All Posts by Kevin Wood

0 5 essential tips for storing tyres in Brisbane

How to make your spare tyres last longer and stay safer

The season is changing. The weather here in Queensland has started to turn warmer, and for many drivers that mean switching to a different set of tyres. If you’re planning a springtime Queensland adventure, you might change your normal tyres for a set that is more tuned to off-road driving. Or, perhaps you simply have a spare set of tyres tucked away. Whatever the reason, how you store your spare tyres will impact their usefulness.

If you don’t store tyres correctly here in Brisbane, you could find they rot away, even if they haven’t reached their expiry date. UV radiation from the sun, ozone damage, and oxygen all take their toll. An unused tyre could be as useless as a tyre with 100,000 kilometres on it. The following five tyre storage tips will help keep your stored tyres in top condition for longer.

1.    Clean and bag your tyres

Before putting your tyres into storage, you should clean them. Use a tyre brush to rid the tyre of dirt and brake dust. If you store on wheels, make sure to clean them, too. Dry them completely, and don’t use tyre dressing.

2.    Use airtight bags to store your tyres

Once the tyres are clean and dry, place each in an airtight plastic bag. Make sure there is no water or condensation in the bags. Large vacuum storage bags will help you to suck out as much air as possible. Once you’ve done this, use tape to make sure the bag remains airtight.

3.    Store in a cool, dry place

Keep your tyres out of sunlight, in a cool and dry location. If possible, store in a basement or climate controlled room – sheds and garages tend to suffer from temperatures that vary from hot to cold. They can also be damp and humid – not the best conditions to store tyres in. Wherever you store your tyres, keep them away from fridges and freezers, and air conditioning units.

4.    Stack tyres vertically

It’s best to stack your tyres vertically. It reduces tyre distortion. Keep them off the ground, and if possible put them on a dedicated shelf.

5.    Use them or lose them

Tyre rubber contains a protective wax. It slows down the process of oxidation, as the protective wax ‘blooms’ through the rubber compound to the surface of the tyre as it is being used. When the tyre is in storage, the wax on the surface of the tyre is eventually exhausted by oxidation – which is why you need to remove as much air from the tyre bags as possible.

When a tyre isn’t being used, the protective wax doesn’t work its way to the surface. It is another reason for unused tyres degrading just as fast as the tyres on your vehicle. The answer is to make sure you don’t store tyres for too long without using them. If you do so, you could find that when you do put them on your vehicle, they aren’t fit for purpose.

Tyres are like people!

Tyres aren’t so different from people. They age. But if you store your tyres properly, you can slow down this ageing process. However, even if your tyres look perfect, they may not be so. Before you switch the tyres on your vehicle with a stored set, always get a professional to examine them. Degraded rubber has a habit of looking as good as new, and you won’t know they’re dangerous until you suffer a blowout at speed. And no one wants that to happen to you.

For all your tyre needs here in Brisbane, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 You won’t see a giant crocodile in our tyre shop

*Photo credits to THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK

0 7 tips to make your truck tyres last longer in Queensland

Increase value from your truck tyres

Tyres are one of a truck fleet’s largest expenses. Whether your vehicles run long, uninterrupted trips on highways and motorways, or do their business on stop/start routes through Brisbane and along the Gold Coast, Queensland’s road surfaces will eventually take their toll.

These seven tips for taking care of your truck tyres will reduce maintenance needs, cut fuel costs, and lengthen the life of your tyres. They will also ensure your drivers and their loads are as safe as possible on the roads in Queensland.

1.    Give tyres the once-over at every pit stop

A visual inspection of a truck’s tyres should be carried out at every rest break. Early warning of cracks or bulges in the sidewall is essential for safety. Look for sharp objects, and other road debris stuck in the tyre treads, as well as uneven wear and tear.

2.    Take note of tread wear

You don’t need to be a detective to recognise what tread wear is trying to tell you about your truck. During a visual inspection, look for the following wear patterns:

• Wear on the tyre’s shoulder indicates underinflation
• Wear through the centre shows the tyre has been driven while overinflated
• Uneven wear shows that the wheels probably need realigning

3.    Rotate your tyres regularly

Not all wear and tear is even on all truck tyres. Loaded trucks exert different weight on all tyres. Depending on the work and types of loads your fleet hauls, we’d recommend tyre rotation at a maximum of 60,000 to 80,000 kilometres. Tyres on trailers may require more regular rotation. No two fleets are the same, so it’s best to customise your rotation methods and policies to your requirements. We’d be happy to help you decide the optimum schedule and pattern of your fleet’s tyre rotation. (A further tip here is to make sure you alter tyre inflation to the recommended levels every rotation.)

4.    Keep your truck tyres properly inflated

When tyres are improperly inflated, handling, fuel consumption and braking are all adversely affected. Systems like Continental’s latest truck tyre pressure monitoring system work on all brands and ensure a truck’s tyres are optimally inflated at all times. When you use such a system across your entire fleet, you should notice fuel consumption reduce and tyre life lengthen.

For smaller fleets without tyre pressure monitoring systems, drivers and maintenance staff should check tyre pressure regularly, when the tyres are cold.

5.    Align truck wheels regularly

When a truck’s wheels are misaligned, the tyres will wear irregularly. Fuel costs will rise, and tyres will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. Handling will also be affected. Check alignment at regular intervals, and every rotation.

6.    Keep truck wheels balanced

Truck tyres are easily thrown out of balance. Damage to tyres is a prime cause of this. A noticeable effect of poor wheel balance is vibrations while driving – which makes handling more difficult, and can affect suspension systems.

When truck tyres are fitted for the first time, they should be balanced correctly. After this, ensure that they are balanced at least once per year, and certainly, if they are repaired. If a driver does experience vibrations, get in touch with the team here at Darra Tyres, and book for an emergency assessment of your tyres. It could reduce fuel costs and, more importantly, save a life.

7.    Always get tyres repaired by professionals

Whether repairing or retreading tyres, the work should be carried out by professional tyre technicians. The team here at Darra carry out complete inspections on truck tyres. We look for damage, patch as required, and when a truck tyre needs replacing, we’ll ensure it is replaced with the best tyre for the job your truck does here in Queensland.

For all your fleet tyre needs here in Brisbane, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 What can you do with your old tyres in Brisbane?

Innovative ways to recycle tyres in Brisbane and save the environment

When a tyre is no longer roadworthy, disposing of it can be a problem. There are very few eco-friendly ways of getting rid of old tyres, and yet there are several ways in which old tyres can be used in an eco-friendly way. Only 16% of the 48 million tyres discarded in Australia every year are recycled. The rest is used in a landfill or stored in dangerous and often illegal tyre dumps (like the tyre dump discovered in North Queensland). Eventually, they pollute our soil, rivers, and water supply, or catch fire and pollute the air we breathe.

In this article, you’ll learn how we can all be greener when it comes to old tyres in Brisbane.

Tyres are a valuable resource – we shouldn’t waste them

Though it isn’t fit for use as a tyre any longer, an old tyre is still a valuable resource. Each discarded tyre contains around:

• 5kg of steel
• 5kg of textiles
• 7kg of rubber

It means that here in Australia alone, every year we are throwing away around:

• 60 million kg of steel
• 20 million kg of textiles
• 280 million kg of rubber

Stockpiles of old tyres are a health hazard, creating breeding grounds for rats and mosquitoes. Landfill sites get clogged up with old tyres – imagine as many as 40 million tyres buried underground every year here in Australia.

It is a colossal waste of what could still be a useful resource.

How can old tyres be recycled?

The 40 million or so old tyres we waste every year could be put to some really good, environmentally-friendly uses. For example, old tyres can be turned into:

Rubber roads. If this sounds outlandish, in the United States they have been using rubber roads since the 1960s. There are now around 20,000 miles of such roads in America. They are quieter to drive on, which is another benefit when you consider that the World Health Organisation reckons that one in every 50 heart attacks in Europe is caused by exposure to loud traffic.

Energy. Old tyres can be used by power stations. Tyres are first shredded and then burned to help create electricity. They can also be burned in cement-making kilns, reducing the amount of carbon fuel needed.

Can you use your old tyres for other things?

Yes, you can! How about creating a centrepiece of tyre planters in your garden? Or perhaps setting them up as a mini assault course for the kids – swings, step-throughs, crawl-throughs, and so on? Here are a few other ingenious uses for old tyres that I’ve heard of:

• Dog bed
• Tyre lamps
• Planters
• Tyre tables
• Tyre speakers or subwoofers
• Half-tyre hammocks (for the kids)
• Garden steps
• Sandboxes
• Umbrella stand

We’ve teamed up with Sarah Textor of Clive Street to discard of old tyres more intelligently. She creates the most amazing fashion accessories from inner tube tyres, and we’re happy and proud to help  Sarah and Brisbane’s environment simultaneously.

What else can you do to reduce wastage from old tyres?

There are a few other things you can do to help reduce tyre waste, and every little helps. For example:

• Buy good quality tyres that last longer.
• Take care of your tyres to prolong their useful life – employ a regular tyre maintenance program.
• Consider buying retreads to support the recycling of tyres.

If we all added just 10% to tyre life, we’d annually cut more than 4 million old tyres from Australia’s old tyre mountain.

For tips on how to recycle your old tyres and the best tyre service in West Brisbane, contact Darra Tyres today. You never know, you might also find that fashionable handbag you’ve been searching for.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevih Wood

0 Outback driving and tyre tips for your springtime Queensland adventure

Your black circles are as crucial as your driving skills on outback tracks

As we head rapidly toward spring, you are likely to be thinking about getting away for a few days. Instead of the beach, how about exploring the outback? Queensland is ideal for 4WD adventures and going bush, with something that suits all tastes and driving experience.

You could take the kids on a dinosaur adventure, cruise the deserts along the Matilda Highway, visit country and coast, or discover Queensland’s ancient inland sea beds.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to a great outback road trip for all drivers, and give you a few tyre tips that will help you negotiate all the terrain you’re likely to come across.

Brisbane to Birdsville – the complete 4WD adventure

One of the most popular outback road trips is the 4WD adventure drive from Brisbane to Birdsville. On this trip, you will cover 1,800 kilometres of the most beautiful and diverse Queensland countryside. You’ll be gently transported from city to outback, and have plenty of opportunities to get your teeth into some real 4WD experiences.

The kids will have fun Koala spotting. Gardening enthusiasts will marvel at the springtime blooms in Warwick. Along the route, there are large sheep, cotton, and cattle stations. There are river walks, art galleries, mud baths, date farms, and the winery at Eulo. Discover more about Australia’s history as you view the Aboriginal rock carvings at Cullyamurra Waterhole and visit the Australian Inland Mission Hostel. Spot rare birds, spend time fishing for yellowbelly, and watch the sunset on Big Red, the 40-metre sand dune on the edge of the Simpson Desert.

It is an amazing road trip, and for 4WD enthusiasts offers plenty of opportunities to go off-road and experience all types of tracks and surfaces.

Stay safe on a road trip by preparing well

Before setting out, make sure you prepare well for your road trip:

• Let people know where you’re going, and how long you intend to be away.
• Pack plenty of food and water. If you get stranded, you could be ‘on your own’ for a few days.
• Phone loved ones to let them know of your progress each day – if you do get stranded, this will give them a better idea of where you are.
• Check your spare tyre, and have all your tyres checked before you leave – it’s a good idea to pack a second spare tyre, too.
• Finally, immediately before you set off and each day during your trip, check the RACQ’s road conditions for your next leg and any planned side trips.

How to use your tyres to negotiate different terrains

You are likely to encounter several terrains on your 4WD adventure. Here are a few tips on driving style, and how your tyres can help you get through all outback conditions:

·      Mud

Bogholes, wheel rutting, and pits of mud that are as deep as your axle. It is some of the muddy terrains you’ll encounter in the outback. Try to keep your 4WD tyres on the higher ground. If you do slip, keep your foot on the accelerator and steer side to side: you’ll get a better grip on the ruts. Drive in a high range and with full throttle.

As you come through one mud patch, stop and check your wheel arches. Clean out any mud that has built up around the mud guards. It will help your tyre tread achieve maximum traction.

·      Water

Water crossings can be dangerous, especially if you go in without preparation. Get stuck in water, and you could be in all sorts of trouble. Here are the steps to ensure your vehicle doesn’t drown:

• Walk the crossing first
• Note where obstacles are
• Check that your air intake is high enough to avoid water intake
• Set off
• Drive in a low gear
• Don’t change gear midway through, and maintain a steady speed

Your tyres play a big part in a successful water crossing. Don’t reduce air pressure. You don’t know what’s under the water, so when you reach the other side, get out of your vehicle and check your tyres and sidewalls for cuts and slashes, and wedged stones and other debris that could damage or puncture your tyres.

·      Bulldust

Bulldust is common on bush roads. I’ve heard of vehicles disappearing into bulldust holes, so always take great care when you come across this surface.

Bulldust is a soft, powdery dust. You’ll notice the road ahead looks very different. Tyre tracks lose definition in the soft folds created by a few inches of bulldust. V-shaped ruts are noticeable. Novice outback drivers could be tempted to treat bulldust like sand and deflate tyres. Don’t do it!

Beneath the bulldust, you’ll find a rock-hard base. It could split the sidewall of a partially deflated tyre. Drive on fully inflated tyres, and keep a constant speed of between 60 km/h and 80 km/h. If the vehicle veers to the side, correct by steering into it and gently increasing pressure on the throttle. Ignore the dust around you – once you’re through, this dust will be behind you.

·      Rocks

There’s skill in tackling rocks, but it can be learned quickly:

• Keep the vehicle’s tyres on high ground
• Drive in first or second gear, low range
• Avoid ‘opening’ the throttle – too much throttle creates tyre slip
• Keep tyres inflated at normal for road driving, except if you get stuck – then partially deflate to give better grip, and re-inflate as soon as you’re out of trouble

·      Desert

If you have driven on the beach before, you are most of the way to know how to drive in the desert. However, most deserts in Australia are a combination of sand ridges and rock. It means you shouldn’t deflate tyres as you might on the beach.

Maintain momentum, don’t fight with the steering wheel, and let your 4WD vehicle ‘find its course’. Take care on crests, and if the vehicle feels as if it’s going to slide down a slope, steer into the slide and accelerate to increase tyre traction.

Check your tyres and vehicle before your spring road trip

Make sure that your vehicle is as well prepared as you when travelling into the outback and taking any road trip. Come into our West Brisbane tyre shop, and we’ll make sure your tyres are in tip top condition – including your spares. Contact Darra Tyres today, and let us help you have the 4WD adventure of a lifetime.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 A great way to dispose old tyres in Brisbane!

Brisbane Tyres turned to chic bags and accessories

Worry no more about your old run down tyres. Inner tube tyres can now be recycled and turned into fashionable accessories for your everyday use!

Sarah Textor owner of Clive Street was so sweet to write us a note saying;

““As the owner of sustainable bag and accessories label that uses textiles such as inner tube tyres, advertising billboard skins and seatbelt webbing. The most important element to creating my range is the local business community that keeps the used textiles for me to collect and use. After searching for a tyre business that could keep the inner tube tyres from their workshop I came across Darra Tyres. From the very beginning, Kevin and Annette have been so supportive of my sustainable business. Keeping the inner tubes and storing them for me until I can get the items from their shop and collect them. Kevin is always interested in my projects and designs and is really committed to supporting me in any way. I am very grateful for Darra Tyres for taking an interest in other small business who believe in sustainability and recycling“

Cheers,

Kevin Wood

0 Four fun facts about tyres Brisbane drivers probably don’t know

Thinner and lighter tyres are here… but tyres with no air?

I’ve been thinking about how tyres are changing shape. Okay, not shape exactly, but they are developing. They might look very much like they did 50 years ago, but on the surface and inside, tyres are evolving at one heck of a pace. In years to come, you may even buy tyres without air in them.

Here are four big changes that I’ve noticed.

After years of getting fat, tyres are on a diet

For years, I watched tyres get fatter and wider. The bigger footprint gives better grip and handling. It also increases rolling resistance and increases fuel consumption. In recent years, though, this trend has reversed. Manufacturers have put their tyres on a diet. They’re getting thinner. It makes them more aerodynamic and reduces rolling resistance, leading to lower fuel consumption.

But doesn’t this mean poorer handling capability? Well, it would, except that tyre manufacturers have been innovative with the design. They’ve created tread formations that stick to the road. Today’s thin tyres are as good – perhaps even better – on corners than their fatter predecessors. And they provide better traction for shorter braking distances. Tyre innovation has produced a win/win for drivers.

Tyre manufacturers are fighting a shocking trend

Drivers that come into our tyre shop here in West Brisbane have long been complaining about static electricity. Shocks when they close their car doors, for example. These used to be commonplace years ago. To combat them, you might remember an earthing strip hanging from the back of many vehicles. This problem was largely eliminated as manufacturers added carbon black to tyre compounds.

However, in recent years manufacturers have been producing tyres with less carbon black in the rubber. Consequently, static electricity has increased, and people are suffering more shocks from their cars.

Manufacturers have been stuck between a rock and a hard place. Less carbon fibre is better for the environment but leads to regular electric shocks. They’ve come up with an innovative solution. Many modern, thinner tyres are now produced with a strip of conductive material along their centre. It provides an electrical contact between the tyre and the tarmac and reduces electric shocks.

Tyres are getting lighter as well as thinner

Tyre manufacturers are making tyres lighter as well as thinner. Less weight equals lower rolling resistance. Manufacturers have been using a combination of strategies to achieve less weighty tyres. These include using tougher treads to increase longevity and lighter steel in the tyre cords.

In the future, air pressure won’t be a consideration

Airless tyres could be with us sooner than we think. Some commercial trucks and industrial vehicles already use them. Many forklift tyres are non-pneumatic. Manufacturers are developing tyres with a honeycomb interior structure. These increase structural stability and increase the weight that can be carried. They are highly resistant to damage, and even reduce the effects of collisions with kerbs to a vehicle’s suspension.

When you come into our tyre shop in Brisbane, you might not be able to buy airless tyres just yet and the last thing you’ll get is a load of hot air. Contact Darra Tyres today, and you’ll discover that we’re different.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Agricultural tyres – how do you choose the best for Queensland farms?

Know your tyres to cut costs and maximise productivity

Agricultural tyres are work horses – like your tractor. They are also big investments – like your tractor. Unlike your tractor, tyres have remained pretty much the same for a hundred years and more. While the shape of tractors has changed markedly, agricultural wheels are still the same basic shape and colour. Yet, just like in the cab and under the bonnet of your tractor, tyre manufacturers have packed an increasingly big punch into agricultural tyres.

To get the best performance from your tractor, you should understand the tyres it sits on.

Agricultural tyres and technology

The agricultural tyre looks very similar to how it did a century ago, and when compared to the tyres you may have had on your tractor in the 1980s, there is even less difference. But underneath that black exterior, there is a whole lot of new technology going on.

Manufacturers have massively upgraded rubber compounds. It has helped to increase load capacity. Agricultural tyres can now roll at lower tyres pressures, giving them better traction in the field.

Cross-ply or radial – which is best?

Cross-ply tyres have criss-cross cords, while radials have steel cords and belts across the casing. It’s now widely accepted that radials offer the best performance. They:

• Reduce wheel slip
• Reduce soil compaction
• Produce less rutting and soil erosion

Radials offer greater horsepower-to-ground capability, less wheel slip and reduced soil compaction, which in turn leads to less soil degradation via rutting and erosion.

A soft footprint for reduced rutting

Because of the way they are constructed, radials have a softer sidewall. It enables the tyre to run at a lower air pressure, which produces a ‘soft footprint’. The harder the tyre footprint, the deeper the rutting in the field. It is bad for crop growing, and bad for the tyre and the engine.

Your tractor engine must work harder to power the tyres through deep ruts. It uses more fuel and decreases engine life, too.

Radial agricultural tyres should give you a better soil, and cut your running costs.

The agricultural tyre trade-off

There is a trade-off to make when choosing between radial and cross-ply tyres for agricultural use. We wouldn’t recommend you ballast radial tyres with water. However, it’s a common practice to ballast cross-ply tyres with water. They are cheaper and more durable. If you work a rough terrain, where puncturing is a problem, cross-ply may be your better option. And for small-scale farmers, cross-ply tyres are usually more economical.

When radials outperform

For large-scale farmers, especially where production levels are important, radial tyres should be the tyre of choice. Though they cost more, their extended tread life makes the costs more than stack up in your favour. In fact, radial treads are likely to last up to three times longer than cross-ply treads.

You should bank on a good quality radial lasting around 5,000 hours in Queensland.

Time, money and productivity – the tyre tread advantage

By selecting the best tyre for your application, you’ll save time and money. Your tyre life will be extended, and your engine won’t be worked quite as hard. For most agricultural applications, a herringbone tread is best. The softer footprint will help your soil produce more crops. Larger tyres tend to give a better traction, too.

However, if traction is not an issue, then a diamond pattern tread may be best.

When buying agricultural tyres, speak with one of our technicians. We’ll consider:

• The ground they will be used on, and how tread width will impact your production.
• Power usage, and suggest a tyre to maximise horsepower.
• Which tyres will enable you to carry heavier loads without the need for higher tyre pressures?

Our aim is to help you produce the most crop with the least effort, prolonging tyre and tractor life. The result is that we match the best tyre for the specific use you have planned for it.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 What are the benefits of regrooving your commercial tyres?

Could regrooving cut your fleet costs?

Commercial tyres are expensive pieces of equipment, and so you’ll want to make them last for as long as possible. You’ll also want to make sure they perform well – increasing safety and driving comfort, and decreasing fuel consumption. There are several ways in which you can make commercial tyres last longer. These include good tyre rotation, proper inflation, and proper loading. You could also buy the best tyres for retreading or buy tyres that can be regrooved.

In this article, we look at regrooving commercial tyres, the fastest and easiest way to make your tyres last longer and reduce fleet costs.

What’s the difference between a retread and a regroove?

When you retread a tyre, you add new rubber onto an existing tyre when the tread has worn down. When a tyre is Regrooved, a tread pattern is re-cut into the existing tyre rubber when the tread depth has worn down to around 3mm to 4mm.

What are the benefits of regrooving?

A tyre that has been regrooved will benefit from improved grip immediately. It will increase vehicle performance, and reduce braking distance. The tyre life will also be extended, possibly by many months. Better performance equals better fuel consumption and lowers fuel costs. Longer life equals lower tyre costs.

The positive effect on fuel consumption can be dramatic. It is estimated that fuel consumption constitutes around 35% of all fleet costs. Michelin has calculated that regrooving will save around 6% to 10% of a fleet’s fuel bill. Some tyre experts estimate that a regrooved tyre is between 20% and 30% more fuel efficient than a new tyre.

How do you get the best out of regrooving?

To maximise the benefits of regrooving commercial tyres, specialist tools are needed to ensure that:

• The tread pattern is followed accurately. It is key to providing the traction expected.
• The tread pattern depth is cut consistently. It maximises the use of rubber on the tyre.

Can all tyres be regrooved?

It’s always best to refer to a tyre dealer to make certain a tyre can be regrooved because not all can be. On tyres that can be regrooved, under the original tread, the tyre rubber is at its most effective and efficient. Mileage is at a maximum while rolling resistance is at a minimum.

A tyre that can be regrooved will have extra rubber underneath the tread. Not all tyres have this, and even those that claim they can be regrooved should be checked before regrooving takes place.

Should you consider regrooving your fleet’s tyres?

There are plenty of reasons why fleet managers should consider a tyre maintenance program that includes regrooving. These include the following advantages:

• Regrooving your tyres could increase their mileage.
• Tyres that last longer need to be replaced less often, and so purchase costs fall.
• The lower rolling resistance translates to better fuel consumption, and lower fuel costs.
• Drivers benefit from a safer and more comfortable drive.
• A further benefit is that maximising fuel consumption and minimising tyre disposal adds to your fleet’s green credentials.

Tyre regrooving is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. It makes good business sense. Why not book a tyre inspection for your fleet today? We’ll be happy to audit your fleet’s tyres and provide quotes for professional regrooving which will help you realise all the benefits we’ve discussed in this article.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Listen – do you know what that tyre noise is telling you?

Your hearing is the first tyre check you should make

Do you hear that noise? The one your tyres are making on Brisbane’s roads? That’s not just rubber on tarmac, that’s real communication. The squeals, squeaks, screeches and rumbles all tell you about the state of your tyres and more.

It is thought that three-quarters of effective communication is through listening to what the other person is telling you. With tyres in Brisbane, the noise they make tells you most of what you need to know about their condition. Listen to what they are telling you, for they are key to your safety. Those black circles are your single point of contact between you and the road. They are integral to the handling, comfort, and braking distance of your vehicle, in whatever weather and road condition Brisbane throws at you.

And you thought listening to your spouse was important…

Tyres always make a noise, don’t they?

Some noise from your tyres is inevitable. When rubber rolls against any surface there will be noise from the friction between the different materials. Air, water and debris move rapidly between the tyre tread, causing even more noise. Tyre manufacturers spend millions on creating tread patterns that cut down noise. Some have almost achieved perfection. But until vehicles float rather than roll, tyre noise will never be eliminated.

Much of the noise you hear your tyres make will be natural rubber against the road. Each tyre brand and product sound slightly different to another on the road. Learning to translate the noises your tyres make takes experience, though the language is the same. It’s a little like learning to understand what a Scot is saying when you are only used to speaking with fellow Aussies.

The language of tyres

There are several common sounds that your tyres make. They may squeal, squeak, or rumble. It is the language that tyres use to communicate to you. Let’s translate these sounds for you:

·      Squealing tyres

Your tyres may squeal, especially when you are turning tight corners. Often, you’ll hear this in car parks. If it appears that this squealing is from your front tyres, they are probably underinflated. You should check the tyre pressure, even if they don’t look underinflated.

·      Squeaking tyres

If you have a tyre that squeaks, you need to take notice straight away. It’s more dangerous than a squeal. A squeak could be a sign that your tread is worn unevenly, and usually on the front tyres. You might also experience some pulling to either the right or the left. Get to the tyre shop immediately and have your tyres, wheel balance and wheel alignment checked.

·      Squeaking with a rattle

If a squeaking tyre is accompanied by a rattle, it’s likely that the hubcap has come loose.

·      Grinding sounds

If you are suffering a grinding sound from your wheels, it’s time to be scared. The most likely cause is that your brakes are failing; worn drums or pads. Don’t take any risks with this noise. Wherever you are, get your vehicle checked immediately. Failing brakes are never good news – for you, your passengers, or other road users.

·      Rumbling and vibration

Some road surfaces (especially ribbed) cause your tyres to rumble and vibrate. However, a more important reason to be worried is that rumbling and vibration from your tyres could indicate that a wheel bearing is worn – especially if the noise gets louder as your speed increases. The wheel bearing keeps your wheel attached to the car. I don’t need to tell you how serious rumbling and vibration from your tyre is. It’s screaming to get your car checked.

·      Screeching

Screeching tyres is normal if you are cornering at high speed, or if you brake quickly to stop fast. It is caused by friction between rubber and road. However, if your tyres are screeching during normal driving, the likelihood is that your tread depth is illegal. Bring your vehicle into our tyre shop, and we’ll check your tread and locate the problem.

If in doubt, shout!

When you’ve been driving a while on a set of tyres, sometimes you instinctively know something isn’t quite right. There may be a noise that you can’t pinpoint or put into a particular ‘sound’ category, but you just have a feeling that it doesn’t sound right. It could be that you’ve hit a pothole or scraped against a kerb. Your wheel may have become misaligned, or your tread has worn, or your tyres are underinflated.

Don’t ignore the noise from your tyres. If you aren’t sure what it means, err on the side of caution. Get your tyres and car checked. Be safe, not sorry. Don’t take any chances – contact us today and book an appointment for a tyre check.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood