Tyre Inspection - What Is It and How to Check

With a rise in road accidents, it has become crucial to conduct a tyre inspection before taking your car out. Even if you don't travel a lot in your vehicle, you must conduct regular checking and take action based on the issues you find. Look for signs like bulges, scrapes, punctures, cracks and other faults.

Below you will find a complete guide stating how you can take care of your car’s tyres by incorporating small changes and being more aware of its health and condition.

Below are a few elements that you need to check properly to conduct a tyre inspection:

1. Check Tyre Pressure

To check your tyre pressure, you can use a pressure gauge to ensure your vehicle's tyres are correctly inflated. If not, you can fill them with air as required. 

These are the steps that you need to follow:

Step 1: Take the valve stem cap off

Step 2: Apply even pressure on the gauge head against the valve stem

Step 3: Apply firm pressure till the hissing sound stops

Step 4: Check the pressure reading after removing the gauge

Step 5: Compare the reading that you got with the recommended pressure for your vehicle.

2. Check Tread Depth

Just by a visual tyre inspection, you can get a brief idea about the tread depth of your car's tyre. There are two ways to help you examine the tread depth of your vehicle's tyres. The first one is by using equipment that is generally used to for this purpose.

Another one is more of a street-style method, which involves using a coin for when you don't have a proper tread depth gauge within your access.

Read further to get a clear idea:

• Using a Tread Depth Gauge

A tread depth gauge will be your best assistance in checking your tyre's tread depth if you lean towards getting a perfect measurement. It is advisable to avoid using a tyre as soon as it shows any sign of wearing out of the tread depth.

Due to reduced grip, especially in water logging situations or in wet weather, the risk of slipping becomes higher. Using a depth gauge to measure the tread depth in a consistent manner will prevent such situations from occurring. 

• Using a Coin

The process of measuring the tread depth of your vehicle's tyres with the help of a coin is relatively easy. All you have to do is insert a two rupee coin vertically into the tread of each tyre.

This will allow you to understand whether all the tyres of your vehicle have similar tread depth or not. You can just eyeball the portion of the coin you are inserting in the tread and place your thumb right where it ends.

It will give you a clear understanding of the depth of your car's tyres and help you measure whether the depth is above the tyre tread level indicator.

3. Check Tyre Condition and Age

Other than checking tread depth and inflation pressure, it would be best if you also looked for any sight of tyre damage. There could be signs indicating that it is time for a replacement.

Take a closer look at the sidewalls to notice any cuts, punctures, cracks or bumps, bulges or scrapes. Whenever you see something suspicious, have a tyre service professional take a good look at the issues before things get any worse.

Other than the above-stated factors that you must check, you must also be aware of the age of your car's tyres. Even though tyres might last for a long while depending on how much you drive, you might still need to replace them after a certain age.

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There are a few situations when you might need to replace the tyres of your vehicle:

• In general, tyres are required to be replaced within 5 to 6 years. This is applicable even when there are no visible signs of damage or wear. This ensures safety of the vehicle and the ones driving it. You need to conduct the checking process on a regular basis.
• When you take your car for an oil change, the mechanic will thoroughly examine the tyres to find any signs of damage and wearing out in the tyres. On noticing any signs, you must immediately replace the tyres.
• If an accident occurs, there is an absolute need to change your car's tyres, even if only minor damages have taken place.
• If a car is regularly being driven under harsh road conditions, then the need to check and replace the tyres will be higher. Also, if the vehicle frequently travels through bumpy roads, wet roads, potholes, or in a location where the climate conditions are extreme, then the car will need more maintenance.
• Another factor that influences the wear and tear of your car tyre is the driving habits of the individual who is driving the car. Tyre life can get reduced depending on the following factors:
  • The speed at which you drive your car
  • Driving the car on damaged roads
  • If the emergency brake is being used too often or if the car is made to start suddenly.
  • Not taking the car for servicing, despite noticing vibration, change in handling, or excessive noise production.
  • Skipping on regular servicing of your car for maintenance purposes.

• There are a few improper ways of using your car that might also result in damaged tyres:

  • Making use of incompatible wheel sizes and rim sizes. 
  • Trying to inflate a punctured tyre 
  • Combining two or more types of tyres
  • Using summer tyres for winters and vice versa 

If you notice a hole in the tread that is 6mm or more in diameter, it is a clear sign to go for a tyre replacement. If you find any deformation or damage in the sidewalls, opt for a tyre change.

Maintaining the correct inflation in your car tyres will be very beneficial for your vehicle in the long run. It ensures that the tyres wear out evenly, increasing their sustainability and improving the overall fuel economy of your car.

When you have properly inflated tyres, your car will run smoother and maintain dependable traction.

Here are a few things that you should know about tyre inflation:

• First, maintain the pressure in your car's vehicle according to the information in your car's manual.
• You need to check your car's tyre pressure before you take it out on an errand. The reading might be misleading once you have driven it.
• The car's tyre pressure will be affected by temperature differences. For example, the pressure in your car's tyre generally drops during the cold season and rises when it is summer and the climate is warmer. So, make sure to gauge the pressure of your tyres when there is a change in the weather outside.
• The latest cars launched recently carry their own Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). You can install an after-market set to monitor pressure in real time.

There are a few factors that can reduce the longevity of your car's tyres and pose a threat to its health. With time and constant usage, your tyre will accumulate grime and rotors will give off fine shavings. The collection of dust in your tyres happens due to the brake pads.

To avoid these issues, you must clean your tyres every other week. These are the materials you will need to clean out your tyres:

• Wheel cleaner
• Warm water
• Baking soda
• Dish soap
• Wheel wax

Here are the tools that you will need to finish the process:

• Clean and dry towels
• Soft/medium bristled brush
• Hose and spray nozzles
• Foam pads
• Pressure washer
• Wheel brush
• Bucket

Below are the steps that you would need to follow:

• Prepare Tools Necessary 

To begin cleaning your car's tyres, first, get yourself all set up with the tools and things that you will need. After checking that the tyres are cool enough, begin applying cleaning products. Keep a towel at hand to clean them, which you must avoid using for any other parts of your vehicle.

• Start Rinsing

The next step would be using a pressure washer to rinse off the loose grime. Spray the water from different angles to clean the rim's interior all the way, ensuring that the entire surface of the tyres is getting sufficient drenched. This helps to prevent scratches and provides lubrication.

• Tyre Cleaning

Using some mild detergent and medium to soft bristled brush, begin scrubbing the tyres with some warm water. Allow the detergent to soak up for a while, helping the grime to loosen up and easily fall off during the rinsing process.

• Washing the Wheel

The first step of washing involves thoroughly wetting the surface. Then, using a brush, some warm water and soap, gently begin scrubbing the surface. For tough spots, incorporate other brushes that will be more efficient. And lastly, dry out the wheel and tyre with the towel you kept aside.

• Apply Wax

This is more of a general rule. Applying wheel wax on your car's tyres will effectively make the cleaning process far more manageable and smoother. Wax also shines up the tyres' surfaces and helps to give them a new look.

Other than this, wax also builds a protective layer that helps to prevent contaminants from destroying them.

Conducting a proper tyre inspection is extremely important, specifically before leaving for a long road trip. This is because there can be numerous unfavourable situations that you might run into if you fail to conduct regular health checkups for your car's tyres.

To avoid any such events, follow the guide above and stay safe on the roads. In addition, make tyre safety inspection a mandatory weekend activity for the good of everyone.

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