Dramatic blowouts or obvious punctures are easily diagnosed, and the problem is usually easily found – a slash or large chunk of missing rubber in the tyre is quite obvious, even to those who are not mechanical minded. But sometimes these major faults do offer more subtle symptoms before the catastrophic failure occurs – and you can use almost all your senses* to discover that something is going on – and perhaps replace the tyres before they fail on you while you are driving. So, if you are thinking to equip your vehicle with new tyres, EcoTyre Services proudly presents a wide variety of Tyres in Stevenage for your convenience.
Sight
Get into the habit of checking on your tyres regularly. This will help you to understand what your tyres look like when they are in good working order, and this means that when something does go awry, you will be in a position to quickly pick up on this issue and get it sorted as soon as possible. Look for things like dimples or dents in the sidewall; bulges or distortions in the sidewall; obvious signs of damage, such as missing pieces of rubber, cracks or fractures or scraped patches which can indicate that the tyre’s integrity has been eroded; and for any signs of sagging which can indicate a slow puncture leaking out your tyre’s air.
Sound
When you are losing air but cannot see where in the tyre the fault is, you can use your ears. Tyre punctures tend to whistle or hiss as the air rushes through the small hole to the lower pressure of the outside. Obviously, you will need to find a quiet place to conduct this test as the hiss can be very quiet – but having tracked the sound to its source, you will then know the precise location of the problem.
If your tyres seem to be in good condition but begin making a funny noise – thumping noises, perhaps, or squealing when going around corners, for example – this can be the first sign of something having shifted out of proper alignment in your wheels or tyres. Prompt consultation with a tyre expert will have the problem sorted out and your car back on the road in a jiffy.
Touch
When you conduct your regular checks on your tyres, run your fingertips over the tyre’s surface too, as far as you are able. A tyre in good working order should feel relatively smooth, with well-defined tread patterns and no excessively smooth patches or unusual rough patches. If the tyre feels smooth when brushed one way, but rough when brushed the other, this can be a sign that something has been scraping on the rubber, and it is best to have it checked out promptly.
Smell
If your tyres ever begin to smell hot – this seems like a strange thing to say, but you will recognise when you experience it! – it can be a worry. Tyres can heat up while being driven on at high speeds, but if you are smelling the ‘hotness’ while driving at regular speeds, you might find your tyres have come misaligned and are suffering from excess friction. In worst case scenarios, you might smell burning – do stop immediately and make sure that your car is safe for you to continue on your way.
*Obviously, taste is the missing sense here – do not lick your tyres to find out if there is something wrong with them, you will get some very funny looks if you try it…
