Car Tyres
Your vehicles tyres are probably the most important but forgotten part of your vehicle. They are the only part of your vehicle that connects you to the road surface. Therefore it is vital that you check your tyres regularly to make sure that they are safe.
SO WHATS THE LEGAL MINIMUM TREAD DEPTH?
The minimum tyre tread depth on a car is 1.6mm. This must be a continuous band in the central ¾ of the tread and around the entire circumference of the tyre. You should also check that your tyres have no cuts or bulges in the tyre wall. Most tyre companies would recommend replacing a tyre when the tyre depth is down to about 3 mm. The less the tread the longer it will take you to stop.
Car tyres should also be inflated to the correct pressure for the vehicle being used.This can be found in the vehicles manufacturers guide or on the door frame. Tyre pressures may need to be different according to how many passengers/weight being carried in the vehicle.
WHAT ABOUT ALL THE NUMBERS ON THE TYRES?
You may have noticed that your tyres have a string of letters and numbers on the tyre wall. Below is what it all means.
On this tyre we have 195/60R15
This means:
- 195 is the tyre width in mm
- 60 is the tyre sidewall profile (sidewall height expressed as a percentage of its width)
- R is the type of tyre construction. R stands for radial construction which is what all tyres are made of now. Older tyres may be of cross-ply construction.
- 15 is the diameter of the wheel rim in mm
Other information on the tyre is the load index and speed rating of the tyre.
In this example
- 88 stands for the load index. The maximum load for this tyre is 560 kg
- V stands for the speed rating index. In other words the maximum speed the tyre should be used at. Its actually 149 mph for this tyre which is way above the maximum speed limit on UK roads.
In conclusion I would always recommend checking your tyres tread depth and pressure regularly and also a visual check on their condition. If in doubt seek the opinion of a professional.