by Mike Mccarthy

Created on: March 25, 2009

There are two reasons why you may wish to replace your tires. The first reason is a fun one, you are upgrading the tyres you have currently fitted to your vehicle. The second reason is more of a routine maintenance scenario, as your tires will have worn down to a point that they are no longer legal or safe.

Perhaps you are a 4x4 or SUV owner, looking to enhance your experience off road with the purchase of some all terrain or mud tires? Or, you are customising your ride and are fitting bigger diameter wheels and therefore choosing some low profile tires to fit. Whatever your reasons for replacing your tires when such a change is connected to your hobby or interest, the researching amongst brands and types of tire is part of the fun.

Let's now look at reasons for tire changing due to maintenance. All tires need to be in good condition and should be examined on a regular basis. You need to look for bulges in the sidewalls on both sides of the tire. If a bulge is found, the tire needs to be replaced as there is a real risk of the tire bursting.

You also need to examine the tread pattern across the tyre to look for uneven wear, this will point to your tracking needing adjusting. If the wear has occurred to the point of being noticeable, then the tire should really be changed after the tracking adjustment has been carried out as the tire in question will not have it's full surface on the road.

It is good maintenance practice to check the depth of your tyre tread on a regular basis as once it has worn to the legal limit the tread itself is not really doing the job it was designed for. This will mean that the water handling properties of the tread will be affected and the risk of losing control of your vehicle in the wet will be increased. A tread depth gauge is a cheap tool to purchase and they are readily available. Find out exactly what the legal tread depth required is for your Country or State location as it may vary. As soon as the tire gets to the legal limit, it should be replaced. However it is good practice to change the tire a little before that for safety reasons.

Tires have wear indicators built between the treads. They look like a raised block that sits on the carcass of the tire, like a small tread line. If this block is higher than the legal wear limit, the tyre should be changed when the wear block is level with the rest of the tire tread. Even though the tire tread may still be within legal limits. This is because the manufacturer has set this as their recommended maximum wear level.

When checking your tires for wear, also check to see if the balance weights are still on your wheels. Generally you can see if one has fallen off because there will be a mark on the wheel rim. If you do have a weight missing, you should get your wheels balanced as a wheel out of balance wears unevenly and more quickly therefore shortening the life of your tire.

You should also regularly check the tire pressures as well, as an under or over inflated tyre will wear unevenly and also shorten the life of your tire.

Keeping your tires at the right inflation pressure, well balanced and well tracked will not only extend the life of your tire but will also give you better gas mileage.

Learn more about this author, Mike Mccarthy.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.