Tire Care and Tire Life
Tires are consumable items, they wear during normal use and have a useful service life. With that in mind you might think tires don't need much attention, but how you treat your tires can drastically increase, or reduce the tread life. Current law requires that car tires must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread in a continuous band throughout the central ? of the tread width over the entire circumference of the tire. Tires have wear markers at regular intervals in the grooves of the tread - once the main surface of the tire is level with these markers it is time to replace your tire.
Fortunately there are many ways you can increase the life of your tire and with a few weekly checks you can ensure you get the maximum from your expensive rubber.
Tire pressures
Tire pressures should be checked weekly, when the car has been standing for at least an hour to ensure the tires are cool. Under inflation can cause excessive wear on the outside of the tires, heat build up in the shoulders and even sudden deflation (blowout) at speed. Over inflation causes excessive wear down the centre of the tires tread shortening the tread life.Alignment
Alignment is a general term covering toe, camber and castor.
Toe is how parrallel the wheels are if viewed from above. Usually cars have neutral toe, or a little positive toe to help straight line stability. If toe is out of alignment the inside or outside of the tires will wear extremely quickly.
Camber is how much the tires lean inwards from bottom to top. Like toe, too much negative or positive camber can cause excessive tire wear and upset the handling of your car.
Balancing
Wheel balancing might not increase the life of your tire, but it can help increase the life of your suspension components. When a wheel / tire is out of balance you will feel it as a vibration at certain speeds either through the steering wheel, or through the car itself. A quick visit to your local garage to have the tires rebalanced will usually cure this.Other causes of excessive tire wear:
Driving style
How you drive your car can have a massive impact on tire wear. A tire that would last over 20,000 miles if driven carefully up and down motorways could quite easily be on the wear blocks in 2,000 miles if slid around every roundabout you encounter!
Been told by a mechanic that reason for excessive tire noise from rear end of vectra is a stepped inner edge o/s tire? Had tracking checked and it was ok, tire pressures regularly checked. Tire is Bridgestone not a budget, only use car for going to work and back doing less than 10,000 a year. Why the stepping?
Unfortunately we'll have to pass. Sometimes certain car / tire combinations just do.
If the tracking and pressures are fine, we'd try a different tire next time.
I'm afraid sometimes it just happens if a particular tire and car don't like each other.
If the geo is fine, and inflation good, we'd suggest buying a different tire next time.
Hi I've inflated my car to recommended pressures and on the front two tires both the outer edges are wearing away more, should I inflate more?
We'd suggest getting the geometry checked first. Under inflation usually results in both shoulders wearing.
I have put Michelin Pilot Super Sports (234.35/19) on my Octavia vrs aftermarket wheels. I can't find guidance on pressures for road use anywhere, anyone know where I can find the info?
Hi,
The info you're after should be in your manufactures hand book or the door shut of the car.
Thanks but that info is for the stock variants of wheels and tires. As the pressures are different for 17 and 18 inch tires I am thinking there might be a difference for 19 inch as well. I was wondering whether there might be recommendations specifically for the MSS 235/35 19 inch tire for road use (pressure discussion only seems to revolve around track use).
As a rule the pressures are set by the car manufacturer to suit the car, rather than the tire manufacturer so Michelin won't have an exact guide.
If it were our car, we'd probably try the stock 18" recommended pressure, maybe with an extra PSI in then go from there.
Thanks again,
sounds like a plan! I just tried 35 psi all round, seems ok but I'll have a play.
Cheers
PB
Don't know if right forum for this? I have taken my 1,8 TD Freelander to live in Bulgaria. the law states that on emust have seperate winter and summer tires. My all weather michelins (expensive and good quality i thought) wore badly at 12,000 under easy driving but frequent caravan towing. Does anyone have any recommendations/
Towing will put a strain on any tire, especially softer winter tires. If you're looking for longevity you'll probably not go far wrong with the Michelin Alpin range, however you'll pay for them.
I have a BMW 318i and the rear offside tire has just been replaced due to excessive weardown on the inside shoulder of the tire, not the tread but more the edge of the tire on the inside. Anybody have any idea what could cause this. The nearside rear tire is OK
We'd suggest having the camber and toe checked. It's fairly common for BMW's to wear the inside shoulder however it shouldn't be drastically different from side to side.
i have an audi a4 1.8 and the rear tires have worn out on the outside,the inner has tread .what can cause this.
Usually if a tire wears out on both the outside and inside shoulders it has been under inflated for a lot of it's life.
Any more questions please ask!