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| | Tyre safety and maintainance | | TYRES are the only part of your vehicle, which is in contact with the road. Safety in acceleration, braking, steering and cornering all depend on this relatively small area of road contact. The effect of load, inflation pressure, speed and temperature can alter the performance characteristics of the designed tyre. It is therefore of extreme importance to determine:
| | | | Tyre Size and Type | | Appropriate tyre size and type recommended by the vehicle manufacturer in conjuction with tyre manufacturer can be found in the owner's manual. Alternatively, The Michelin Tyre Finder can help you determine the right tyre for your vehicle. Except for a small number of cars that are designed with different front and rear tyre sizes, the ideal fitment is always to have identical tyres across an axle. | | | | | | Air Pressure | | Inflation pressure is of the utmost importance to the safety, comfort and durability of your tyres.
Check tyre pressure regularly, every two weeks, conducting such check only when the tyre is "cold" because pressure increases through the heat generated during vehicle running.
Over-inflation causes tyres to run hard, more vulnerabe to impacts, less grip due to reduced area of contact with the road and faster wear in the center of the tread.
Under-inflation causes undue heat generation, faster wear at the shoulders of the tyre and structural degradation of the tyre. It can also affect your braking capabilities and reduce the stability of your vehicle.
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| | | | Wheel Alignment | | Incorrect wheel alignment will degrade handling and wear unformity, reducing their tread life. Excessive toe out will produce inside shoulder wear, whereas excessive toe in will produce outside shoulder wear. A qualified mechanic can test your vehicle's alignment.
| | | | | | Wheel Balancing | | Wheel balancing is the proper distribution of weight around the tyre and wheel assembly in order to counter-act centrifugal forces acting on the heavy areas when the wheel is rotating. Uneven tyre wear and/or vibrations felt through the steering wheel or throughout the car, may indicate a problem in this area. Always ensure that wheel balancing which is part of the tyre installation procedure is carried out by professionals. | | | | | | Rotation | | To achieve maximum tyre life and uniform wear on the tyres, you should rotate the tyres by 7,000 - 10,000 kms. For high-powered vehicles, we recommend a tyre rotation by 5,000 kms.
| | | | | | Loading | | Load carrying limits indicated into the tyre's sidewall should never be exceeded. Overloading builds up heat, which could lead to premature tyre failure. | | | | | | Treading | | The ability of tyres to grip the road in wet conditions is directly related to the depth tread. Risk of aquaplaning increases as speed rises and when there is little tread depth. The recommended minimum tread depth is 1.6mm. | | | | | | Punctures and Repairs | | If for some reasons you do run over glass, rocks, nails and curbs, check the tyre for external damage to determine its repairability. Lumps and bulges on your tyre can indicate internal damage and they should be examined by a tyre specialist immediately. |
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[ Last edited by exoz at 11-12-2007 01:30 AM ] |
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