Car Tyre Safety
Legal Tyre condition
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The tread depth limit for car, van and trailer tyres up to 3.5 tonne is 1.6mm all around the tyre and over 75% of the section width of the tyre starting from the centre.
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tyres must have an adequate load and speed rating for the type of vehicle.
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no cuts down to the cord, section or sidewall cuts over 25mm, lumps, bulges or cracking should exist on the tyre as this indicates structural damage.
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no cord or ply should be visible.
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tyres should be inflated correctly for the load they are carrying.
what we recommend
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we do not recommend anything less than the legal standard
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from the proven performance decrease from tyres with under 3mm of tread. we recommend you should replace them at this tread depth or shortly after.
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tyre pressures should be checked monthly and adjusted to suit the load capacity of the vehicle.
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when checking tyre wear, look across the whole section of the tyre making sure there is no excessive edge wear.
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tyres should be no older than 7 years old to ensure adequate structural integrity.
Tyre markings
the first number is the section width in mM (e.g. 195mm). the profile is equivalent to that number as a percentage of the section width. (e.g. the sidewall is 55% of 195mm) next is the rim size in inches (e.g. 16 inches) the next number is the load rating which refers to the amount of weight the tyre is rated to support. then the letter shows us what speed the tyre is rated to go (e.g. 87V) Please see the load index charts to see what your tyres load ratings mean.
Checking and adjusting your tyre pressures can ensure greater tyre life and performance. As the chart shows, under inflated or over inflated tyres can cause uneven wear on the centre or edge and also cause less of a contact patch on the road. incorrect inflation means a shorter tyre life due to more wear on a smaller area of the tyre. low pressure can also cause greater heat build up in tyres due to greater flex, this can lead to structural damage and/or blowouts.
