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Often tyres have to be replaced long before their specified life has been reached principally because of rapid or uneven tread wear. The most common causes of avoidable tread wear are:

• Under-Inflating - Causing rapid wear along the edges of the tread.
• Over-Inflating - Causing rapid wear along the centre of the tread.
• Faulty brakes or shock absorbers - Can cause flat bald spots around the tread of the tyre.
• Incorrect wheel alignment - Will cause rapid wear along the inside or outside edges of the FRONT tyres. If you strike a kerb or hit a pot hole - the delicate settings of the steering gear geometry are invariably misaligned which will result in this sort of wear. Wear and tear in the steering components can also knock the wheel alignment out of true - so it's vital that you have the front wheels realigned every 3 months or 3000 miles.

Damage Limitation
Cuts, breaks and abrasions to the tyre casing can penetrate deep into the inner fabric of the tyre and can be extremely dangerous - capable of causing high speed blow-outs. However, penetration of the tread by a nail or shard of glass or metal can often be safely repaired.

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European Regulations – "E" Marking

Radial car and 4x4 tyres are type approved in accordance with EEC regulations, and carry the requisite mark on the tyre’s sidewall, for example, E3 0162.

Consumer protection regulations prohibit the sale of  car radial or 4x4 tyres which are not "E" marked.

Minimum Legal Tread Depth

The main reason a tyre has tread is to disperse water efficiently. The less tread you have, the more likely you are to skid or aquaplane on wet roads and lose steering control.

It is illegal to run a tyre with less than 1.6mm of tread round the entire outer circumference of the tyre. Tyre manufacturers build a number of tread wear indicator bars into the tread area of their tyres which become visible at 1.6mm. These serve as a useful visual reminder to change your tyres.

However, wet weather braking and cornering efficiency reduce considerably as the tyre wears down and Ness City Tyres strongly advises that you change your tyres before you reach the legal limit.

The penalty for driving with illegal tyres on your car is very severe. There is a compulsory driving licence endorsement of three penalty points and a fine of up to £2,500 for each illegal tyre.

Relative stopping distances of legal and illegal tyres (not to scale)

Radial and Cross Ply Tyres

You can fit different makes of tyre on the same axle or on different axles providing they are all the same size and type of construction.

It is illegal to fit cross ply and radial construction tyres on the same axle and to fit cross ply tyres on the rear axle with radial or bias belted tyres on the front axle.

It is not advisable to mix winter or on/off road tyres with normal road tyres.

Tyre Speed and Load Markings

All tyres are marked with their load carrying and speed capabilities. For maximum safety, it is important that the tyres you choose are suitable for the maximum speed at which your car can be driven. The law requires that in terms of load carrying and speed capability the tyre fitted must be suitable for the purpose to which the vehicle will be put.

Tyre Speed Markings

Load Markings

Keep the Pressure Up

The right tyre inflation pressure for your car can be found in the car manufacturer’s handbook. Most tyre manufactures also supply correct pressure and fitment details for their tyres. Tyre pressures relate to loads, speeds and vehicle handling and the right tyre pressure is vital for even braking, maximum grip and good tyre life.

Inflation pressure should be checked at least once a fortnight when the tyre is cold since there is an increase in pressure when the tyre has warmed up after being run. A reliable pressure gauge should always be used.

It is dangerous to re-inflate a tyre which has been run flat or seriously under-inflated and such tyres should be removed and inspected by a tyre specialist.

Wheel Alignment

Age Deterioration

Tyres can deteriorate with age which shows as cracking of the tread and sidewall rubber. Cracking is usually an indication that tyres have been in service an extremely long time.

If cracking is severe the tyre must be replaced. Tyres fitted to caravans and boat trailers which are parked for long periods of time, particularly in coastal regions, will tend to age and crack more quickly than those which are used and run frequently.

For safety reasons, we do not recommend more than two tread repairs for TR speed tyres and one tread repair for higher speed rated cars. Repairs should only ever be carried out in the safety zone shown above.

Tyres should always be re-balanced after a puncture repair.

Caravans and Car Trailers

Caravan and trailer tyres may need higher inflation pressures (normally an extra 5-7psi) than are required for the same tyres on a car. It is essential that the correct pressures are maintained. Your Ness City Tyres expert will be able to advise you on the right inflation pressures.

When towing, we recommend that the pressure in the rear tyres of your car is increased by about 4-6psi to improve stability.

Wheels

You should never use a tyre on a damaged, distorted or modified wheel since this could mean the tyre becomes damaged and deflated and could result in the loss of control of the vehicle.

Many modern cars and 4x4 vehicles can be fitted with alternative tyres and wheels than those fitted as original equipment by the car manufacturer. If you would like more information about the possibilities for your vehicle, please ask your Ness City Tyres specialist.

Tubes in Tubeless Tyres

Inner-tubes of the correct size can be used with tubeless tyres if they are correctly fitted.

Please remember that by fitting tubes in tubeless tyres, in the event of a puncture, the assembly will behave exactly like a tubed tyre – it is likely to lose pressure more rapidly than a tubeless tyre assembly. Where tubes for certain low profile tubeless tyres are not available, an alternative size tube should NOT be fitted.

Tube Type Tyres

Tyres that are marked ‘Tube Type’ or are not marked ‘Tubeless’ must be fitted with an inner tube. Some vehicle manufactures recommend that only tube type tyres are fitted to their vehicles.

It is important that the advice in the owner’s handbook be followed. A new tube should be fitted whenever the tyre is replaced.

Our staff will take care of fitting your tyres by following the simple rules explained below.

Removal and Fitting of Tyres

These operations must only be entrusted to a tyre specialist like Ness City Tyres, which has the necessary equipment and expertise.

All tyre removal and fitting operations will be carried out on modern machinery to ensure accurate fitting and the protection of your wheels. All wheels will be examined before a new tyre is fitted.

Frequently wheels will need cleaning with a wire brush on the inside edge to remove corrosion before a new tyre is fitted. This is to ensure that there is no loss of air when the unit is inflated. To make sure that the tyre is correctly seated on the wheel it will be over inflated and then the pressure reduced down to the manufactures recommended level.

When fitting a new tyre, we use a special soap solution to ensure no damage occurs to the tyre or wheel during the fitting process. We also always hand-tighten the torque wheel nuts to avoid damage to the nut or the thread and to make sure that over tightening doesn’t cause you problems in removing wheels in an emergency.

Inflation Pressures

Tyres will be inflated to the normal pressures recommended by the car manufacturer. Please let us know if you require maximum load pressures instead. You can always ask the Ness City Tyres staff for correct pressures.

Wheel Balancing

We strongly recommend that wheels should be balanced after tyres are fitted or replaced to avoid vibration or steering shimmy. It is essential that the wheel size is an approved fitment for the tyre and the wheel concerned.

All wheels will be treated with care when balance weights are applied. In the case of alloy rims, we may recommend "stick-on" weights rather than the "clip-on" type to avoid scratching the wheel surface. Fitting and balancing tyres to alloy rims generally takes longer and a slightly higher service charge for balancing therefore applies.

Valves

To avoid loss of air we fit new valves when replacing tubeless tyres. When checking or adjusting inflation pressure we always ensure that the valve is not leaking.

A valve cap, preferably of the sealing type should be fitted.

Technical Expertise

The replacement of tyres is a safety critical operation and our staff have been comprehensively trained in all aspects of tyre knowledge. Please ask their advice when you require it.