Tyre Tips and Maintenance


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Arun

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Tips

1. Do not use tyres with a tread depth of less than 1.6mm. Apart from being illegal, tyres with low levels of tread will slide easily, suffer from extended braking distances and will be more susceptible to rupturing. In wet conditions the vehicle will aquaplane making braking and handling almost impossible.

2. Make sure air pressures are correct. Low air pressure generates heat which can result in the rubber and cord separating, which in turn leads to the cord becoming cut and puncturing the tyre. Low pressure also results in excessive wear on the edge of the tyre, shortening the tyre's life. Excessive pressure, meanwhile, results in unpredictable handling in addition to which, if the tyre suffers an impact, it's easily ruptured and cut. If you brake hard, the tyre may skid, which reduces tyre life as the centre of the tread becomes worn. Check tyre inflation pressures at least twice a month. Always check pressures when tyres are cool and maintain the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

3. Remove objects from damaged tyres. Driving with objects such as stone in the tread groove, or with a nail stuck in the tread can puncture or rupture the tyre. You should change or repair the tyre immediately on discovering any damage to avoid any further damage to the carcass.

4. Treat abnormal tyre wear immediately. To assure normal wear you should check air pressures and alignment and rotate the tyres regularly. Advise customers to avoid bad driving habits such as sudden acceleration, braking and cornering.

5. Check the spare tyre. Check the spare tyre's air pressure, existence/non existence of damage and the depth of remaining tread.

6. Never mount radial tyres on the same axle as non-radial tyres or radial tyres on the front axle when non-radial tyres are mounted on the rear axle. These conditions are likely to cause vehicle instability resulting in a sudden loss of control and serious injury.

7. Ensure wheel nuts are securely tightened.

8. Never overload tyres. The maximum load and inflation pressure of the tyres are moulded into the sidewall. Also, remember; the tyre is capable of carrying the maximum load only if it is inflated to its maximum air pressure.

9. Do not use detergents or chemicals containing petroleum products for cleaning or polishing tyres.

10. Never fit used tyres unless their past history is known. Tyres age even if they have not been used or have only been used occasionally. Cracks in the tread or in the sidewall rubber, sometimes accompanied by deformation of the carcass, are a sure sign of aging.

11. Punctured tyres must always be removed from the wheel to check for secondary damage.

12. If it is necessary and feasible to repair a tyre, it must be carried out by a tyre specialist as soon as possible to avoid any structural deterioration. All tyre repairs must be entrusted to a tyre repair specialist.


Tread Depth


1. As per central Motor vehicle regulations (CMVR) car tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread in a continuous band throughout the centre of the tread width and over the whole circumference of the tyre.
Tread Depth
2. To help recognise when tyres are nearing the legal limit, tyres are manufactured with tread wear indicators in the grooves.

3. However, despite the law, it is universally recognised in the tyre industry that the legal limit is wholly insufficient to protect drivers in adverse driving conditions.

4. Drivers are therefore recommended to consider replacing their tyres when the tread depth reaches 3mm.

Correct Air Pressures

Setting and maintaining the correct air pressures is the first step to obtain optimum performance and life from tyres.

Incorrect Inflation






1. Over inflation reduces the ability of the tyre to absorb road shocks resulting in a much harsher ride. Excessive over inflation may lead to impact fracture or other casing failures. Over inflation will also cause excessive wear of the centre of the tyre.

2. Under inflation allows excessive flexing of the tyre, causing excessive internal heat to build up, eventually weakening the casing and causing damage. Under inflation will also cause excessive wear on the shoulder of the tyre resulting in heavy steering and poor handling.

3. Excessive pressure on the shoulder area will increase wear and reduce stopping distance.

Tyre Rotation

Front Wheel Drive




Rear Wheel Drive




Rotate your tyres every 5000km to achieve equal rate of wear.



Source:JKTyre
 
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yep. the next pending work of my alto is the tyre rotation. its run 7800 kms and still the tyres are not rotated. today i noticed that the rear tyres were worn more than the front two. never used the stephney till now.
 
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Hey guys here are some basic tips for maintainenece of your car.

Tyres- At regular times rotate the position of the tyres and you must balance them at around 10,000 km. There are under-inflated tyres that one must check. A regular check for stone and gravel in the tyres is compulsory.

Brakes - top up the brake fluid reservoir occasionally when you notice that the brakes tend to become wobbly(moving unsteadily) and act slowly.

Battery - for the prevention of corrosion, one must clean the battery terminals from time to time and apply a light coat of grease. Check the level of distilled water in the battery and see that the plates are covered at all times.

Interior - regularly vacuum the interiors which will prevent the deposition of sand, dust, grime, salt, etc that otherwise damage the floor surface. Wipe the dash, seats and instrument panel and rear parcel shelf. You can use special car cleaners and not household stuff for cleaning. Clean the leather interiors with specific products and avoid cleaners with high alkaline content as they bleach the color off the leather.

Exterior - wash windscreens with water and soap followed by clean water wash. Then use chamois leather to dry the spots. When the car is dry, use methylated spirit dipped rag and water solution to polish the glass.

Lights- make sure that lights are clean and are working fine. Check the brake lights, turn signals and emergency flashers. Keep spare bulbs and fuses in your vehicle. Make sure that all your lights are clean and working, including the brake lights, turn signals and emergency flashers. Keep spare bulbs and fuses in your vehicle.

Hoses - Inspect the hoses and belts every month. If a hose looks bad or feels hard, then it is time for replacement.

Exhaust - Check for loose or broken exhaust clamps and supports. Also look for holes in muffler or pipes. Change the rusted or damaged parts and have the emission checked every year.

General Tips - Always use genuine spare parts for your car.

Give your car an anti-rust coating before the monsoons.
For Bike Maintenance there are the following tips:

Regularly check the tyres and air pressure.
Check your tyres for cuts and s****es on the tyres that might result in a blowout. Also keep checking the tyre treads once every week and the wheels are balanced and the alignment checked if the wear is uneven.
Check the engine oil level every day before you ride your bike. The oil level should be between upper and lower marks. Top up the engine oil if required and also check for oil leakage.
Check the two-wheeler body surface regularly to ensure good surface finish. Before cleaning the bike, see to it that the ignition switch unit, H.T. Coil and silencer are covered with plastic sheets.
While cleaning the bike, use low pressure water. The painted surfaces must be washed only with water.
Take periodic checks of the motorcycle battery for a long life. Check the electrolyte levels against the top and bottom markings on the battery shell. Top up with distilled water. Check for battery leakage.
Clean the sparks regularly. You can clean the spark points with emery paper.
Keep the carburetor clean by regularly cleaning the carburetor float chamber and other parts. Clean the jets by forcing compressed air through them.
Keep the brakes spaced in the right way. If kept too tight or too loose, is dangerous. Brakes must be tightened as per the rider's requirement.
Check the cables frequently for kinks, bends and frayed ends. Replace if the strands appear broken.
Ensure that the insurance cover is done in the valid time frame.
For Scooter maintenance, these are the following tips: Regularly clean the mobility scooter which will prevent dust, dirt and grit from entering the moving parts and causing wear and tear.
Always prevent your scooter from rusting and keep it dry at all times possible. By drying fabrics such as the seat, will ensure a longer life of the scooter. It is also advisable to purchase a wet weather cover to prevent against the rain.
Maintain the battery at all times. Ensure that you follow the guide lines of the manufacturers while charging the battery. This ensures that you receive the maximum travel range.
You must spend time reading the manual and ensure better maintenance. Ensure regular servicing which is possible at home itself.
In the case of front brakes, one must ensure that the brake fluid levels are in the normal state.
The rear brake pedal should be regularly checked to ensure that it is free of any trouble.
In the case of a low tyre pressure, ensure that it is inflated as per the guidelines and that in case of more they should be deflated.
Free movement of tyre should be ensured and service center must be called immediately.
If there are problems in starting the vehicle, it indicated low fuel and one must refill the fuel levels.
Horn, lights and fuel gauge need to be checked thoroughly before riding your scooter.

Automobile maintenance is all about efforts on your side to ensure that you get better mileage and be hassle free from abrupt breakdown

-Abhishek
(The Ace Master)
 
Thread Starter #8

Arun

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I actually understood every word of it! I'm so glad I am learning things and you guys are there to help me out! This place feels like home!
 
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guys what do you use to clean your tire. My car is a regular visitor of coal yards and the coal dirts the tires a lot.Even after lot of cleaning the greyish look doent go, due to which i have to spend a lot on tire polishes.
 
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Hey guys found out yesterday that the tyre pressure in my wheels increased from 30 to 39psi!!![surprise] In front wheels it was around 34 and the one of the rear wheels had 39psi!! I usually check when i fill my tank and always at the same place!!

I drive usually around 50kms in the highways in weekends at around 100-120kmph!! Is this because of driving in highways the tyre gets heated up and the pressure increases?? Anybody experienced this?? Is this any problem that needs to be rectified??
 
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napster

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@dhaya : It keeps happening to my car also, Some times the pressure increases and sometimes it decreases, I don't think its a problem. It happened with soo many cars among my friends
 

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