Travelling to see family this christmas

If you are planning to use your car to travel any distance this festive period, then it might be a good idea to check your tyres first. Its no good waiting until Christmas eve, then finding you need a couple of new tyres, as most tyre depots will not be able to help you at the last minute, especially if you have unusual tyre sizes. Driving to an airport with a fully laden car can show up any tyre faults, and the plane won't wait for you.... you could lose an expensive holiday.

Good maintenance of your tyres could not only save you from an accident, but can also help reduce car expenditure. It is recommended to check your tyres monthly or before going on a long trip. Follow these tips:

1. If possible rotate your tyres occasionally, this is good for tyre wear, but also give you the chance to have a good look around each tyre for any possible problems (See point 2).

2. Have a check around the outer and inner walls of your tyres looking for any cuts or tears. If possible check around the tread, again looking for splits, any embedded foreign object or even a puncture (A screw can stay in a tyre for weeks or months, without causing the tyre to lose air, but then at some point it may get pulled out through cornering or braking causing a fast deflation. We at Hometyre can repair a puncture to British standards.

3. Check the tread depth, even though the minimum legal requirement in the UK is 1.6mm, in wet conditions it is recommended to have at least 3mm otherwise you risk aquaplaning if you hit a puddle.

4. Learn how to check a tyres age, on one side of the tyre are the letters DOT these are followed by some code letters & numbers, then often in an elipse you will find 4 numbers these represent the date of manufacture. i.e. 2114 is week 21 of 2014. Ideally tyres should be changed when they are more than 5 years old, after this the rubber starts to harden braking distances increase and cracks appear not only on the sidewalls but also between the tread blocks.

5. We would also recommend having the wheel alignment and balancing checked at least once a year. Bad alignment will cause premature wear on one side of a tyre. You may notice that your car constantly pulls to one side, or the steering wheel is on an angle when driving in a straight line, these are signs that the alignment is out. Again we at Hometyre can correct you wheel alignment on site using our laser alignment equipment. For more info see here.

6. Most modern vehicles do not come with a spare wheel, many drivers are unaware of this until the time comes when they need one. Have you familiarized yourself with the contents of your boot? Many new cars have a mini compressor and a can of spray sealer, this sealer only works on a puncture in the tread area, it will not work on any sidewall damage. Have you replaced your can of sealer if it has been used previously? If you have a spare tyre, have you checked its pressure? There is no point in trying to fit your spare on the side of the road only to find it is flat.

7. If travelling long distances, then it is good to take regular breaks, not only for the driver, but to also allow your tyres to cool down.

8. If you are planning on taking your car abroad for a winter break, then you may want to check the relevant tyre regulations in the countries you will be travelling through. As in some European countries it is mandatory to have winter tyres. See regulations here.

Above all have a safe trip, and should you need tyres or advice, before your winter vacation, then give us a call at Hometyre.