TIRE DAMAGE: HOW YOUR TIRES THEMSELVES CAN REVEAL THE CAUSE

Sometimes, the cause of tire damage is obvious – for example, when you hit a pothole while driving. But other times, you may notice certain car tyres Auckland defects showing up repeatedly, and not know the cause. Such a situation is more frequent for business owners that have fleet vehicles or company cars that are driven by different employees. Once the possible causes of tire damage are known, steps can be taken to prevent or reduce the occurrence of certain defects. While it’s difficult to prove with absolute certainty the source of every issue, these are some of the common types of damages along with their likely causes:

• Scalloped or cupped appearance: This refers to tires that have a series of cupped indents or round hollows (appearing as alternating dips and rises). This often indicates a problem with your suspension and may mean your shock absorbers need to be replaced. More shallow indents may mean your wheel is out of balance, but if deeper “cups” appear, it’s best to get your shock absorbers checked.
• Cracks or bulges along the sidewall: Now this is one of those cases that the driver may be aware of the cause. This type of damage usually occurs after an impact – such as hitting a pothole, curb or some other structure. It can also occur after driving over debris such as a tree branch that’s fallen on the road. If the tire is overinflated or underinflated, the damage will be even greater.
• Diagonal swipe or indent: For front-wheel drive vehicles, it usually signifies an incorrect setting, as well as insufficient tire rotation frequency. For vehicles used to carry heavy loads in the trunk, the added excessive weight could also cause different geometric wear indents or swipes on tires.
• The outer and inner edges are worn: When the outer and inner edges of the tire are worn, but the centre is not, this means your tires are underinflated. Confirm the optimal pressure setting and check your tire pressure immediately as this could lead to a blow-out.
• One single worn spot: Unless this relates to a vehicle that’s been parked and immobile for a long period, a single worn spot could very well indicate a skid. This indicates harsh breaking due to an emergency or driver negligence, especially when the vehicle lacks an anti-lock brake system.

For Affordable Auckland car tires or advice on replacing them, contact Drury Tires – your local tire experts.