0 How to avoid tyre damage when you parallel park in Brisbane

The five rules of parallel parking

I see a variety of damage to cars and tyres in Brisbane. The odd scratch here and there, perhaps a tiny dent or ding in a wing. Front and rear bumpers are prone to damage but look at most car doors, and you’ll notice tiny dints and marks – parking spaces never give enough door clearance, and even the smallest brush by an opening car door can leave a lifelong scar. Even when your car is parked on your drive, it runs the risk of a collision with the handlebars of your kid’s bike.

Some of the worst damage I notice is caused by gutter rash, the scraping of your wheel against the kerb when you’re parallel parking. If you hit the concrete kerb when parallel parking, your rims are going to suffer. Scratches, scrapes and scores will transform great-looking wheels into eyesores. But this is just aesthetic.

What’s most important is the damage you do to your tyres when you kerb them during a parking manoeuvre. You could find they get pinched, gouged, or split. Your sidewall strength is compromised, and this could have fatal consequences if you suffer a tyre blowout.

So, how do you avoid damaging your tyres and wheels when parallel parking? Here are five rules that will help you keep your tyres and wheels in tip-top condition when parallel parking in Brisbane.

1.    Learn how to parallel park

First and foremost, learn how to park. Pick a spot that is big enough, overshoot a little, and reverse slowly into the parking place. Turn your hazard lights on, and move the steering wheel first one way and then the other to reverse in. Move slowly, and steer quickly. We all hit the kerb now and again, but if you are reversing slowly, there’ll be very little (if any) damage to your tyre.

This YouTube video tutoring parallel parking is one of the best parking lessons I’ve watched.

2.    Know the size of your vehicle

Most gutter rash occurs because the driver isn’t sure of the size of the vehicle. It is why gutter rash is more common when you’ve changed cars, or you’re using a different car temporarily. There are a lot of vehicles that get driven out of the showroom and within a few hours have nasty wheel scrapes.

Learn how big your car is, and where the front and rear wheels are located. It will help you to park and avoid needing a taxi to get you from the car to the kerb.

3.    Use your mirrors!

You have mirrors for a reason, and they move for a reason. One of the best innovations in vehicle technology has been the electric wing mirror. Move the mirror, point it at the kerb, and watch for your rear tyre nearing the concrete. It’s the very best indicator of when you need to turn the steering wheel. So, you must spend a few seconds readjusting your mirrors for normal driving – isn’t this better than expensive (and dangerous) damage to your wheels and tyres?

4.    Fit the right-sized tyres

The rubber of your tyres helps to protect the wheel if you do kerb it. A correctly fitted tyre will create a shield which prevents your wheel from being gouged by a concrete kerb. If the tyre is too narrow, not only is it dangerous to drive on, but it exposes the tyre to kerb damage. So always make sure you have the right-sized tyre fitted to the right-sized wheel.

5.    What if you hit the kerb?

The harder you hit the kerb, the more damage you will cause your tyres and wheels. If you puncture the tyre, it will deflate quickly. If you don’t puncture the tyre, the sidewall could be compromised to such an extent that it becomes dangerous to drive on. You may not realise the danger until you are on the motorway, travelling at speed.

In our next blog, we’ll explain a simple and effective tyre checking process. In the meantime, if you have kerbed your wheels when parallel parking, don’t take any chances with your safety. Take your car to the nearest tyre shop, and get the tyres checked by a professional. This check could be the few minutes that saves your life.

If you’re in West Brisbane, contact us and let us know you’re on your way. We’ll be ready and waiting to make sure your tyres do what they are designed to do – keep you and your passengers safe.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 To ballast or not to ballast – what’s best for your agricultural tyres?

Should you ballast your tractor tyres, and what is best to do so?

You may add fluids to your agricultural tyres for extra traction and to lower the centre of gravity of your vehicle. If your tyres slip on wet surfaces, adding some fluid should help to improve agricultural tyre performance.

Reasons to ballast agricultural tyres

There are several reasons to ballast agricultural tyres. Perhaps the three most common are:

• Modern 4×4 tractors have a higher centre of gravity, because of their taller tyres. Especially on hilly surfaces, the higher the centre of gravity the more liable you are to slip or topple. By adding ballast, your tractor could work more effectively and safely.
• Also, if you have a bucket loader. If you accidentally overload the bucket, the rear tyres could lift. That producing a heart-thumping moment. Adding ballast to the rear tyres on your agricultural vehicle makes tractor operation safer in these circumstances.
• With a heavy rear plough attached, adding ballast to your front tyres will increase steerability.

However, when you add ballast, ride quality can be adversely impacted. It is particularly true if you drive on the tarmac at higher speeds. When ballasting your tyres, you’ll need to consider what work you are doing, what terrain is being driven on, and what fluid is preferred.

What’s the best ballast fluid for agricultural tyres?

Farmers are super resourceful and cautious with money. That’s a great combination, and, when it comes to ballasting tyres, has led to some innovative solutions. Here are a few, with the pros and cons:

·      Water

The cheapest ballast material. However, water freezes. Now, while this shouldn’t pose a problem in most Queensland winters, if we have prolonged cold spells like we did in 2014 (when the temperature fell as low as -6.1ᵒC in Oakey) you could find that water ballast damages your tyres. This damage could include the tyre coming off the wheel rim.

·      Calcium Chloride

To get over the problem of freezing water ballast, you might want to add calcium chloride. It will take the freezing temperature down to around -50ᵒC. On the downside, while a calcium chloride solution is cost-effective, it can rust your wheels. Any money you save on ballast fluid pales into insignificance against the cost of a new set of tractor wheels.

·      Antifreeze

Although not the cheapest fluid to use as ballast, antifreeze removes the disadvantages of calcium chloride while retaining the resistance to freezing. However, it is toxic. For this reason, if you are thinking about adding antifreeze to water, use propylene glycol and not ethylene glycol.

·      Beet Juice

Beet juice is a liquid tyre ballast. It’s heavier than water (so you need less of it), non-toxic, and non-corrosive. However, these benefits come at a cost: beet juice is not cheap.

·      Foam

Foam-filled tyres possibly provide the best ride. However, if you need to change the tyre, it will need to be cut off the wheel. Also, the pressure cannot be changed on foam-filled tyres, so you won’t be able to adjust to varying conditions. The expense of filling with foam also means you are best to fill new (or nearly new) tyres to get maximum life.

What is your favourite ballast fluid?

The above fluids are the most common used for ballast on agricultural tyres. I’ve also heard of farmers using windscreen washer (it’s cheap and shares many of the qualities of antifreeze). Whatever your favourite ballast fluid, you’ll need to use a filling device – and making use of gravity removes the strain of pumping fluid into the tyre, after deflating the tyre and removing the valve core. By locating the valve at different positions (e.g. 4 o’clock or 2 o’clock) you will automatically regulate how much fluid you are adding to the tyre.

What is your favoured ballast fluid? Have you got any tips for other farmers in Queensland? Contact us and let us know.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Continental Tyres in Brisbane – the tyre of choice?

Is Continental the safest tyres for Australian drivers?

Continental tyres in Brisbane have been sweeping up Best Tyre awards over the last few months. Awards have been flooding in from around the world. The best and safest performance tyres in Australia is the latest. It comes hot on the heels of success as producing the winner of the 2016 tyre test, as selected by the UK’s number one private hire and chauffeur magazine, Professional Driver. And between these two accolades, Continental tyres is given first place in Auto Bild magazine’s sportscar summer tyre test.

Which of Continental’s tyres is going gold and platinum? And how they selected as Australia’s best performance tyre? Let’s start with the tyre selected by Auto Bild.

The SportContact 6 tyre – “fast, crisp, faultless”

Auto Bild’s sportscar testers had nothing but praise for Continental’s SportContact 6 tyre. They tested the tyre on track, driving on both wet and dry asphalt. The tyre put through ten disciplines in both conditions and pitted against stiff competition from nine other tyres.

Testers praised the tyre for its handling, and precise steering response calls it “Fast, crisp and faultless on a wet track. The stuff champions are made of.”

Continental have reformulated the composition of the tread and redesigned tyre construction to give us mere mortals driving on Australia’s roads the same performance benefits. The range spans 50 rim sizes, from 19 to 23 inches.

ContiPremiumContact 5 – the No. 1 choice for UK professional drivers

Professional drivers want safety and efficiency from their tyres. Continental’s ContiPremiumContact 5 tyre delivers both. That’s the conclusion of  Professional Driver magazine. It names the tyre as the winner of its 2016 tyre test. It said the tyre is strongest in wet grip and fuel economy and provided the drive that is “easily the most comfortable”.

The tests conducted took tyres through their paces, examining performance, quality, safety and comfort. The 3D edges give the tyre more contact with the road when braking, and its eco-contour reduces energy loss and thus minimises fuel consumption.

Scott Benbow, the Product Marketing Manager at Continental, said, “This win for the Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 is an excellent endorsement for our product range, and commitment to constantly improving our tyres performance. Suitable for a wide range of cars from compact to luxury, the ContiPremiumContact 5 boasts extremely short braking distances on dry and wet roads. Utilising the superb handling characteristics from the ContiSportContact 5 and the low rolling resistance characteristics from the ContiEcoContact 5, it offers a top choice for professional drivers.”

ContiSportContact 5 P – The performance tyre for Australians

Now to Continental’s latest award, currently celebrated here in Australia.

MOTOR magazine tested a huge range of brands and tyres in its 2017 tyre test. Its objective was simple: find the best tyre choice for Australians. Tests at Sydney Dragway included:

• Slalom runs
• Dry braking
• Wet braking
• Gymkhana
• Wet lateral G-exam

Continental’s ContiSportContact 5 came top of the pile. Impressively, it proved to be the best tyre for braking in both wet and dry conditions and scooped either second or third place in the other three test categories.

Test driver Warren Luff described the tyre as “Consistent from front to back, and lively with a bit of an edge”, commending it for its “great wet weather performance”.

Continental – an investment in your safety

It has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into tyre research and development and is producing innovative tyres that slash braking distances and fuel consumption while increasing passenger comfort and safety.

These tyres are proving to be the choice of professionals. They are beating other tyre manufacturers in test after test around the world. If you consider Continental’s track record of safety, performance, and economy, it’s easy to see why they don’t sell at budget prices. Then again, what price do you put on road safety?

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to stop your commercial vehicle tyres being stolen

Tips to deter wheel and tyre theft in Brisbane

Commercial vehicle tyres can be an expensive investment. If you own a light commercial vehicle or ute and have ever bought a set of new tyres, you’ll know how expensive they can be. So, you’ll want to protect them.

For example, you’ll take precautions which help commercial vehicle tyres last longer. You’ll make sure they’re inflated to the correct pressure, that you don’t overload your vehicle, and that you rotate your tyres at regular intervals. You’ll also make sure you use a simple tyre cleaning routine to improve safety and increase tyre life.

According to a Carsafe.com.au study, 148 cars are stolen every day in Australia, and one of the country’s hotspots for car crime is Brisbane. What many don’t realise is that your tyres and wheels are at risk of being stolen, while the rest of the vehicle is left behind. So how do you protect your tyres from being stolen?

Here are five things you can do today to stop your tyres disappearing tonight:

1.    Keep your car in the garage

Okay, so this is an obvious tip. But you might be surprised at just how many people have a garage and never use it to house their ute. My advice is to get your vehicle off the street and under lock and key.

2.    No garage? Use a camera

If you don’t have a garage, consider putting a camera in a prominent position. Often, the sight of a camera is enough to deter thieves from attempting to steal your wheels. Today, these cameras don’t have to be expensive and can be linked wirelessly to your home PC.

3.    Alarm your vehicle

It’s not easy to remove wheels from a vehicle, and probable that the thieves will bump it. With an alarm fitted, they’ll be chased off by the shrill sound that wakes up the whole street. To stop the thieves before they start, put a sticker in the window warning them that there is an alarm fitted. Prevention is better than cure.

4.    Plug your lugs

There are a couple of things you can do with your wheel lugs to put off thieves. The first is to cover them. What can’t be seen can’t be coveted. Use a wheel cap to hide the lugs. That little extra effort that the thieves will need to exert could be enough to encourage them to move on. Thieves are lazy. That’s why they steal. If they didn’t mind a bit of hard graft, they’d work for their money.

Even better than a cover is to purchase specialised wheel lugs. To remove these, a thief will need a special tool. The chances of them having this are slim to none.

5.    Take care about parking

With those new set of tyres fitted, you’ll take care not to kerb your wheels. Take as much care about where you park as you do about how you park:

• Instead of saving a couple of dollars by parking on the street, pay for a ticket to put your car in a covered car park that has security cameras.
• If you’re out at night, park under a street light on a busy road which benefits from lots of pedestrians.

Having your wheels stolen is a massive inconvenience and a pretty expensive one. Not as bad as having your whole vehicle taken, but in the frustration stakes, not far off. Wheel theft, like car theft, is an opportunity theft. If you take the right precautions, you’ll make life difficult for thieves. You’ll remove the opportunity.

We’ve got more than 100 years’ experience in the tyre business. You’ll find our approach is personal but professional. We care about your safety, your property, and our reputation. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form), and we’ll help you make the best choice of commercial tyres for your vehicle, driving needs and pocket. And we’ll give you a few tips on how to keep the thieves at bay in Brisbane.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 What new tyres should you buy in Brisbane?

Tips for buying new tyres in Brisbane

If you’ve never bought new tyres in Brisbane, it can be difficult knowing which are best for your vehicle. The answer isn’t always as simple as matching new tyre size and loading with that recommended on the tyre placard (which you’ll find on the driver’s side door jamb or glove box). Nor is it as easy as buying ‘brand X’ because your friend told you they are the best.

In this post, you’ll learn what factors you should take into consideration when buying new tyres in Brisbane.

Where you live and how you drive

The main factors that affect tyre choice include the type of road you drive on most, and how you drive. For example, do you:

• Drive on motorways at high speeds?
• Live in an area that is surrounded by potholed side roads?
• Brake heavily when cornering?

Did you buy your car new or second-hand?

It might seem like a strange question to ask, but the age of your car when you bought it does have a bearing on which new tyres you would be best to buy. For example, if you bought your car new and you’ve been happy with the tyres supplied, then you’ll probably do best to replace like for like.

On the other hand, older cars are likely to have had their tyres changed at least once. The tyres on the car may even be mismatched. Don’t assume that the tyres on your vehicle are the best ones for it. You might need to talk to a tyre expert – feel free to contact us. We’ll be pleased to help you decide which tyres you should buy, taking everything into consideration.

What’s your budget?

Of course, you’ll also need to consider your budget. Though the price of tyres should never be the ultimate decision-maker, you should buy the best tyres in your price range. A few dollars extra for better grip and balance on the road is worth it every day of the week.

The good news here is that the most expensive tyre is not always the best. We have a variety of quality tyres in all price ranges, and several of the mid-priced tyres are of equal (or near equal) quality to the most expensive brand names.

Review the range

Take a few minutes to scan our tyre pages on this website. You’ll find information about the tyre brands that we supply. It will help you make your decision.

We’ve got more than 100 years’ experience in passenger car tyres. You’ll find our approach is personal but professional. We care about your safety, and we care about our reputation. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form), and we’ll help you make the best choice of tyres for your vehicle, driving needs, and pocket.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 7 tips to improve performance of agricultural tyres

How to keep your agricultural tyres in peak condition

Your agricultural tyres are some of your most valuable assets. And some of the most expensive. If you neglect your tyre tractor check, you could compromise safety, performance, and increase your costs. A few basic precautions and checks are all you need to prolong tyre life. You could save thousands of dollars over the course of a tractor’s lifetime.

Here are our seven top tips for agricultural tyre maintenance:

1.    Check your tyre pressures

It should be on your weekly maintenance programme. Use a low-pressure gauge to make sure your agricultural tyres are properly inflated. Ensure the gauge is properly calibrated by getting it checked at least once a year.

Always check inflation pressures when the tyre is cold – when the tyre is hot, the air inside expands, and the pressure rises. When the tyre cools down, it will be underinflated.

If your tyres are filled with water or antifreeze, use a special gauge and ensure the valve is at the bottom of the tyre when testing.

The danger of underinflation is that damage will be caused to the cord, and the carcass can fail. Over-inflation should only be used when hillside ploughing, or if you plan to use the tractor on hard surfaces for long periods. To determine the correct tyre pressure, weigh the rear axle with the tractor tool in a raised position and then refer to the load/inflation tables supplied.

2.    Tyre types

In the same way that you wouldn’t fit and mix radial and bias tyres on a car, you shouldn’t do so on your agricultural vehicles, either.

3.    Watch for valve damage

Valve damage is a sign that the tyre is slipping on the rim. It is caused by:

• Underinflated tyres
• Too much lubricant on the bead when the tyre was mounted
• The bead is improperly seated on the rim

If a valve is damaged, get the tyre and wheel checked by a tyre specialist immediately.

4.    Watch for tyre spinning

If you notice that a tyre is spinning, it is probably because the wheel weights are too light. Spinning on rough surfaces will wear the tread bars, and eventually, the tyre will become useless. The best action to prevent this is to add wheel weights, though as a temporary measure you might also:

• Adjust inflation pressure down (but not below the recommended pressure)
• Decrease the draft load

5.    Check your rims

If your tyre is fitted to a rim that is too narrow, it will suffer the same problems as if it were over-inflated. The wear will be concentrated on the centre of the tyre tread. Wear will be increased, and traction will be reduced. The tyre is also likely to suffer sidewall damage, where the wheel rim subjects extra pressure on the tyre. It’s not unusual for tyres that have been fitted on narrower rims to suffer sidewall separation.

Always ensure that your tyres and rims match.

6.    Clean oil and grease from your agricultural tyres

Oil, grease and fuel damages tyre rubber. So, too, does agricultural chemicals. If you use your tyres where they come into contact with any such liquids, make sure they are cleaned before storing your vehicle.

7.    Check your tyres for damage daily

At the end of every day, do a tyre check. Look for cuts, scrape and breaks. Look for exposed cords. If a tyre is damaged, it should be removed, tested and repaired by a qualified tractor tyre specialist.

For all your agricultural tyre needs in West Brisbane, we’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting, and maintenance of agricultural tyres on all types of vehicle. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and make sure your agriculture tyres are in top condition for all seasons.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to clean tyres in Brisbane and make them last longer

This simple tyre cleaning routine could save dollars and lives

If I could throw my tyres in Brisbane in the wash with my jocks, I would. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible. But, having been in the tyres game in Brisbane for a good few years – more than I care to remember – I’ve noticed how tyres are neglected when it comes to car cleaning. There are many benefits from buying good tyres and then following this investment with good maintenance.

Part of your maintenance routine should be to keep them clean. When you do so, you’ll remove debris, oil, and other contaminants that will reduce tyre life.

After all the bad weather we’ve had in Queensland recently now is the perfect time to start your tyre cleaning routine. Clean your tyres once every couple of months, using the following five-step method. Not only will your tyres look better on Brisbane’s roads, but they’ll also last longer and give you better tyre performance. And this will save you money on your driving.

Get equipped to clean your tyres in Brisbane to get them ready Queensland roads

You’ll need a few basic items to clean your tyres in Brisbane effectively:

• A large (clean) bucket
• A high-pressure water hose
• Tyre cleaning solution
• Tyre cleaning brushes (soft bristles for the wheels, contoured for the rubber)
• Micro fibre towels
• Clean, dry cloth
• Wax Protector
• Tyre dressing solution and cloth

If you’re not sure where to get any of these items, contact me or one of my team, and we’ll help you out.

Okay, now that you’ve got everything together, here’s what to do:

1.    Clean your tyres before cleaning your car

It might sound counterintuitive, but the last thing you want is to splash a clean car and need to clean it again. The tyres are likely to be the dirtiest part of your car, so clean them first.

Get all your tyre cleaning equipment together, and set up in a well-ventilated area. Make sure you’ve read the instructions on the tyre cleaning solutions before you begin.

2.    Pressure wash your tyres

Using the high-powered hose, jet wash your tyres to remove dirt and brake dust. Rinse around the rim, through the tread, and across the sidewall of each wheel and tyre. Apply the cleaning solution, and leave it a few minutes to loosen hard-to-remove debris.

3.    Brush down, rinse, repeat

Clean the tyre with the contoured brush, and the rim with the soft-bristled brush. Scrub and rinse is the method to use, and repeat as often as necessary. Once you’ve removed as much of the dirt as possible, dry the tyre and rim with the micro fibre cloth.

The micro fibre cloth will remove most of the water, but it’s important to let the tyre dry completely before moving on to the next step.

4.    Wax your tyres

Apply the wax to your tyres, and polish in the same way that you would polish your car’s bodywork. This wax helps to protect your tyre and prevent debris and mud from sticking. Don’t leave any excess wax on the tyres.

5.    Dress your tyres

The last step is to dress your tyres with tyre dressing. If you’ve ever had your car valeted and wonder how they get the tyres looking like brand new, this is the trick they use.

Tyre Dressing is a water-based solution which usually comes in a spray bottle. Apply a coat, and then let it dry. Repeat once or twice more.

That’s all there is to it! Don’t forget, if you spot any bald patches, uneven wear, or splits or scrapes on your tyres, you should have them checked. The smallest scrape could be masking a more dangerous problem.

We’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting and maintenance of tyres for all types of vehicles in Brisbane and Queensland. Contact us today (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and book your professional tyre check today.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Why your 4WD spare might be useless in Brisbane’s winter

It’s time to check your tyres in Brisbane before winter sets in

Changing weather conditions in alters the performance of tyres in Brisbane. For most motorists, their tyres are the last thing that they consider as a potential hazard. Even after a tyre has rolled off the production line, it’s physical properties are still changing. After a while, the inevitable ageing process kicks in.

Your safety – and that of your passengers and other road users – depends on the performance of your tyres.

In this article, you’ll learn about the effect of hot and cold weather on your tyres in Brisbane, and why 4WD spares are often the most dangerous tyres on the roads.

Hot weather – complacency and fat tyres in Brisbane

When spring turns to summer, hot, sun-filled days give drivers a false sense of security. As grip improves, speed increases – especially on corners and bends. What you can’t see is the way your tyres are altering their shape. As the days get hotter, the air inside your tyres expands. Your tyres get fatter.

The older the tyre, the more it will have aged. As the number of vehicles on Queensland’s roads grows, there are a lot older tyres spinning on the tarmac. Older rubber becomes more brittle and more likely to fail. Those pieces of tyre rubber you see in the roads, especially in summer, are the result of faster speeds, hotter roads, and expanding the air in the tyre.

Cold weather – when your tyres come under more pressure

As the temperature drops when we move into winter, the air in your tyres contracts and the tyre’s air pressure falls. Goodyear has calculated that the fall in tyre pressure corresponds to the how many degrees the temperature has fallen. A 10-degree temperature change results in a decrease of about 2lbs in tyre pressure.

As the tyre deflates naturally in winter, you’ll suffer more wear on the shoulder of the tyre. Your tyre heats up quicker on the road, softening the rubber. It can increase fuel consumption.

You’ll also be driving on roads that have suffered from overuse in summer. Potholes, cracks and ridges will damage tyres further, especially if they are underinflated.

If your tyres have aged, irrespective of the number of kilometres you’ve driven on them, you could be putting yourself at risk on the roads in Brisbane this winter. And this brings me to why your 4WD spare tyre could be useless.

The danger of ageing tyres

Rubber ages, especially when it is exposed to changing weather and extreme sunshine. UV rays harden tyre rubber. If you look closely at older tyres, you’ll notice small cracks appearing. It isn’t the result of kerbing, but of ageing and exposure to sunlight.

Rubber ages naturally over a long time. Direct sunlight speeds up this ageing process.

Hardening rubber is less pliable, and we see a lot of tyres that are coming away from wheel rims.

The worst of these problems is often found on spare tyres – especially those that have been exposed to direct sunlight, like the spare tyre on the rear of a 4WD. Other vehicles that are most prone to substandard tyres include caravans and trailers. They are stored in sunlight, and within a few years, the tyres could be in a dangerously ageing condition.

If you need to use the spare tyre and you haven’t checked it for a while, you could be about to drive a deathtrap.

Check your spare tyres today

If you’re like nine out of ten drivers, you won’t have checked your tyres for months. Probably at the beginning of summer. You could be driving on seriously underinflated tyres in the winter.

You should check tyre pressures at least once a month. You’ll find the maximum recommended tyre pressure on the tyre placard inside the door jamb or in the glove box.

Ageing is a little more difficult to evaluate. The Tyre and Rim Association of Australia recommends that tyres should be checked by an expert if they are five years old. It’s also worth checking with the manufacturer of your tyre – many recommend that tyres should be replaced at a certain age, regardless of wear.

We’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting and maintenance of tyres for all types of vehicles in Brisbane and Queensland. Contact us today (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and book your professional tyre check today. Don’t leave it too late, even if you’ve never used your spare.

Cheers,

Kevin Wood

0 Car recalls and smarter tyres in Brisbane

Important news for drivers in Queensland

It’s been a while since I wrote a news blog, but recent industry news is both important and exciting. Important for your safety, and exciting for both safety and the driving experience. Let’s start with the safety news first, which affects both vehicle and tyres in Brisbane.

Car recalls you mustn’t ignore

I don’t know how car manufacturers can release mass-produced cars that are unsafe. They spend so much on research, development and testing. Here I am, warning about not one manufacturer recalling vehicles, but two.

BMW recalls i3 extended electric models in Australia

If you own a BMW i3 with a fuel tank, you could be driving Brisbane’s streets in a potential fire box. The i3s that were sold between July 2014 and November last year are the ones that are at risk.

The problem is a weak fuel ventilation line. It could rub against the car and rupture. If this happens, fuel could leak. And leaking fuel equals a high possibility of fire. If you own one of these models or know someone who does, call the BMW dealer now. Not tomorrow morning, and not next week.

Volkswagen recalls Golf small cars because of wrong tyre specs

As if Volkswagen haven’t had enough bad publicity in recent years, they just recalled all the Golf small cars sold in Australia between 2016 and 2017. The reason is that they’ve been fitted with the wrong tyre placard.

The tyre placard tells you about the tyre ratings for your car. It details speed, inflation, and load maximums. This tyre guide tells you about the best tyre pressures for your car, too. Get these wrong, and you’ll be using more fuel than you should. Your drive will be less comfortable. But, most importantly, you could be risking tyre damage and a blowout. (Brush up on how to bring your car to a safe standstill and how to change a tyre after a blowout.)

Again, if you own a Golf small car which was sold from the beginning of 2016, get hold of the Volkswagen dealer now. One phone call could save your life.

Okay, let’s move on to something a little more uplifting.

The future for tyres in Brisbane is smart

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how tyre development is set to rival Star Wars science fiction. It’s getting closer.

Goodyear has presented the world with its vision of tyres of the future. Its concept tyre, the Eagle-360, was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show. And what a tyre it is!

It looks more like the Death Star from Star Wars than a tyre. And get this load of features:

• Magnetic levitation
• A sponge-like groove design that softens on wet road to resist aquaplaning
• Centrifugal force ejects surface water
• A layer of foam increases contact area with the road
• Active technology allows the tyre to move as needed and automatically avoid hazards
• Your car will face front, while steering left and right!
• Automatic speed adjustment

This tyre is completely connected to your car and can sense, decide, transform and interact. It will connect with other vehicles, too, alerting them off road and weather conditions, and other hazards. With this information, the tyre will adapt ahead of time as it proactively prepares for the road ahead.

And what about tyre wear? Well, the tyre takes care of that, too. Sensors detect how much wear is being cased and alters tyre position to extend mileage and minimise fuel consumption.

This thing could put me out of business! Mind you, it’s a few years away yet…

Commercial vehicle tyres are already smart

Michelin truck tyres are adding radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to its retreads. With this technology, fleets can manage their tyres better, increasing life, reducing fuel consumption, and improving safety. It’s been rolled out to 260 fleets and 36,000 commercial vehicles across the United States.

Maybe those futuristic spheres aren’t so far away, after all.

We’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting and maintenance of tyres for all types of vehicles Brisbane and Queensland. Contact us today (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and discover the Darra advantage that benefits so many other fleet managers.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to make commercial vehicle tyres last longer

Tyre management strategies that will inflate your bottom line

Commercial vehicle tyres are one of the highest expenses your fleet incurs. A good tyre maintenance program will help your drivers avoid blow-outs on their trucks. A good tyre management program will help your fleet tyres last longer. And when tyres last longer, your costs fall, and your profits increase.

In this article, we discuss the causes of wear and tear on commercial vehicle tyres that should inform your fleet tyre maintenance and management program.

Who is responsible for the tyre management program?

The choice of tyres and how they are used will depend on the specifics of your fleet’s operations. It requires a good knowledge of driver routes, loads, and driving styles. Motorway work is different to inner city driving. On-road is different to off-road. If a truck is turned around between one driver and the next without a break, tyre wear is different again.

The person best placed to examine how tyres in the fleet are affected is the fleet manager. By testing over a long period, they will be able to design a suitable tyre management and maintenance program that extends tyre life. The data collected will include:

• Total mileage
• Wear and tear
• Tyre costs
• Cost per mile
• Warranties

What causes wear and tear on commercial vehicle tyres?

Shortened tyre life is caused by a range of factors that lead to irregular tyre wear. Taking action to shrink irregular wear and tear will help to reduce fleet fuel costs and extend tyre life. Here are the leading causes of irregular wear and tear on truck tyres:

·      Overloading

Your tyres bear all the weight of the truck and its load. A common mistake is using tyres that haven’t been manufactured for the load transported.

To ensure that you buy the correct tyres for the loads being transported, divide the maximum weight of the vehicle and its load by its number of tyres. If the vehicle and load are, say, six tonnes and it is supported by four wheels, you’ll need to buy tyres with a load rating of 1.5 tonnes.

·      Improper inflation

Improper inflation reduces tyre life and decreases safety. Overinflated tyres wear in the centre. Underinflated tyres wear on the shoulders and can damage sidewalls, with structural damage following.

Daily air pressure checks will ensure tyres are inflated correctly and get your drivers to check for damage to the tyres before, during, and after every trip.

·      Poor tyre rotation

Front tyres tend to wear most on their shoulders. Rear tyres typically wear first at the centre. A good tyre rotation policy can save your life and protect your tyres.

Rotating tyres is a time-consuming operation, so work out the optimum times to rotate without increasing costs. Most fleets coincide tyre rotation with regular service programs.

·      Improper alignment and balance

Misaligned and poorly balanced wheels are a major source of tyre wear. Balance weights can become dislodged or slip, causing the truck to run out of balance. Check alignment and balance at regular intervals.

·      Poor storage practices

How and where your trucks are parked will also impact tyre life. Oil, grease, fuel, water and other solutions degrade tyre rubber. If parked in one spot for too long, tyres can develop flat spots.

Park your trucks on a cool, dry, contamination-free surface.

·      Poor driving

The poor driving technique is another major factor in commercial tyre longevity. Cornering sharply, driving too fast over poorly surfaced roads, and braking heavily all contribute to tyre wear. Signs that a driver needs re-educating as to driving style include regular damage to sidewalls, denting, scratching, and bald patches.

How to increase the life of commercial vehicle tyres

As well as taking precautions against the specific causes of wear and tear we’ve mentioned above, you should also ensure that your truck tyres are cleaned regularly. Each time the vehicle is washed, clean the tyres thoroughly to remove debris, chemicals, mud and fuel.

Ensure that your tyre maintenance and management program doesn’t neglect the inside tyres.

You can also extend tyre life with an effective retread program. Providing the structure of the tyre is sound, there is no limit on how many retreads can be made. However, you should evaluate the cost-effectiveness of retreads as part of your tyre management program.

Keep an eye on costs

An integral part of a fleet tyre management program is cost maintenance. Your records should indicate the cost per mile and include a scrap tyre analysis. Keeping these records will help to decide on which tyres are best for which application, as well as highlighting problem routes and drivers that need to improve their technique.

We’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting and maintenance of commercial vehicle tyres for a variety of fleets in Brisbane and Queensland. Contact us today on +61 07 3333 5510 or (by Skype or on our contact form) and discover the Darra advantage that benefits so many other fleet managers.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood