How To Make Sure Your Tyres Are Ready For Road Trips This Summer

Summer is here and you're planning a road trip. You've got your car packed, the sunnies on and a playlist ready to go, but there's one important thing missing from your checklist, your tyres. The last thing you want is for your holiday to turn into a mobile tyre repair shop, so it's important to make sure they're in good nick before setting off. Here's how to check that everything under the bonnet of your car is working properly before hitting the open road.

Checking your tyre pressure can be done with a simple gauge attached to the valve stem, or with an app on your phone. With either option, check your tyre pressure at least once per month, and more often if you drive on high-speed roads (e.g., motorways) or during hot weather conditions which cause tyres to expand more than usual.

If you don't have enough tread, it means your tyre won't be able to grip the road as well, which leads to higher fuel consumption and wear on your car's suspension.

The ideal tread depth for optimal performance and safety is between 1.6mm and 2.1mm at the centre of the tyre (measured in millimetres). If it's less than 1.6mm you need new tyres; if it's more than 2.1mm you need to get them rotated.

While tread depth and hardness are good indicators of a tyre's condition, you shouldn't rely solely on them to tell if your tyres are ready for road trips this summer.

Checking for uneven wear and visible damage is important too. If the tyre has uneven wear, it could be caused by a puncture in the tyre. This will show up as wearing down one side of the tyre more than another - this can happen if you hit something sharp like a nail or screw, or even when driving over potholes or curbs that are higher than your wheelbase (you'll want your wheels aligned afterwards). You should also check for visible damage to the tyre itself - if there is any sign of damage such as cracks or splits in its construction then it should be replaced immediately as prolonged use could result in further deterioration which could cause an accident.

If you've ever been driving at speed and felt your car vibrate, it's likely that one of the wheel bearings is worn out. These are what allow your wheels to spin smoothly, so if they're not working properly, they'll cause a vibration when you hit higher speeds. They can also wear out over time and need replacing.

A quick way to check if any of your bearings need attention is by jacking up each tyre in turn and looking for play around each bearing - ideally, there should be no movement at all on either side of the hub where the axle meets it (this shouldn't take long). If there's some play here then this might indicate a worn-out or damaged bearing which will need replacing before hitting those open roads!

So there you have it, all the steps to ensuring your tyres are ready for a summer road trip. We hope that this article has been helpful to you, and if you’re still in doubt about anything, don’t hesitate to contact the pros here at Advance Tyres Queensland.