It’s no secret that tyres are important, and good tyres keep you and your car away from that impending tree or barrier. Tyres become even more critical during the rainy season, with wet and slippery roads causing a loss of overall grip and stability.

To ensure safety for you and your passengers, your car tyres should always be in prime condition. So, here are some top tips for the best tyre care for the rainy season ahead.   

Ensure you have enough tyre tread

This is the bare minimum you should strive for. Tyres with adequate tread levels are more responsive to braking and steering compared to those with lesser tread depth. With ‘balding’ tyres, your car would not be able to grip the road surface properly. This problem becomes especially pronounced too in situations like aquaplaning.

For safer driving in damp settings, ensure that your tyres hold a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm.

Measuring your tyre’s tread depth is easy too, by using a tyre tread depth gauge. Alternatively, you can use the tread wear indicators (TWI) found inside the tread’s grooves. Or, if you’re still unsure, you can bring it to a mechanic for a thorough diagnosis.

If your tyre is worn out to some extent, you may notice the TWI indicators quickly. However, if you cannot spot them, they may have worn away due to extensive use. Doesn’t take a scientist to know that you should immediately change your tyres in this situation.

Maintain optimal tyre pressure

Maintaining your car’s right tyre pressure can contribute to even tread wear, enabling you to prolong your tyre’s life. While overinflating your tyres can, in some cases, help with fuel economy, it may hinder your car’s control, and that’s a slippery slope you must avoid.

With the correct tyre pressure, your tyres will have uniform contact with the road surface, thereby improving your car’s control and stability.

Best of all, this is a simple and free process. All you need to do is head on over to your nearest petrol station and inflate your tyres. Seriously, it’s that easy.

Align your wheels

Are you noticing any irregular wear on the inside or outside of your tyres? This could be due to misaligned or imbalanced wheels. In more dire situations, you may encounter vibrations and weighted one-sided steering whilst driving, uncharacteristic of normal vehicle operation.

A sudden jolt from an unsuspecting pothole, or ambitious leaps over speed bumps can contribute to wheel alignment issues. This not only causes tyre damage, but the suspension system also suffers too.

It’s good practice to perform an alignment with each new set of tyres. So get your wheels checked and aligned regularly!

Rotate your tyres timely

Aside from alignments, tyre rotation at regular intervals can also increase your tyres’ tread life. The lifespan of each tyre differs as all four tyres do not receive equal weight distribution. With tyre rotations, you can prolong their lifespan and save some dollars, by extracting maximum value out of your tyres.

It’s best is to follow the manufacturer’s user manual. However, if there is no specific number of kilometres stated for tyre rotation, a good rule of thumb is you can rotate them every 8,000 – 10,000 kilometres.

Depending on your car’s drivetrain, you may need to rotate your tyres in a specific way. Read more about tyre rotations here!

Practice good driving habits for the rainy season

Poor driving habits can lead to excessive tyre wear and damage, or worse, dangerous driving conditions. It’s best to avoid unnecessary acceleration, as unnecessary wheelspin can wear out your tyres quicker.

Try to avoid streets filled with water. If you cannot avoid waterlogged areas, drive slowly over them. Try to keep to the middle of the road as well, as this is where the water is usually the most shallow. Refrain from driving over water-filled potholes. These may not only injure or puncture your tyres but also cause damage to your car. If you ever encounter floods, there are tips you can remember to navigate across them safely too. Read up on them here!

Don’t let the rainy season rain on your parade. Be smart in the way you drive, keep your tyres in good condition, and you will never need to worry about getting wet ever again.

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AUTA has more tyre guides for you to explore! Read more about them here.