Photo: How to check summer tires for a car (Getty Images) Author: Konstantin Shirokun
For a true motorist, spring is primarily about changing tires from winter to summer. But before that, it is advisable to do something else with the wheels – so that the change of tires does not end up being useless.
Read about what you need to check in summer tires for the new season in the RBC-Ukraine article.
In the first days of spring it is too early to talk about switching to summer tires, because it is still a long way off from the stable temperature of +7 +8 degrees C, when it is time to send “winter” on vacation. Nevertheless, it is high time to take your summer set out of the closet and devote half an hour to it.
What to check in tires
Traditionally, most Ukrainian drivers change their tires in a rush: on the one hand, there is warm weather, on the other – a lack of time, and the queue at the tire shop does not allow for long consideration of events. Therefore, right now, when winter has not yet completely retreated, it is advisable to find an opportunity to check the condition of your summer tires – and perhaps prepare them a little.
Tread depth. Ukrainian traffic regulations call the minimum tread depth 1.6 mm. However, if you measured not much more, say 1.8 mm, estimate whether they will be enough for you until autumn. Perhaps, in order to avoid another mid-season change of tires – to new tires, which you will soon have to buy, it is worth sending the old “summer” into retirement now?
Condition of the sidewalls. Be sure to inspect each tire on both sides – there should be no cuts or similar damage on the sidewalls, especially deep ones, especially through ones, especially ones longer than 2 cm. There is neither technical nor financial sense in repairing such punctures. If the tires are stored on disks, bring the pressure up to the norm and make sure that there are no hums on the surface – they indicate damage to the frame and the impossibility of using the wheel.
Condition of the tread . If the first two points are OK, the tread should be examined for the presence of foreign objects: stones, embedded nails, screws, pieces of wire. Be careful when removing metal inclusions – this may leave through holes and you will have to seal the puncture.
Condition of the tire from the inside . The inner surface should be examined carefully, possibly with a flashlight. Look for the aforementioned nails and pieces of thick wire that may stick out inside the tire, remaining invisible from the tread side, having been worn down on the asphalt flush with the rubber. It is better not to remove the insidious object, but simply mark it with chalk or an improvised means (say, nail polish), so that you can show it later at the tire shop.
Condition of the rims. If you store summer tires on rims, make sure that the metal is not affected by corrosion. Rust on surfaces near the tire seat is especially dangerous – this is the risk that the wheel's seal will be damaged.
Short
When you have time to check your summer tires, try to find time for at least a superficial diagnostic of the chassis – it is in winter that it suffers the greatest losses. Ideally, it would be to check and adjust the wheel alignment angles – the same toe-in-camber. This can be done both before and after installing the summer tires. If something is wrong with the specified angles, your tires will wear out at a catastrophic rate.
In preparing this article, materials from AutoBild and Autocentre were used.
Let us recall that RBC-Ukraine recently reported what is better for a car: a canopy, a garage or a parking lot.