What Causes Costly Tyre Damage?

Wear and Tear Is Inevitable, But You Can Slow It Down

Most drivers pay little attention to their tyres. If you’re lucky, the first you’ll know that your tyres are damaged is when you are told during a service that you need new tyres. That’s an expense you weren’t expecting. You can delay that expense by understanding what causes tyre damage and how to avoid it.

3 Self-Inflicted Reasons Your Tyre Needs Replacing

Old tyres should be replaced whatever the mileage they have done. This is because over time rubber degrades. Most tyre manufactures recommend that tyres are replaced at least every five or six years. If you are not sure how old your tyres are, read our article ‘How Do You Know How Old Your Tyres Are and If They Need Changing?’

Of course, if your tyre tread is worn to the minimum legal tread depth (1.5mm in Queensland), then you must replace your tyres. Usually this is because of wear and tear, and this is usually because of driving style – the first of our three reasons why your tyres need replacing.

Poor Driving Style

If you brake late and hard, drive too fast, and corner at speed, your tyres will become worn faster than they should. If you kerb your tyres when parking, you risk damaging the sidewall with scrapes and bulges.

The type of road you drive on also makes a difference to your tyre wear. Driving on smooth tarmac is less damaging than driving at speed on roads that have potholes, loose gravel and raised manhole covers. Indeed, driving on potholes can cause damage to the internal of your tyre, and to other parts of your vehicle (such as steering, suspension and wheels).

Heat

This reason is particularly relevant to drivers here in Brisbane. When it comes to rubber, heat hurts.

The sun’s UV rays damage the structure of tyre rubber. It degrades in the heat. However, this is not the only way that your tyres heat up.

When you are driving, your tyres get hot, though even if you touch the tyre you probably won’t feel how hot your tyres are. This is because the heat is on the inside. By the time you can feel the heat – or smell it – the damage is probably already done.

Speed is the main cause of hot tyres when driving. If your tyres are carrying too heavy a load, this also puts pressure on the tyre and increases the tyre’s internal temperature. Though it is not the heat itself that damages your tyres. As tyres heat up, the air in them expands. It is this increase in tyre pressure that causes the most damage.

The best way to make sure your tyres don’t overheat is to drive slower and with a lighter load.

The Wrong Tyre Pressure

Whether incorrect tyre pressure is caused by overheating tyres or simply inflating to the wrong pressure, the effect on potential tyre damage can be astounding.

Poorly inflated tyres – whether they are underinflated or overinflated – result in tyre damage. Your tyres must work harder, and that makes them heat up faster. It also wears tread away faster. You’ll be using more fuel to turn the tyres and therefore need to change the tyres sooner. That’s a double pick of your pocket.

If your tyre is worn on both edges, you’ve probably underinflated your tyres. If it is worn down the centre of the tyre, it is overinflated. Uneven wear is also a sign of overinflation (or poor wheel alignment).

Good Habits Help Tyres Last Longer

To make your tyres last longer, you should get into good habits as a driver:

Check your tyres at least once per week
Inflate your tyres to the correct tyre pressure when they are cold
Think about tyre load and adapt tyre pressure accordingly
Always buy the best tyre you can within your budget
Store your tyres out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place

In Summary

Tyres will degrade over time, but the major reason your tyres become damaged is you! Think about your driving style and the loads you are carrying, and make sure you check your tyres regularly. And always drive on tyres that are inflated correctly.

If you are in Brisbane and have a flat tyre or a tyre that keeps losing tyre pressure, contact Darra Tyres today. Don’t be sorry, be safe.

Keeping your family and fleet safe on the road,

Dean Wood

What damage can potholes cause to tyres and vehicles?

Tips to avoid potholes and what to do if you can’t

Poor road surfaces, such as those caused by unrepaired potholes, are one of the major concerns for drivers in and around Brisbane. In last year’s RACQ Unroadworthy Roads Survey, an incredible 600 sub-standard roads across Queensland were nominated – 60% of these nominations cited poor road surface as the reason for the nomination.

In this article, you’ll learn what damage hitting a pothole could do to your tyres and vehicle, how to spot that damage, and how to avoid damage caused by potholes.

What damage could a pothole do to your tyres and vehicle?

Pothole damage is often visible, but can also be invisible.

Invisible damage that hitting a pothole can cause includes damage to the control arm. This connects the steering and wheels. If this is bent or damaged, then your ability to steer correctly could be impeded, though you may not notice this until you need to take emergency action.

Your suspension may also be damaged by hitting a pothole at speed, and this could cause the vehicle to veer from side to side, or the vehicle to shake.

Depending on how hard the pothole is hit, the engine could move off its mounts. Engine misalignment means the engine must work harder, and this will cause damage over a longer time.

Other damage that is visible includes bent wheel rims, body damage, and, of course, damage and punctures to tyres.

How do you spot tyre and vehicle damage after hitting a pothole?

Fortunately, unless you are driving at speed, the chances of a pothole puncturing a tyre are slim. However, bent wheel rims, body damage, and damage to shocks and struts are more common. Your tyres may also be damaged, and you might suffer issues with your wheel alignment or wheel balancing.

If you notice any of the following signs of tyre or vehicle damage, you should take your vehicle in for inspection immediately:

A tyre looks low – this could be caused by a slow puncture, often caused by a bent wheel rim
The tyre sidewall is bulging, which indicates there is internal damage to the tyre and the steel belts and nylon in the tyre have separated
Your vehicle pulls left or right while you are driving, which indicates the wheels have become misaligned
The steering wheel vibrates while you are driving, a clear indication that your wheels have become imbalanced
You hear a strange and consistent noise from under the car while driving, which could mean that part of the car or wheel is rubbing against the suspension

How can you avoid damage from potholes?

Potholes will always exist on roads. They are caused by water seeping beneath the tarmac through cracks, forcing the road to rise. The weight of traffic causes the tarmac to break and a pothole to form. As more traffic rolls over the pothole, it becomes worse. Potholes are a fact of life – like death and taxes. Therefore, it’s important to know how to avoid the damage they might cause:

First, always make sure that your tyres are correctly inflated. This will help your tyres and vehicle absorb any impact should you hit a pothole.
Drive slower, especially on roads that you don’t know or that you know to be rough.
Ensure that you remain focused on the road ahead. Don’t get distracted.
Keep your distance from the vehicle in front, so you have time to react and can see what is approaching.
Take care if you swerve to avoid a pothole, especially on highways when driving at speed. Hitting a pothole can cause damage to your vehicle. Hitting another vehicle could be far worse.
A road with one pothole is usually a road with more. The first pothole that you hit or avoid should be the warning to be more focused and defensive in your driving style.
If it is impossible to avoid a pothole, take the following action to retain control of your vehicle: slow down, steer straight, and don’t slam on your brakes.

Getting your vehicle checked after hitting potholes

If you hit a pothole and notice any of the signs of impact damage, you should take your vehicle to a mechanic or tyre shop. Tell them what happened and the signs of damage that you have noticed, and make sure that they check:

Wheel alignment and balance
Damage to the internal tyre
Wheel rims for cracks and bending
Damage to the engine mount
Shocks, struts and suspension

If repairs are needed, get an estimate and check out your insurance cover – it may help to pay for damage caused by potholes.

For all your tyre needs, contact Darra Tyres – we’ll see you right.