Book a free Tyre Check at Car Tech Leighton Buzzard. Our expert technicians will check and inspect for tread depth, pressure, wear and damage to ensure your tyres are safe and legal. If the tyre inspection shows up any problems, we will offer advice on what can be done to correct the issue.
Take advantage of our free tyre check and help your tyres last longer!
Quality tyres can be costly, so most motorists want to extend the life of their valuable tyres for as long as possible and extract maximum value from them. There are a few simple steps that vehicle owners can take to make their tyres are fitted correctly and wearing evenly.
Maintenance and regular checks are a large part of this, and at Car Tech we realise that most drivers lead increasingly busy lives, so we offer a free tyre check to help you know if your tyres are on track.
Tyres wearing badly will cost you money by needing to be replaced or using too much fuel, and they are also important for safety and that should never be compromised. It is always better to identify any issues as early as possible and make sure these are addressed.
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Select your payment methodTyres need a certain depth of tread for the vehicle to pass its annual MOT. There is no need to wait until the MOT is due to find out whether your tyres will pass, as our mechanics can tell you and recommend a solution. Excessive or uneven tread wear on tyres can lead to safety issues, as bald patches could contribute to skidding and may even blow out when you need them most.
Rotating the tyres is a good habit to adopt, as front tyres and rear tyres are affected by different levels of stress. Even the stress placed on the two front tyres can differ as turning patterns will affect wear – right-hand turns generally take a bigger toll on tyres than turning left. Tyres can also have directional treads which mean they must occupy certain positions on the chassis. An expert eye can assess how best to move tyres around to assist with even wear. And rotating tyres is a lot of work for people who don’t have access to professional equipment.
Tyre pressure is another vital factor to monitor. Low pressure can mean that the car uses more fuel than it should, and it contributes to the tyres wearing more rapidly than they should. The gauges found at many garages are not very accurate, so for accurate monitoring motorists need their own pressure gauge. The manufacturer generally specifies what the pressure should be, and this can vary in different driving conditions. An expert view always helps and can make sure daily driving is done at the tyre pressure that delivers the best results for fuel consumption, safety and road handling.
Under UK law, you must make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive at all times. Part of this is checking the tread on your current tyres is at least a certain depth – 1.6mm for cars and light vans and 1mm for motorcycles and larger vehicles.
As a driver, it’s essential that you meet this requirement. If not, you could get a fine of £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre. This can rise to £5,000 for a goods vehicle or one that’s built to carry more than eight passengers.
Disqualification from driving is also possible. So, why risk it?
The best way to check if your tyres are legal is with the 20p test. It’s a quick and easy way to check your tyres are legal. But you should remember to check at least three locations around each tyre. This is because tyres can wear unevenly for a number of reasons – including heavy braking, aggressive acceleration, poor inflation or misaligned wheels.
Find out more about how to check your tyre tread depth using our free tyre check card. Take one home and keep it in your wallet
If you think your tread is reaching the minimum depth or your tyres are nearly at the end of their life, it’s time to replace them. With Car Tech, we can help you find and buy tyres either by buying online, over the phone or in person.
Every Fortnight (2 weeks)
At the very least you should correct their pressure monthly, as well as before and after long journeys or whenever you add/remove a significantly heavy load from the vehicle.
The most important reason is safety.
Tyre damage, wear and incorrect inflation all increase the likelihood of a blowout with subsequent loss of control. However, even without a blowout, these factors impair the steering, braking and stability of the vehicle.
Incorrect air pressure, whether too high or too low, causes tyre deformation and impairs fuel efficiency. So, as well as putting you and your passengers at risk it reduces the longevity of your tyres and increases your fuel costs.
Steering or suspension issues can be a cause of uneven tyre wear, so by checking tyres frequently the wear will alert you that something is wrong, and you can have the issue dealt with before the damage becomes costly.
It may be worth having your vehicle tracked (LINK TO vehicle tracking page)
You can find the recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle in your user manual, and they are often printed somewhere on your vehicle, for example inside the door jam, on the petrol cap or sometimes in the glove compartment.
Often different pressures will be specified for front and rear tyres and for regular or fully loaded driving.
The majority of petrol stations have air pressure equipment you can use. You can also buy a pressure gauge cheaply or get why not just bring the vehicle down to Car Tech and we can complete a free check from our qualified fitters.
It is important to check your pressures when the tyres are cold, before you set off on a journey.
Remove the dust cap from the tyre valve and push the gauge onto the stem firmly but evenly. The reading on the gauge will tell you if the pressure is low or high. You can now operate the pump, if necessary, in a similar way. Also check the spare wheel if you have one.
If any tyre is reading at a significantly lower pressure, it should be investigated. It could be caused by the tyre valve, a slow puncture, or because the rubber has perished.
Book a free tyre check at CAR TECH by clicking here.
