How can I tell when my tyres need changing?
One sign that your tyres need changing is noticing a deterioration in performance. For example, your car does not handle or grip the road as well in poor weather conditions as it normally does, or it takes longer to stop when you apply the brakes.
The fact that tyres wear gradually can make it difficult to identify the reduction in performance, so it's best to have them checked regularly and preferably by an expert. It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that the tread on your tyres is not worn beyond the legal minimum limit of 1.6 millimetres.
To make this easier to identify, tyre manufacturers mould tread wear indicators (T.W.I) into the design of the tyres tread pattern usually at a tread level of 1.6mm. As soon as the tread is worn to the height of the tread wear indicator, the tyre has reached the legal minimum tread depth and you should replace the tyre as soon as possible.
You should also be aware that there are many different reasons for tyre wear. Your tyres don't just get worn through age and use, but through emergency braking, under-inflation or over-inflation. And if your wheels are misaligned, one edge of the tyre can wear more rapidly than the other edge.
We recommend a weekly walk around the car to check the tread, look for bulges or wear and to check tyre pressures everytime you fill the tank.
Illustrations and explanation for tyre wear
Under Inflation
Under-inflation has caused this tyre to wear on the outer edges of the tread, leaving the central tread area far less worn. The tyre inner-liner can also degrade.
Over Inflation
Over-inflation has resulted in the central tread area being forced into contact with the road causing rapid or crown wear.
Camber Wear
Excessive wheel camber has caused sloping wear on the outer edge of the tread on one shoulder of this tyre.
Mis-Alignment
A typical example of the wear pattern caused by front wheel misalignment. The edge of the tread is "feathered" from one side.
Illegal Wear
This tyre has been used well after reaching the legal minimum pattern depth of 1.6mm across the central _ of the tread, going around the complete circumference of the tyre.
End Of Life
This tyre has reached the legal minimum pattern depth of 1.6mm.
Putting tyres to the test
Tyre tests are part of the fabric of the motor industry, whether it’s tyre manufacturers doing their own tests, or consumer groups, magazines and organisations like Kwik-Fit putting tyres through their paces themselves.
There are plenty of tests out there – but with such a huge amount of information out there, it can be difficult to get to grips with tyre features and what to look for.
The truth is that whilst the best tyres have a lot in common and share a lot of the basic qualities, different tyres produce different responses on the road. So it’s important to choose the right one for you.
Here Kwik-Fit will help you through the process and highlight some of the best manufacturers and tyres for specific circumstances.
Aquaplaning
Aquaplaning is the end result of a tyre losing grip on wet roads. Where normally a tyre’s tread would channel water away from where it has contact with the road, if it is very wet even the best tyres can lose the capacity to shift water away. When that happens the tyre ends up running on top of the water, effectively meaning the driver loses control.
Tyres that perform best under very wet conditions are those with directional tread patterns and side sipe tread patterns. These effectively pump water as efficiently as possible away from the tyre’s contact with the ground.
Braking
Ok so it sounds obvious but stopping your car as quickly and as safely as possible is critical. And depending on whether you’re driving on a dry road or in more hazardous conditions, the tyre you choose can affect how quickly your car can stop.
In wet conditions tyres like a Continental Sport Contact give consistently good performance. Stopping in the wet tests the compound of the tyre as well as the tread pattern – see “Aquaplaning”.
In dry conditions however it’s the tyre that can fit as much rubber on the ground as possible that wins the day. It’s all about grip. And when it comes to tyre grip a Continental or Pirelli Zero tyre are very high in contact.
Tyre noise
Quiet tyres mean a quiet drive and comfort is often as important to motorists as handling. So knowing which tyres are noisy and which are quiet can make a big difference.
By law your tyres have to meet certain noise level standards, and there are tests carried out to ensure this happens. But equally there are tyres that manage to muffle sound and produce a less noticeable noise than others.
Environmentally friendly
Rolling resistance of the tyre is key here. There are two elements to an environmentally-friendly tyre: how it affects fuel consumption, and the environmental impact of the manufacturing process itself.
Some producers claim to be ahead of the game, claiming its fuel-saving tyres have prevented 23 million tonnes of CO2 emissions since 1992. Their environmentally-friendly tyres use silica to try and reduce rolling resistance and therefore save fuel because the car needs less energy to roll on this type of rubber.
Whatever tyre you choose, you can save up to 8% on fuel by keeping the tyres at the correct pressure hence also reducing harmful emissions from your car.
So whatever the circumstances, different tyres produce different results. For most of us, of course, we have to make do with the same four wheels and the same tyres, whatever the situation. It’s therefore important to find a good all-round tyre that meets your needs.
Spare tyres
The purpose of a spare tyre is to provide a replacement if one of the tyres on your vehicle is flat or damaged. This means that it is vital to check your spare tyre as carefully as those in day to day use.
It's also important to be prepared for changing a tyre, which you may need to do in fairly difficult locations (such as at the side of a motorway in the rain). You should also familiarise yourself with the location of the car jack, the spare tyre and the locking wheel nut tool before you need to use them in a real situation. Ensure also that you have a wheel brace as well as a good, inflated spare tyre. Also take care to ensure that you know the location of your wheel-locking nut if your car has one.
Spare tyres can be full-size or temporary space saver 'mini spares'.
'Mini spares' are designed to take up less room in your vehicle and to get you home, but not to be driven on for long periods. Many of the space savers can not be used at speeds over 50mph; consult your space saver wheel or vehicle handbook for specific details.
