as optimal rotation ranges vary from every 5 000 to every 10 000 km.
“Of these maintenance must-dos, inflation is by far the most important and simplest to keep up with,” added Mr Du Plooy. “But while you can easily do that yourself, you should trust the rest to the professionals. Even something as simple sounding as rotation can be complex when you have to account for directional tyres or staggered wheel fitment – where your rear wheels are larger than the front.”
Tyre maintenance is not a budget-buster and by conscientiously extending the lifespan of your tyres, you can save money in the long run.
