Tyre care and maintenance

Did you know that the contact on the road is the size of your palm times 4 tyres.

Proper maintenance of your tyres is critical, to ensure that you and family’s safety is never compromised. Should you have any questions or queries, please phone or click the Hi-Q image above to email Hi-Q and they will gladly assist with any questions you may have.

INFLATION

Maintaining proper air pressure is the single most important thing drivers can do for their tyres. In the space of just one month, a tyre can lose air pressure. It is important to check your air pressure regularly, to make sure your tyres are neither under- nor over-inflated

Under-inflation is the worst enemy your tyre can have. It causes increased tread wear on the outside edges (or shoulders) of the tyre. It also generates excessive heat, which reduces tyre durability.

Finally, it reduces your fuel economy by increasing rolling resistance - soft tyres make your vehicle work harder.

Over-inflation is also detrimental to the tyre. Too much air pressure causes the centre of the tread to bear the majority of the car’s weight, which leads to faster deterioration and uneven wear. Any kind of uneven wear will shorten the lifespan of your tyres.

To find the proper air pressure for your tyres, look in the vehicle owner's manual, on the driver’s side door jamb or in the glove box. And if you buy new tyres, be sure to learn the correct pressure from your dealer.

It is recommended to check the inflation pressure every two weeks for high performance tyres when tyres are cool (driven less than a kilometre or so). Never reduce inflation pressure when tyres are hot from driving.

Check your pressure at least once a month, and use a good quality air gauge. Or, stop by your local Goodyear dealer and have your air pressure checked and corrected.

Lastly, if the tyres have been inflated with Nitrogen. It is important to ensure they are consistently checked and inflated with Nitrogen (speak to your local HI-Q / Goodyear Accredited Dealer on this).

BALANCE AND ALIGNMENT

Having your tyres balanced and your vehicle properly aligned is important not only to the longevity of the tyre, but to the safety of the driver and to the performance of the car.

Unbalanced tyres cause road vibration, which leads to driver fatigue, premature tyre wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle’s suspension. Tyres should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after a repair.

They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and should be balanced at least once a year, regardless.

The cost of keeping tyres balanced and the vehicle properly aligned will more than pay for itself in tyre mileage, performance and comfort.

REGULAR ROTATION

The weight of a vehicle is not evenly distributed to all four tyres. Therefore, regular rotation is necessary to maintain even tread wear and get the most out of tyres.

There are several methods of rotation. For all-season tyres and most vehicles on the road, tyres from the rear axle are moved to the drive axle and crossed to opposite sides of the vehicle. The tyres from the drive axle are moved to the rear, but remain on the same sides. This is known as the .modified X. pattern.

Please note: Tyres with “directional” design are rotated differently.

In this case, all tyres remain on the same side of the vehicle and are rotated straight forward and straight back.

For four-wheel drive vehicles, it is recommended to switch all four tyres, both from side-to-side and in axle position.

Check the vehicle owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s rotation recommendations. If no rotation period is specified, tyres should be adjusted every 6,000 - 8,000 kilometres. Four-wheel drive vehicles may require rotation as soon as every 4,000 kilometres.

Article by : Hi-Q Moore Road, Durban, 031-305 6986, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it