What Wheel Checks Should You Make on Your Car?
When your car is serviced, all sorts of mechanical checks are completed to make sure that it is running properly and that its safety systems are also functioning in the way that they should. Among the many things that are included in a full car service are checks that are made to your vehicle's wheels. The mechanic in question may, for example, make a thorough inspection of your car's power steering system to ensure that your front wheels turn together correctly with a good alignment. Equally, you should expect your brakes to be checked in order that any new brake fluid that is required is added as well as fitting new brake pads if needed.
However, you should not always wait until your car is serviced to find problems. It is best to check on some things to do with your wheels yourself every month or so. Left unchecked, your car's wheels and tyres may deteriorate to a sufficient degree that you are no longer able to drive safely on the road. What are the sort of checks you can do for yourself between professional services?
Tyre Tread
Probably the most important thing that you need to do with your car's tyres is to make sure that there is enough tread depth left on them. If your tyres are starting to go bald, then not only could you get into trouble with the authorities, but you may also find that you are not able to brake sufficiently well. This could mean running into a hazard in front of you on the road rather than stopping before you get to it. Tread depth gauges are available from lots of shops these days and they are simple to operate.
Pump Your Tyres Up
You should make sure that all of your tyres – including the spare – are correctly inflated. Do this every few thousand miles you drive and don't just leave it for your mechanic to sort out when your car is serviced. If you drive around on even partially flat tyres, then you may lose control if you need to corner or swerve sharply at short notice. Incidentally, flat tyres cost you more in fuel because they run less efficiently than correctly inflated ones.
Side Damage
Sidewall damage tends to occur when you have driven through rough terrain. It may also be an issue that relates to overexposure to sunlight. The baking Australian sun can cause the rubber on the outside of your tyres to stratify. If so, then you may notice it begins to bulge outwards. This is dangerous, and you should replace tyres with bulges in them without hesitation.
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