Have you inspected your car Tyres to know if they are due for replacement? See the signs you should be on the lookout for!

As the human body loses steam with time and age and when engaged with work-related activities, so does your car tyres depreciate each time you drive the car. Nothing lasts forever. Tyres become old and wear out gradually from frequent usage. When a tyre is at this worn out stage, it might pose a danger to the driver. The tyre may burst and the car loses control in a lonely road, leaving you stranded with no means of going home.

This becomes important that you know the state of your tyres, to be able to detect when they have gotten worse and needing to be replaced before it causes havoc. Perhaps you have a personal mechanic who inspects your car from time to time, he may point out whether your tyres need changing or not. However, you can actually identify when your tyres are in bad shape and needs replacement without necessarily taking it to your mechanic for a check.

To help you do that, xerodrive.com has listed out 5 warning signs for tyre replacement:

1. Excess vibration

Granted, a car may vibrate when it’s on the road, especially when the road is poorly paved. However, a regular driver knows a normal vibration and one that doesn’t seem right which may spell trouble. Vibration may be caused by some factors among which are, an unbalanced or misaligned Tyre, bad shock absorber or even an internal problem coming from the Tyre itself. The Tyre may not cause the vibration but the vibration will likely damage the tyre.If you notice your car shakes often, when you are not driving on a bad road, then it’s time to take it to your mechanic for inspection. When there’s much vibration, it’s a sign that all isn’t well.

2. Blisters and bulges on the Tyre

As the Tyre is used from time to time, its outer surface will begin to weaken. The effect always shows as blister or bulge which will stretch to the outer surface of the tyre. This is akin to an aneurysm case, where bulges are formed in the blood vessel. A patient diagnosed with this needs immediate medical attention lest an artery blows out. So it is with your Tyre. A bulge can blow out instantly and endanger your life. Be sure to keep an out on Tyre bulges.

3. Cracks in tyre’s sidewall

The tread isn’t the only place Tyre problems can come from. Problems are also likely to show up in the sidewall. Carrying out a visual inspection on the sidewall to check the problem is even easier. Be on the lookout for cuts or cracks in the sidewall (check the grooves as it is easily seen with the eyes). It could be a warning sign that the Tyre is about to leak or even worse, it’s about to blow out. And you wouldn’t want this to happen. So, when you notice the cracks are getting worse in the sidewall, take it to a mechanic as fast as you can to have it replaced.

Be more attentive to your car tyre, minor cracks may cost a life!

4. Tread wear indicator bar

There is an advantage that comes with newer car tyres which older tyres don’t have. New tyres have a tread wear bar that’s molded into the Tyres.The tread wear indicator bars are either seen or barely seen when the Tyres are new. However, when the tread begins to wear down, they will become visible. You will see them appear as small bars of rubber running vertically to the tread’s direction.

If you see more than two bars appear on the tyre, it’s an indication of a low tyre tread. They will be visible in the tracks that your tyre leaves while driving on a muddy road. To recheck the depth, make use of the penny test. However, if the bars become visible on the four Tyres, then it’s time to have the tyre’s replaced.

5. Tread depth

Here in Nigeria, in most states, their legal recommendation for a tyre’s tread depth is 3/32 inches. You can get a gauge to carry out a measurement of the tread depth just the way experts do it. However, the penny test can also give you an idea of the tread depth. It’s an old trick Americans use to know a tyre’s thread with their coin that has Abraham Lincoln’s head on it.

We have our own coin, which has a similar diameter to theirs. The two naira coin will do (I doubt if you still have our Nigerian coins with you, though)

Here’s what to do.

Insert the coin into the tread with the side of the coin that has 2 written placed downright. If the tread’s height isn’t touching the tip of the palace drawn on the coin, your Tyre is still good. But if it does, it’s time for a Tyre replacement.

Don’t wait for your Tyre to wear out completely before you replace them. They are your direct contact with the road and should be in good condition, to ensure safety.