MOTORING NEWS - You should rotate your tyres every 10 000km.
Your front tyres (if you have a front wheel drive car) suffer more wear and tear than your rear tyres, so switching them around occasionally helps to even this out.
By doing this, you'll get the most out of your tyre tread.
Remember that driving an overloaded vehicle, regularly driving long distances or speeding will all wear out your tyres faster - if this is the case, you should rotate your tyres more often.
Getting your tyres rotated by your dealer will give you the opportunity to get your wheel alignment checked at the same time.
Check the treads of your tyres often
In South Africa, the minimum legal tread depth is 1.6mm around the entire circumference of your tyre.
If you notice your tread wearing down unevenly, it may be a sign of an underlying problem.
If the tread is wearing down more on the outside edges of the tyre, this indicates that you need to inflate your tyres.
If the tread is wearing more in the centre of the tyre, this indicates your tyre is overinflated, and could be at risk of a blowout.
If you notice any strange wear patterns, you may need to check your wheel alignment.
It's time to change if:
• Tread wear indicators
These are thick, hard rubber lines which only become visible once the tread on your tyres wears down too far. If you can see them, your tread is likely to be 1.6mm or below - time to get yourself a new set of tyres.
• Strange, uneven wear patterns
If your wheels are properly aligned, but you're still noticing strange wear patterns, this is an indicator that there's a problem. It's a good idea to get your dealer to take a look at this, as it may be an indication that you need to change your tyres.
• A bulge
If a bulge or blister appears on your tyre, change it immediately. Your tyre could easily burst. It's extremely dangerous to drive like this.
• Lacerations, punctures larger than 6mm or a flat
If you notice any other serious damage to your tyres, change them. You shouldn't try to repair a tyre once it has worn below the legal tread limit.
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