TAKE CARE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31750, 6 August 1968, Page 11

TAKE CARE

Tyres are one of the most abused parts of the average motorist’s car, yet his safety and the safety of his passengers depend on those four small “footprints” wher the tyres are in contact with the road surface.

Proper care of tyres pays off not only in longer life, but also in greater safety. All motorists should check the pressure in their tyres—including the spare—at least once a week, and the tyres should also be regularly inspected for any cuts in the tread or sidewall, and for any objects imbedded in the tread. Any uneven wear calls for an immediate investigation, (t may be caused by the wheels i being out of alignment, or by over or under-inflation of the tyre. Over-inflation results in the centre of the tread wearing out quickly, while under-in-flation results In the two outer edges of the tread wearing rapidly.

DANGEROUS Under-inflation is particularly dangerous, because it

i results in the tyre flexing too much and generating too much heat. This will always

increase wear, and in severe cases can even lead to tyre failure. A long fast trip with a heavily-laden car always requires an increase in tyre pressures to reduce this flexing and the resulting heat build-up. Most manufacturers advise an increase in pressure of three to four lb in each tyre for these conditions. KERB DAMAGE Bumping kerbs when parking can damage the casing of a tyre and can also put the wheels out of alignment, causing increased wear. Running into a sharp-edged object can break the tyre cords, ruining the tyre and making it dangerous. Wheel balance is also important, for a badly out-of-balance wheel will always cause greatly increased tyre wear as well as causing the i car to judder unpleasantly at certain speeds.