General Maintance for your tyres

There is nothing more frustrating than realising you've got a problem with your tyres. Not only does it put your safety at serious risk, but even in minor cases, a blow out or illegal tyres can present a major inconvenience.

Maintenance prevents punctures

As with most vehicle-related safety issues, the key to preventing problems is proper maintenance. At Hometyre, we recommend taking the following steps to ensure your tyres are in tip-top condition and at minimal risk of an unexpected problem:

1. Alignment Having your wheels aligned regularly will ensure that pressure is evenly distributed on your tyres, drastically reducing the risk of premature wear and thus the need to replace you tyres. Also misaligned tyres will cause your fuel consumption to increase.

2. Regular checks You should check your tyres regularly for signs of wear and tear, and for any signs of cracking on the sidewalls, check that the tread depth is legal and consider changing your tyres when they get to 3mm as grip starts to drop off after 3mm's is reached. Also check the date code on the sidewalls of the tyre, this will indicate the age of the tyres - if they're more than five years old, then replacement should be considered if cracking has been found on the sidewall and tread of the tyre, this will avoid an increased risk of blow outs.

3. Wheel balancing will address any imbalances in the wheel and tyre. This is recommended any time tyres are rotated or when swapping winter and summer tyres. Doing so could mean you do not suffer from wheel wobble at speed which can be irritating and increase the wear and tear on steering and suspension components.

A hassle-free backup plan However, as with everything in life, there's only so much anyone can do to prevent the unexpected. It's therefore advisable to also have a game plan in the event that problem still occurs despite your best efforts.

Firstly, do not continue to drive on a punctured tyre. This is of paramount importance, as you could cause further damage to the tyre, or lose control of the vehicle if the tyre comes off the rim. Pull your vehicle aside as soon as possible and have it towed to your work or home. Then, you can simply contact Hometyre to arrange for your puncture repair. We'll come to your office or home at your convenience to repair your puncture, or if necessary, replace your tyre.

If your tyres are below the legal minimum of 1.6mm (see here on how to check your tyres) do not drive on the road, if you are pulled over you risk 3 points per illegal tyre and also up to £2,500 per tyres as well.

So, although it's not something anyone looks forward to, your tyres don't need to wreak havoc on your day. Thanks to Hometyre's mobile tyre replacement service, a problem tyre will be nothing more than a small bump in the road.

For more information on how Hometyre can provide the above tyre maintenance procedures and repairs at a location of your choice, contact us today.