The following pointers by Silverstone Berhad are some basic information on tyre care and maintenance to obtain maximum tread life and performance from tyres to ensure maximum operational driving safety. |
|
Periodically inspect your tyres for cuts, chips, embedded objects or unusual bulges, as a preventive measure to safeguard against sudden and unexpected tyre failure.
|
Ensure Sufficient Tread Depth
|
When a tyre’s tread wears down to less than 1.6mm, it should be replaced as soon as possible. Tyres have tread-wear indicators which appear across the grooves of the tread pattern when the 1.6mm limit is reached.
|
Check Tyre Inflation Pressure
|
Tyre inflation pressures should be checked regularly when the tyres are cold. After checking, ensure that the valve caps are replaced as they provide secondary air seal to keep dirt and moisture out of the valve cores.
|
Rotate Your Tyres |
Regularly rotating your car’s tyres will help you achieve more uniform wear and longer overall tread life. Follow your vehicle owner’s manual recommendation or as a general guideline, rotate your tyres every 10,000km.
|
|
It is advisable to avoid mixing different tyre types due to varying construction. It is also dangerous to mix tyres of different sizes and aspect ratios.
|
|
Tyres are designed to carry a specific maximum load. Do not exceed this maximum load as it can lead to premature tyre failure. The maximum load capacity can be found on the tyre sidewall.
|
|
If you wish to change to a different rim or tyre size, it is best to consult your tyre technician as any change can affect your speedometer readings.
|
|
When driving on wet roads, reduce your speed, as driving too fast can cause tyre to aquaplane (the tyre tread loses contact with the surface of the road due to a film of water).
|
Maintain Correct Air Pressure
|
An under-inflated tyre builds up excessive heat and results in unnecessary tyre stress and irregular wear. An over-inflated tyre wears excessively in the centre of the tread. Under-inflation and over-inflation can result in premature tyre failure.
|
|
Most cars today carry a space-saver tyre as a spare. This tyre should be used only to get to the nearest tyre outlet and should not be used over longer distances or speeds exceeding 80kph.
|
|
If you experience excessive vibration transmitted from the tyres to the steering wheel, get a qualified technician to check the balancing as this can result in an uncomfortable ride and cause excessive mechanical stress on the suspension and steering systems.
|
|
Hitting a pothole or kerb can affect your car’s alignment and result in uneven tyre wear. Have a qualified technician check the wheel alignment periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned.
Tyres are the only parts of the vehicle which are in contact with the road, therefore safety in braking, steering, cornering and acceleration depends greatly on these four patches of rubber. It is highly recommended that tyres on your vehicle be checked regularly and maintained in good condition to obtain economic and safe performance.
|
*For further information please contact
Mr Goh Teong Wah, Assistant Technical Controller, Silverstone Berhad at Tel: 05-891107
|