When to replace car tyres

Taking care of your car tyres is as important as caring for your vehicle. And while wheel balancing and alignment, and tyre rotation help cut down tyre wear and tear to some extent, you still need to replace them after a certain time. Here are some indications that will tell you when you need a replacement.

1.    Wheel Alignment and Balancing has no effect
When your car doesn’t drive in a straight line even after it has been aligned, it is a possible, but not definite, indicator that the tyres need to be replaced. However, failure to drive in a straight line can also be caused if the axle is damaged. Get a thorough checking done by an authorised dealership or a mechanic you trust.

2.    Tread Depth
Check how much tread depth is left on the tyres. This is best done by looking at the tread wear indicator present on all modern car tyres. Alternatively you can also try the one rupee coin check.If the tread depth is less than what it should be, replace the tyres immediately as a lesser depth decreases handling.

3.    Tyre Grip
Tyre grip is a function of tread pattern, rubber compound, inflation pressures and, of course, correct wheel alignment, good steering linkage, in other words, general good condition of the car. Considering all these things in order, if your tyre indicator says its time, change the tyre.

While keeping these indications in mind, it is also important to keep a track of how many kilometres your car tyres have done. This will also give you a rough estimate on when to replace them. Most tyres last about 40,000km under ideal conditions, i.e, if they are well maintained and not driven too much on rough terrain.

When replacing tyres, it is recommended that you replace all four of them and keep the best one from the old set as spare. Also, make sure you are using the right set of tyres on the right terrain. Filling up tyres with nitrogen instead of regular air also improves ride quality and reduces tyre wear.

NOTE: Misbehaviour of directional stability of a car may not be due to worn tyres but you could also look towards worn out suspension and steering linkage.