Although we would all like to fit a set of tyres and then drive it till the wheels come off, this is, unfortunately not possible.
“Many additional critical factors influence the lifespan of a tyre, including inflation pressure, the car’s wheel alignment, the load being carried, speed travelled and harshness of cornering and braking, regional climate and ambient temperatures, as well as road hazard damage,” says Continental.
“Tread wear results from contact between the tyre and the road surface. Incorrect wheel alignment can lead to excessive wear on the inner or outer shoulder of the tyre. Driving over unmade roads and rough and rocky terrain will accelerate tyre wear, while incorrect tyre pressure will also negatively impact both mileage and fuel consumption.
Overinflated tyres will wear unduly in the centre of the tread strip, while underinflated tyres will show excessive wear on the outer ribs. Unbalanced wheels also lead to uneven tyre wear because they do not track straight and true.”
Interesting, according to Continental, is that “most punctures are the result of incorrect tyre pressure, damage to the tyre casing as a result of an impact, as well as tyre wear.”
How does one improve the longevity of your tyres?
Regular (weekly) checks of your tyre pressure
Rotating your tyre every 10 000km
And whilst at it, get the wheel balance and wheel-alignment also checked
Continental uses a Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI) which will detect incorrect wheel alignment without the need for electronic measurement.
How tyres age
Over time, chemical and physical processes change the material properties of a tyre. This applies to new and little-used tyres.
So if you had tyres fitted 10 years ago and, despite doing very low kilometres over that period, the tyre would have lost elasticity and grip capacity.
“Once tyres have been manufactured, they should be stored in cool and dry conditions to limit any natural ageing process.
“You can easily determine the age of a tyre by examining the markings on the tyre sidewall, using the DOT code. It’s made up of the letters DOT and two pairs of figures, separated by a forward slash. The first two numbers show the week the tyre was built; the last two indicate the year. So “36/16” means the tyre was built in the 36th calendar week (i.e. between September 5 and 11) in 2016.”
“Tyres older than 10 years should be replaced to ensure your driving safety,” concluded Continental.
Source: QuiclPic
