- A) Check tires regularly for wear and damage.
- b) Remove the wheels from the vehicle from time to time and clean their inner and outer surfaces from dirt.
- V) Check the inside of the wheel rim for rust, corrosion or other damage.
- G) If the wheel is seriously damaged, the old wheel must be replaced with a new one.
- d) When installing new tires, as well as after their repair, it is necessary to balance the wheels, because due to wear and repair of tires, the weight distribution of the tire material changes.
Serially produced wheels are balanced at the factory. Balancing is necessary to even out different weight distributions and material inaccuracies. In the process of movement, unbalanced wheels manifest themselves through shocks and shaking. Steering wheel shakes at high speed. As a rule, this jitter occurs only in a certain speed range and stops when the speed increases or decreases.
Over time, wheel imbalance can lead to suspension, steering, and improper tread wear.
It is important to maintain proper tire pressure. When using winter tires, you should also maintain the recommended pressure for them. Compliance with the prescribed tire pressure is of great importance for driving safety, as well as for the life of the tyres. For this reason, it is recommended to check the tire pressure at least once every two weeks and before every long trip (including the spare wheel).
The spare wheel must be pressurized to 2.5 bar.
The pressure should only be checked when the tires are cold. Excessive tire pressure resulting from a long journey must not be relieved. The tire pressure increases by about 0.2-0.4 bar during continuous driving. Winter tyres, as a rule, are operated with overpressure, i.e. about 0.2 bar higher than summer tires. The values recommended by the winter tire manufacturer must be observed. If winter tires have a speed limit, the corresponding maximum speed must be indicated on a sticker that must be within the driver's field of vision.
Wheel swap
It is not advisable to change the direction of rotation of the tires when rearranging the wheels, because Tires are only run in to the new direction of rotation after heavy wear. On some tire models, the direction of travel is indicated by an arrow on the sidewall of the tire. In these cases, the indicated direction of movement must be strictly observed.
With noticeably greater wear on the front wheels, it is recommended to swap them with the rear ones. This ensures approximately equal service life of all 4 wheels.
Attention! Change tires not separately, but at least the tires of both wheels of the same axle. In this case, tires with a larger residual tread depth must always be installed in front, on the front wheels. All 4 wheels should only be fitted with tires of the same type and, if possible, with the same type of tread pattern and from the same manufacturer. Tires that are more than 6 years old should only be installed if absolutely necessary and be extremely careful when driving, never use used tires whose origin is unknown. When replacing wheels and tires, be sure to change the valve as well.
Tires with the prescribed direction of rotation, which can be identified by the arrow on the sidewall indicating the direction of travel, must always be installed in the direction of travel. This ensures optimum tire performance in terms of hydroplaning grip, noise and wear. If it is necessary to install a spare wheel with the prescribed direction of rotation instead of «let down», but the prescribed direction will not be preserved, then such a replacement should be temporary. In this case, it is recommended, especially on a wet track, to observe the speed limit.
Some tips for caring for tires
Tires have a peculiar «memory», and mishandling them, and this includes, for example, quick or frequent crossings over curbstones or rails, often results in their failure. And this happens only some time later and at the most inopportune moment.
Tire cleaning
Do not wash tires with a steam jet. If the nozzle of this device is held too close to the tire, then its rubber layer is irreversibly destroyed within a few seconds, which cannot be repaired even by applying cold water. Tires cleaned in this way must be replaced for safety reasons.
Tires that have been in contact with oil or grease for a long time must also be replaced. In this case, the tire first swells, and then returns to its normal shape and looks intact on the outside, but the tire's load-bearing capacity is reduced.
Tire storage
Tires should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. They must not come into contact with lubricants, oils or fuels.
Store wheels lying flat or suspended from rims in a garage or basement. If tires are not mounted on rims, they must be stored in a standing position.
Increase tire pressure slightly before removing wheels (by about 0.3-0.5 bar). For winter tires, use your own rims, since remounting tires for summer rims does not justify itself in terms of economy.
Tire break-in
The new tires have a particularly smooth surface. This is due to the manufacturing process. For this reason, new tires, including a new spare wheel, must be run in. During the running-in process, as a result of the onset of abrasion, the smooth surface becomes rough.
Before driving the first 300 km with new tires, the driver must be especially careful when driving on wet roads.
Tires of balanced wheels, while maintaining the prescribed pressure in them, with the correct adjustment of the wheel alignment angles and the impeccable operation of the shock absorbers, wear out approximately evenly over the entire tread. It is not possible to say anything definite about the service life of tires from different manufacturers. this period depends on various factors, namely:
- road surface;
- tire pressure;
- driving style;
- weather conditions.
Rapid tread wear is favored primarily by sporty driving, rapid acceleration and heavy braking.
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