All you need to know about your balding car tyres
The car tyre is there to help supply traction on the surface that the vehicle is travelling on. If the tyre is in a bad condition, accidents are likely to occur.
How to check for balding car tyres?
- Low tread
Under the Land Transport Authority (LTA) guidelines, your tread should be at least 1.6mm.
You may check if your tyres start to lose tread depth by using a quick coin hack or if they have a smooth like appearance, which means the car tyres are balding.
2. Treadwear
If the squarish shapes that are embedded in the tyre grooves become flushed and visible, the tyre is worn out and must be changed. They are known as the tread wear indicator or wear bars.
3. Cracks and deep cuts
Look for cracks and deep cuts that is exposing the steel belts or body cords. Balding on not, when faced with a very big crack call for a tow truck and send your car to a workshop immediately.
4. Bulging tyre parts
Check for unusual bulges in the tread or sidewalls. They are often caused by debris hitting the tyre or running over kerbs. A bulge often means that the materials inside the tyre have been weakened. This can cause the tyres to blow out, which can cause you to lose control of your car. For this reason, we recommend that you have a bulged tyre replaced as soon as possible.
Risks of driving on bald tyres?
- Hydroplaning
Driving your bald tyres on a rainy day can increase the chances of skidding or hydroplaning.
2. Punctures
Due to the lack of remaining thread, bald tyres are more likely to puncture. In addition to the possibility of a flat tyre, a puncture could cause a blowout, which may lead to loss of control of your vehicle.
3. Poor brakes
Your brakes don’t provide traction to stop your car, your tyres do and balding cars will reduce traction. Poor braking efficiency increases the chance of being involved in an accident, plus adds unwanted repair costs.
Preventive measures to avoid bald tyres?
Proactively change your tyres at a trustable workshop when they are considered “bald”. Besides that, give those cheap tyres a pass as they will only end up causing you more. If you don’t have a trustable workshop, why not download the UDRIVERS app and get quoted by our hand-picked workshops?