Maintaining Your Tyres

• If you look after your tyres, they'll return the favour
• The air pressure in your tyres is critical to their performance and your safety
• Under-inflated tyres wear out faster
• Don't rely on 'looking' at the tyre - appearances are very deceiving. Use an accurate tyre pressure gauge
• Remember to check your spare! You may need it one day; Your spare should be serviceable and roadworthy
• Pressures should be checked every 2-4 weeks. It is normal for tyres to slowly lose air through the rubber
• Tyre pressures should be checked and set when the tyres are cold (i.e. not after a long trip) as heat will temporarily raise the pressure
• The correct tyre pressure for your vehicle is shown on the tyre placard or in the vehicle owners' handbook
• Make sure valve caps are fitted as they keep foreign matter out of the valve core
• Too much pressure can be as dangerous as too little pressure
• If you notice damage to the tyre, have it inspected by a tyre specialist - tyre failure at high speed can have tragic consequences
• Tyre repairs should be carried out by a tyre specialist who will generally remove the tyre from the rim and inspect it for internal damage before repairing it from the inside. Push-in plugs from the outside should only be used for temporary emergency repairs
• Invest in a 4-way wheel brace (cross brace) - they're much easier to use than the one usually supplied
• Make sure your jack works... and you know how to use it