Don’t push worn tyres to the limit, cautions Tiger Wheel & Tyre
Are you tired and looking forward to the holidays? Spare a thought for your vehicle tyres which may be so tired they won’t be joining you on holiday, but heading for re-tyrement instead!
The good news is that from 13 March to 27 April 2024, Tiger Wheel & Tyre will give you up to R150 off the purchase of every premium brand tyre you purchase, when you buy two or more. Choose from these leading, premium brands: BFG, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Pirelli, Yokohama.
Whether you drive long distances or short, and frequently or infrequently, it’s important to check your tyres regularly and often. Look for foreign objects, obvious damage to the tyre or sidewall and of course, check the tread depth. A word to the wise here, while 1 mm is the minimum legal tread depth, it really is advisable to replace them before you’re down to the minimum. Don’t push it to the limit!
This wisdom is borne out by recent tests conducted by Tiger Wheel & Tyre at the Gerotek Testing Facility in Pretoria. Using identical vehicles, experts tested the performance of new tyres versus worn tyres whose tread was still within the legal limit. The results were sobering.
Key findings relating to how worn tyres perform compared to new tyres, include:
- A 10m increase in wet, straight line braking distance at 60km/h, and as much as 35m increase in braking distance at 100km/h
- Understeer and difficulty attaining speed of 50km/h on a simulated highway offramp in the wet
- Inability to avoid a collision by making an emergency lane change in the wet at 40km/h
- Inability to successfully navigate a slalom course beyond just the first cone, at 40km/h in the wet
To recap then, worn tyres not only have reduced road grip, but will also increase your braking distance in both wet and dry conditions and challenge you with volatile steering. They are also subject to increased loss of tyre pressure and risk of blow-outs.
If you’re looking to re-tyre your tyres, don’t waste a minute. Get to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your vehicle fitted with top-performing, premium brand tyres between 13 March and 27 April 2024 and you’ll save up to R150 per tyre when you buy any two or more premium tyres. Ts & Cs apply. Learn more at www.twt.co.za
