General Safety Rules
‘Tyres are your only point of contact with the road surface, so you cannot afford to neglect them.’
The tread on your tyres is what maintains your driving control, grips the road, disperses water and keeps you safe. A worn tyre increases the time it takes you to brake, as well as your chance of losing control.
Here's how to stay safe and get the best life out of your tyres:
1. Ensure that your tyres have more than 2mm of tread
Most new tyres start out with about 8-9mm of tread. When the tread wears, the tyre’s ability to disperse water reduces. When the tread wears down to less than 2mm, the tyre will likely be unsafe to use and should be replaced as soon as possible
Regularly check the indicators on your tyre’s tread pattern, which will show as lines across the tread when it’s reduced to 1.6mm.
2. Ensure your tyres are correctly inflated
Under or over-inflating your tyres is dangerous and can lead to excessive tread wear. Look for the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure, listed on the sticker usually located on the driver’s side door pillar or fuel flap, or ensure a tyre specialist inflates it for you.
-Check your tyres weekly, either by yourself or by a tyre specialist.
-Pressures should be checked when your tyres are cold.
-Pressures should be checked with an accurate tyre gauge.
-For heavy loads or sustained high-speed operations, inflation pressures must be increased according to your vehicle’s recommendations.
A tyre does not have to look flat to be under inflated. To be safe you should check the pressure at least once a fortnight. If you are unsure as to what the correct pressure is for your vehicle, have a look in the Vehicle Manual.
Always remember that tyre pressure should only be tested when your tyres are cold - a good guideline is to leave them for an hour after driving so that they can cool down. If you drive around on under or over inflated tyres, your vehicle's handling will be seriously affected – in most cases the vehicle will become unstable. The wrong tyre pressure also increases tyre wear, significantly shortening its lifespan and increasing the chances of the tyre failing whilst driving.
3. Rotate your tyres regularly
Tyre rotation is vital to achieving safe tread wear and long tyre life. Tyres can wear differently depending on their position on the vehicle. This can be due to vehicle loading or suspension and steering set up. Rotating your tyres will give a more even wear pattern and prolong tyre life.
-For maximum tyre life, have your tyres rotated every 10,000 kilometres, or according to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
4. Get a professional wheel alignment regularly
Misaligned wheels will cause your tyres to wear excessively and irregularly. Having correctly aligned wheels is also essential for safe handling and braking; it can even help to reduce driver fatigue.
Have a professional wheel alignment carried out every six months or 10,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.
If your tyre is evenly worn across the surface, then this could be a sign of over/under inflation. However, if it is only worn on one edge it is likely to be the result of poor wheel alignment. If this is the case you need to have a professional garage check you’re tracking, if you are in need of a wheel alignment contact us at Hyper to book in today!
For many motorists this seems to be the case as a national survey showed that almost 36% of vehicles tested had dangerously underinflated tyres. It is widely agreed by safety experts that a tyre’s performance - particularly in wet conditions - deteriorates dramatically once it gets below 2mm.
If your tread depth is below this level it would be wise to start looking into buying some new tyres
(For an at home way to find out if your tread is below level check out how to do so through our simple steps http://www.hyperdrive.co.nz/common-tyre-buying-questions/page)
In the same survey, an approximate 12% of vehicles actually had illegal tyres – which is not only extremely dangerous for those driving around on illegal tyres, but for all other road-users as well.
We recommend that you should check the condition of your tyres regularly - at least once a fortnight.
Why should you check your tyres?
Did you know that you are not insured when driving on illegal tyres?
If you are involved in an accident and it turns out that you have been driving around on tyres with a tread depth lower than 1.6mm you could find yourself forking out a lot of money on repairs and fines.
Worn tyres significantly impede the performance of your car - low tread depths reduce the effectiveness of braking, steering, and acceleration, all of which are vital in staying safe.
What are a few minutes put aside now to check your tyres, when you compare it to your own safety and that of your family?
What Should I Check?
The team at Hyper strongly recommend you complete a five point tyre check, checking the following:
• The overall condition of tyres, including inner and outer sidewalls.
• Tyre tread depth.
• Tyre pressures.
• Signs of irregular wear.
• Examine the spare tyre.
Please contact our experts at Hyper on 0800 449 737 immediately if you require any advice on tyre safety.
Wheel Balancing
An unbalanced wheel can cause dangerous mechanical damage. Hyper will balance your wheel as a matter of course after replacing your tyre.
Spare Tyre
Even if you never use your spare it is still vital that you check that it is in good condition. Check the pressure and the tyre tread periodically.
It is better to discover any problems in a safe and comfortable environment, i.e. at home, than by the roadside.
If you are unsure about the general safety of your car, talk to one of our experts at Hyper Drive anytime between
Monday & Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 1pm
0800 4 49737
