How To Check Your Tyre Wear
Words: AutoTrader NZ
Tyre wear is inevitable, but the wrong kind of tyre wear can be very dangerous and costly. The signs can sometimes be obvious and sometimes not so. They can appear as unusual noises when you are driving or the feeling of the car pulling to the side when driving in a straight line.
Check your tyre tread:
Your tyres are the only point of contact with the road. The minimum legal tread depth is 1.5 mm.
Check the tread depth using a 20c coin or a tyre tread gauge. Place the coin in the tyre’s groove and measure the depth. Also, double-check the tyre for any splits, cracks, or bulges. If in doubt, pop into your local tyre shop for a free check.
*The base of a 20c coin to the bottom of the number 2 measures approximately 2 mm. If the tread is at 2 mm or below, we recommend replacing your tyres.
Check your tyre wear:
It is best to always make sure your alignment is done correctly when fitting new tyres. If you feel your car pulling to one side as you are driving in a straight line or making unusual vibrations, it can be signs of bad tyre wear. If any of these signs appear It is best to make sure you take your car in to get the alignment checked as soon as possible to prevent it becoming a much larger issue.
At the extreme end, these wear patterns can cause tyre blow outs which can be dangerous and cause crashes. Always follow the manufacturer directions on correct tyre pressure which can usually be found in the passenger or driver door sill (also make sure the corresponding tyre size is the same as the one found on the door sill).
If you are looking to find out what the numbers and letters on the sidewall of your tyres mean, check out our blog below.
