Good Way to Maintain Your Vehicle Tyre in Summers
Beyond making your legs stick to your leather seats, extreme heat can equally take a toll on your vehicle too. As the summer approaches you need to keep your tyres in top shape ready to endure the sweltering temperatures. Pre-summer inspection must be carried to ensure that all tyres are ready for summer usage.
Beat the heat with the following maintenance tips for your tyres:
Maintain Correct Tyre Pressure
Tyre Pressure changes with the rise in temperature. Rubber and air expands and contracts depending on the heat. An under-inflated tyre leads to excessive sidewall flexing thereby generating excessive heat which will eventually lead to faster wear & premature failure. An over-inflated tyre, on the other hand, can cause excessive wear and tear to the center of tread and in extreme case it can cause the tyre to burst. Overinflated tyres will also reduce ride comfort. The key is to monitor tyre pressure (including the spare) regularly. For the most accurate reading, check the pressure when the tyres are cold or have not travelled for more than 3 hours. Inflate the tyres to the recommended settings often found on the driver’s door jamb and/or the vehicle owner’s manual.
Keep A Check on Punctures/Cracks
It is a good idea to inspect tyres regularly for cracks and punctures to eliminate problems on time and ensure utmost safety. To check tyre wear insert a coin between the treads to check its depth. If one fourth of the coin is not between treads, then it’s time to change rubber or better replace tyres if they seem much worn out.
Buy A Good Tyre Gauge
It’s good to keep a Tyre gauge handy so that you can periodically inspect tyre pressure and thus avoid any untoward situation.
Avoid Overloading the Vehicle
Overloading is not at all advisable for vehicle tyres as it puts lot of weight on tyres making them susceptible to damage. Moreover, during summers it adds to the heat build-up while driving which can cause severe and sudden tyre damage.
Keep Tyres Clean
Do not allow dirt and debris to sit on the vehicle tyres for longer as it may lead to permanent damage of the tyres as well as the metal of the vehicle. Regular cleaning will prevent rust and corrosion of tyres.
Tyre Valves
Make sure that tyre valves are in proper shape and the valve cap is fitted appropriately. The valve cap protects the valve core from dirt and moisture.
Spare Tyre
Always keep your spare tyre ready and in shape in case it may be needed, it should be
up to the mark. Some vehicles come with TST (Temporary Spare Tyre) which will be an undersized tyre in comparison to the actual tyre on the vehicle (picture below). These TST’s are to be used only for limited distance and at a speed not more than 80 kph.
Avoid driving for longer distance at one stretch
Ensure to have one or two halts for long haul trips. This will allow the tyres and vehicle parts to cool down the excessive heat built and relax the driver to focus better.
Follow these tips & thus you and your tyres can stay cool throughout the summer.