When you are travelling, especially in winter, you should always check that the weather is going to hold up well, ensure that you have some emergency supplies on hand (a blanket, some water, cereal bars or similar high-energy long-life foods, as well as a torch, red triangle and so on) and be confident that your car is in great condition before you set off. As well as this, you should also double-check that your tyres – the only part of your car in contact with the road – are up to the job. Here are five tips for tyre maintenance and mobile tyre fitting you need to know before you head off on your trip.
Check Your Tyres
You will most probably already be in the habit of checking your tyres on a regular basis, but if you are not, do try to do this before you set off on a long drive. Get a torch and get up close to your tyres, examining them all over for signs of damage or flaws. Also make sure that they are inflated to the optimal levels recommended by your tyre manufacturer, and that the tread is of a legal depth – if your levels are close to the minimum 1.6mm, and you are looking for a hassle-free mobile tyre fitting service – Reg Greenwood offers professional services at excellent prices.
Rotate, Align, Balance
Once you are satisfied that your tyres are undamaged, properly inflated and legally compliant from a tread point of view, you can increase your roadworthiness by having the wheels balanced and the tyres rotated and aligned. These three items will ensure that your tyres are properly fitted to the axle, that they all pull in exactly the same direction and carry an equal amount of the car’s weight, and that they will wear evenly over time.
Reduce the Weight
Declutter your car as much as possible before travelling. The lighter your car, the better the tyres will perform – and there are added benefits in that your fuel consumption will drop and your tyres will last longer, having been subjected to so much less weight over their lifetimes.
Pick the Perfect Spot
If you do need a new set of tyres for any reason – or even if you just want your tyres to be checked and brought into better alignment – you can call a mobile tyre fitter out to a place that suits your needs. This means that you can have your tyres worked on while you get all your work finished at the office, get your packing done at home, or even pop out to meet up with friends for an hour or two: a mobile tyre fitting van can work almost anywhere, as long as there is a safe place for them to park and access your vehicle to get the work done.
Do You Have a Spare?
Finally, check your spare! Some modern cars do not have tyres, coming instead with a puncture repair kit, but many people purchase spare tyres because they feel more comfortable with one. Make sure the spare is in good nick and ready to use, or, alternatively, accustom yourself to the way the puncture repair kit works, so you can quickly fix your tyre should you need to. Or you can always call your mobile tyre fitter and ask for an emergency call-out, so the hard work is all done for you!
