Tire Tips
          Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touches the road while you drive.  They   
          put up with a lot of abuse and  require some basic maintenance for optimum performance.

          B.P.A.R.T    Tire Maintenance Program            
           For Our Environment and Your Tire Safety
                                                  
                                           "  Balance, Pressure, Alignment, Rotation, Tread "
 

                   Treadlife Recommended Tire Maintenance
 

                    -  2 rotations / year while monitoring air pressure and tread depth
                    -  1 balance / year while monitoring air pressure and tread depth
                    -  1 alignment / year while monitoring air pressure and tread depth

 

          Treadlife promotes tire maintenance designed to extend the life of tires and   
          reduce the impact on our environment. Annually, 19.5 million tires are
          scrapped, many of these long before their time.

          ! Tire safety begins with tire awareness. Protect your life and the life of your tires by following a simple
          five-step tire Maintenance program. you will be doing your part to reduce the number of prematurely
          worn tires ending up in scrap piles while reducing Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Pollutants.

          B. Balancing your tires prevents flat spotting and vibrations that cannot be corrected. Balancing your tires    
          annually helps promote even wear and extends the life of your tires.

          P. Tire Pressure is a common cause of tire failure, excessive fuel consumption and premature tire wear. A
          regular tire maintenance program will allow your Treadlife Service Centre to keep your tire pressure set  
          properly.

         A. Alignment is one of the most important factors in not only vehicle care, but tire care. Improper
         alignment on either the front or rear wheels can result in unusual tread wear, damage to your suspension, and 
         unusual handling for the car. There are several alignment types, including both two and four wheel alignment.  
         Four wheel alignment is always recommended, but some vehicles are not able to have the rear alignment
         adjusted. Consult with an alignment specialist you trust to find out what's best for your car. Check your
         alignment often as many unexpected everyday factors such as hitting a curb, rocks, and potholes can misalign
         your wheels. Warning signs include your car pulling to one side or another, and irregular tire wear.

         R. Rotating your tires is inexpensive but a most effective form of tire maintenance. This service ensures even
         tire wear. You will replace tires less often while keeping all tires performing equally… on every corner of  
         your vehicle.

         T. Tread depth and wear patterns should be constantly monitored by your service facility. While you can  
         check the depth yourself, wear patterns that indicate a mechanical deficiency can only be identified by a
         trained professional. A proper tire maintenance schedule will allow your Treadlife Service Centre to
         assist you with such a diagnosis.
 
       Tech Talk:

         Mixing Tires
         Generally tires should not be mixed on any vehicle. To receive maximum safety and performance it is 
         preferable to keep every tire on a vehicle identical in size, brand, model, rating etc. One of the only
         exceptions is if the front and rear wheels are different like on all Porsche's and other high performance
         vehicles.
 
         Tire Storage
         Storing Winter Tires
         The best place to store winter tires is in a cool, dry location. (Basement, or possibly a garage). You can lay   
         them down flat, stacked on top of each other no taller than 4 high. This offers the most support and should  
         eliminate any fitting problems the following fall. We also recommend that you return to the store/dealer from
         where you purchased your tires from and ask for storage bags. This will protect the tires from natural ozone  
         in the air which can cause tire rubber to dry and crack. Wrap each tire individually and stack them.
 

         Puncture Repairs
         A puncture to any area of a tire's tread will affect performance and safety, and therefore must be immediately
         attended to through either replacement of the tire (spare or new tire) or a patch. Any patch that is applied to
         a tire must be applied to both the outer part of the tire (tread) and the inner part of the tire. The reason for
         this is that the rubber on each side is very different (inside is made of halobutyl rubber meant for holding air,
         while the outside is a harder durable rubber primarily designed for traction). A good tire repair can only be  
         made if the tire is removed from the rim (wheel) and inspected carefully for any hidden damage.

         Noise & Vibration Problems
         Below are the most common (but not the only) causes of noise and vibration problems:
           - a poorly seated tire on the rim
           - tire / wheel assembly out of balance
           - irregular tire wear
           - an out of round rim
           - an out of round tire
         If there is a problem with your tires and the way they have been installed they will most likely begin to
         shake and vibrate your vehicle at between 80 and 105 kmh.

         When do you need to Replace Tires?
         Tires are typically replaced when their natural lifespan has come to an end. There are however any number
         of  factors that can affect this including storage, temperature, surfaces they are driven on, how aggressive of
         a driver you are, punctures, etc. 
         The usual recommendation for replacing tires is when they no longer feel safe to the driver. You can see
         when they are worn out using the tread wear indicator. A typical set of tires under normal driving
         conditions  will last approximately 40 000 miles or 64 000 km. Some tires of-course are designed for
         much longer, even up to 80,000 miles or 128 000 kilometers.
 

         Worn Tires

        Worn tires should be replaced by trained personnel when 2/32nds of an inch of tread depth remains. Use of
         worn-out tires {less than 2/32nds inch (1.6mm) remaining of tire tread depth} increases the probability of
         tire failure, and in wet conditions can cause the tire to lose traction suddenly.

         Mounting & Balancing
         When mounting wheels & tires ensure the following checks are made:
           - Wheels are not damaged in any way
           - There is no dirt or oily build up between the hub and the wheel
           - Lugs are properly torqued
           - Both tire beads are securely mounted
           - Any retaining clips on the brak drums are removed
         Improper tire balancing can have adverse effects on your car and your safety. The most common signs of 
         unbalanced tires are vibration and noise problems. These can affect the speed, handling and mileage of your 
         vehicle.

 

         Load Limits

         Never exceed the load-carrying limits molded into the sidewall of the tires or the maximum vehicle load limit
         as shown on the vehicle tire placard, whichever is less. Overloading builds up excessive heat in the tire and
         could lead to failure.

 

         Hazards

        Avoid running over objects (e.g. chuckholes, rocks, curbs, metal, glass, etc.) which may cause internal tire 
        damage. Internal damage, not visible without demounting the tired, may be caused when a tire runs over an
        object. Continued use of a tire that has suffered internal damage (which may not be externally visible) can  
        lead to dangerous tire failure. Determination of suspected internal damage requires demounting the tire from
        its rim and examination by trained tire personnel.
        Tires that were operated while flat, even for a short distance, must be demounted and inspected for internal
        damage. Never reinflate such tires without first inspecting them internally.

 

         Excessive Spinning

        Excessive wheel spinning, when freeing a vehicle from sand, mud, snow, gravel, ice or wet surfaces, can
        result in explosive tire failure, causing serious personal injury or vehicle damage. Do not exceed 55 KMH
       (35MPH), as indicated on the speedometer. Never stand near, or behind, a tire spinning at high speeds
        when attempting to push a vehicle that is stuck.

 

         Speed Limits

         Operating any vehicle in excess of lawful speed limits, or the maximum speeds justified by the driving  
         conditions, can be dangerous. Excessive speed creates heat buildup in a tire, leading to possible tire failure.

 

         Speed-Rated Tires

         Speed-rated tires are identified by letters such as Q, R, S, T, H, V, W, Y, or Z as either part of the size
         designation (e.g., ZR) or part of the service description adjacent to the size designation. The letter indicates
         the maximum speed capability of the tire when properly loaded and inflated. However, even when tires are
         properly loaded and inflated, driving for prolonged periods at high speeds can cause tire damage and possibly
         tire failure, which could lead to an accident.

        Original Equipment speed-rated tires must be replaced with tires of the same or higher speed rating if the
         speed capability of the vehicle is to be maintained.