As soon as you fit your new tyres to your vehicle and begin to use them, they begin to wear down. This is perfectly normal and only to be expected. However if your tyre wear patterns take on a certain form – or even wear down too quickly – this is not normal and you should take steps to ascertain the cause of the uneven wear before getting the problem sorted and the tyre replaced. Let’s take a closer look at tyre wear patterns and discern its significance.
Too Much Wear All Over!
This can be because you have winter tyres fitted when the average temperature is above 7°C – this is too warm for these soft, grippy tyres and they will wear down quickly, as well as consuming too much fuel and giving a horribly ‘slushy’ ride.
Wear Down the Middle Strip
Wear along the middle strip of the contact area can be a sign that your tyres are overinflated, causing the edges of the contact surface to rise above the bulging centre. Not only are overinflated tyres against the law – correct inflation is on the MOT checklist which is a minimum roadworthiness standard that your car should meet at all times – but it can be dangerous for you and other road users, with blowouts and sudden failures more likely to occur while you are in traffic.
Wear Along the Outer Edges
The opposite problem occurs when your tyres are underinflated. The centre sags, thus avoiding excess wear, but the outer edges of the tyre, now taking most of the strain of driving thanks to the sturdy construction of the tyre’s sidewalls – meaning that now you have twin strips of wear on the outer edge of the tyres.
Uneven Wear
If your tyre begins to wear in such a way that it becomes ’tilted’ this is usually because your tyres are not properly fitted. They are sitting slantwise (very subtly, sometimes) on the axle and wearing accordingly. Always ensure that you have your tyres aligned and wheels balanced whenever you take your car in for a tyre change or service. This can also happen after a minor bump or fender bender, so if anything has happened and your ride feels different in any way – noisier, less smooth, pulling on the steering wheel – you should get your mechanic to check it out. We recommend checking Eco Car Tyres Stevenage Team as they go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction and it’s a great place to get some replacement tyres.