Check and maintain tire pressure regularly. The check should be done when the tires are cold and not immediately after you have used the car. If you check the tire pressure when the tires are hot, you will get high values due to expansion from heat. In this case, under no circumstances should you attempt to reduce the pressure to the values specified for cold tires, otherwise the result will be that the tires will be under-inflated.
Underinflated tires will cause them to overheat because the tire will flex more and the tire tread will not contact the road surface properly. This will cause subsequent loss of traction and excessive wear, not to mention the risk of sudden tire failure as a result of heat buildup.
Over-inflating your tires will cause rapid wear on the center tread of the tire, reduced traction, a harsher ride, and the risk of impact damage occurring in the tire's core.
Check your tires regularly for damage such as cuts or bumps, especially on the sidewalls. Remove any nails or pebbles embedded in the tire tread before they penetrate and deflate the tire. If removing the nail reveals that the tire is punctured, place the nail back to mark the puncture site. Then replace the wheel immediately and have the tire repaired by a tire dealer. Do not drive the tire in this condition. In many cases, a puncture can simply be repaired by using an inner tube of the appropriate size and type. If you have any doubts about the possible consequences of any damage found, consult your local dealer.
Periodically remove the wheels and clean off any dirt or soil from the interior and exterior surfaces. Inspect the wheel rims for signs of rust, corrosion or other damage. Wheels made of light alloys are easily damaged if they hit the curb when parking, and wheels made of steel can also become bent or pitted. In many cases, replacing the wheel is the only option.
The balance of each wheel and tire assembly must be maintained to avoid excessive wear not only on the tires, but also on the steering and suspension components. Wheel imbalance is usually indicated by vibration in the car body, although in many cases it is especially noticeable in the steering wheel. Conversely, it should be noted that wear or damage to suspension or steering components can cause excessive tire wear. Also included in this category are tire out-of-roundness, poor tire alignment, wheel damage, AND worn/misaligned wheel bearings. Balancing will usually not eliminate the vibration caused by this type of wear.
Wheel balancing can be done while the wheel is either on the car or removed. If you are balancing a car, make sure that the wheel-hub alignment is marked in some way before removing the wheel so that it can be reinstalled in its original position.
Wheel wear is greatly influenced by driving style - hard braking and acceleration or driving quickly when cornering will cause faster tire wear. By swapping tires you can achieve more even wear, but this should only be done if you are not putting different types of tires on your car.
However, it should be remembered that if this is carried out fully, it entails the cost of replacing the entire set of tires at once, which can be financially difficult for many car owners.
Front tires may wear unevenly as a result of improper wheel alignment. The front wheels must always be correctly positioned according to the settings specified by the machine manufacturer.
There are legal restrictions on mixing tire types on a vehicle. Essentially this means that the car should not have tires of different designs on the same axle. Although it is not recommended to mix tire types between
front and rear axles, but... The only combination permitted by law is the combination of cross-ply tires at the front and radial tires at the rear. When mixing radial tires, always install textile radials on the front axle and steel radials on the rear axle. The obvious disadvantage of this mix is that you will have to carry two spare tires with you to avoid breaking the law in case of a puncture.
In the UK, many aspects of the use and installation of tires are subject to the Construction and Use of Motor Vehicles Regulations. It is recommended that you obtain a copy of these regulations from your local police department if you are in doubt about these legal requirements regarding tire condition, minimum tire tread depth, etc.
Pic. 10.36. Interchangeability of wheels and tires to level out wear as recommended by manufacturers
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