Check your tyres before you hit the open road these holidays

Look, we’re all keen to hit the road, I get that. And when you do, we’ve got you covered for gadgets and connectivity.

But there’s more to it than just keeping entertained – you need to stay safe on the roads.

Those four tyres on each corner? They’re the only thing connecting you with the road at 100 km/h so they’re the first thing you should be checking.

Mitchell Golledge the boss at Continental Tyres has provided us with some handy tips on making sure you know your tyres are ready for the road ahead.

Here’s his five key tips and advice ahead of you getting back on the road:

It pays to move

Tyre flat-spotting is a common occurrence after a tyre has been parked stationary for a prolonged period. This happens when the area in contact with the ground creates a flat spot in the rubber as a result of a lack of movement. There are two types of flat-spotting: temporary and semipermanent. A multitude of factors that will determine the severity of the flat spot including, size, load, internal structure, the ambient temperature, and the amount of time the car and tyre are stationary.

A temporary flat spot may cause a vibration which will typically disappear after a few kilometres. If it doesn’t disappear and you suspect that your tyre has a semi-permanent flat spot, make sure you take your car to be inspected by a professional. To avoid flat-spotting, be sure to always regularly repark your car in different positions!

Pressure test

Ahead of a big trip, check your tyre pressure – this is paramount to vehicle safety. Having the correct tyre pressure is also a simple way to maximise fuel efficiency and mileage before you hit the road.
Tyres are best checked while they are cool, so before you get going, check your vehicle handbook to locate the recommended tyre pressures for your vehicle. Alternatively, this detail can be found inside the fuel filler flap as well as on the driver’s doorpost. Once you’ve got that sorted, head to your nearest service station to pump your tyres up with air for free – and before tyres get hot.

That said, it’s important you check your tyre pressure every month – not just before you’re headed on a lengthy drive. Tyre pressure is directly linked to vehicle performance, your car’s driving comfort, cornering, braking grip, handling behaviour, directional stability and longevity.

Alignment and rotation is key

Tyres should be rotated every 10,000kms, and wheels should be aligned every two-to-three years.

Having your tyres regularly maintained by a professional will extend the lifespan of the tyre significantly – and save you money down the track. Having your wheels aligned, rotated and balanced will lead to a much smoother drive, improved fuel efficiency and reduced stress on your engine.

This process takes only a short time and will increase your vehicle’s safety and performance dramatically.

To encourage your tyres to wear evenly, have them rotated and balanced every 5000km. Tyres showing unevenly worn tread are unsafe and more likely to slip in wet conditions – not ideal as we head into winter. Make sure you book this service in with a professional ahead of your road trip if you’re overdue.

Always remember, check your spare

Tucked away and out of sight, it’s often easy to overlook your spare tyre – that is, of course, until you need it. As mentioned earlier, tyre pressure is so important to overall vehicle safety, and in the event of an emergency, you want your spare tyre to be able to perform just as well as your original tyres.

Before you head off on your journey, check the tyre pressure on the spare and inspect for any visual damage. There is nothing worse than needing to use your spare tyre in an emergency and it not being up to the job.

Time to upgrade

Sometimes adequate tyre safety maintenance on your vehicle will mean more than checking, aligning, rotating and pumping with air.

Continental recommends that tyres are changed when the remaining amount of tread is at 3mm. If the depth of tread falls below this measurement, it will majorly affect the safety of your vehicle.

Tyres should be changed immediately should they fall below the Australian legal tread depth limit of 1.66mm. A great trick for checking this yourself is the 20c coin trick. Place a 20c coin into the tread of your tyre and if it doesn’t reach the bill of the platypus, it means there’s less than 3mm of tread remaining.

Also, keep an eye out for any signs of visual damage to your tyres – cracks, cuts, impacts and punctures are all reason enough to have the tyre checked out by a professional.