Tyres wear out extremely quickly compared to other parts of your car, so it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure all four tyres (and the spare, if you have one) are always in a safe, driveable condition.
Maintaining roadworthy car tyres is essential to boosting your vehicle’s performance, and if you’re looking for Gold Coast tyre dealerships, Branigans will have professional staff to help you find the best set.
Identifying when a tyre is coming to the end of its life is the key to replacing them on time to ensure you’re looking after yourself, your passengers and other drivers. A quick examination of your tyres will tell you when the tread is becoming too worn.
There are other indicators that your tyres require replacing, such as how your car is handling on the road.
When is a Tyre Worn Out?
Checking for worn tyres is as simple as looking at the tread. Manufacturers mould tread wear indicators into the grooves of the tyre, which appear as little bars that are the depth of the tyre wear limit. In Australia, this limit is 1.5 millimetres.
When your tread is worn down to that level, you will see that the indicator bars are flush with your tyres’ tread surface. You cannot drive safely – or legally – if the tread depth is less than this. If your vehicle is pulled over for any reason, you are technically driving an unroadworthy vehicle, which can incur large fines.
Most manufacturers recommend that you replace the tyres before the bars become flush with the rubber surface, as this helps maintain optimum safety and energy-efficiency for your vehicle. Some suggest changing the tyres when the tread reaches a depth of 3mm. Most tyre experts will recommend changing them when the tread reaches 2mm, just to be on the safe side.
Other Factors Contributing to Tyre Wear
While keeping your tyres above the minimum tread depth is recommended, if you don’t drive your car very often, there is another reason you may need to replace your existing tyres. Once tyres have passed a certain age limit (usually five years), experts recommend an annual check by your local Gold Coast tyre specialist or mechanical garage.
Unless your vehicle requires run-flat tyres which are able to maintain some tyre pressure after being damaged, this rule also applies to your spare tyre. So make sure that your local tyre professionals are checking the spare along with the rest of the set.
In between inspections, you can help maintain your vehicle and reduce running costs by regularly checking that your tyres are kept at the right inflation pressure.. Go to your local service station to check tyre pressure and inflate or deflate your tyres so that the specifications you’ll find on the tyre placard are met. This information is usually found on the driver’s door (near the lock), or you can find the information you need in your vehicle’s manual. If you’re still not sure, talk to Branigans: the Gold Coast tyre specialists you can trust.
Is it Time to Replace Your Tyres?
It’s time to visit Branigans Tyres for cost-effective and professional assistance. To make a booking to have your new or used tyres fitted, please contact us here or simply pay a visit to our Southport or Burleigh Heads workshops. We have published this article in the interests of the safety of our clients and all motor vehicle owners. If you’d like to download When Should You Change Your Tyres? for future reference, we’ve made it available to you.
