Everything You Need to Know about Tyre Fitting and Balancing
As accident repair specialists in Chesterfield and Rotherham, we know exactly how important it is to keep your tyres in good condition. Checking the thread depth of your tyres to make sure they’re within the legal limit is actually one of the most important safety checks you can carry out on your car. After all, tyres are the crucial contact path between you and the road, so keeping them in top condition is really important for safety.
Why Check Tyre Thread Depth?
Worn tyres are not only dangerous, they’re illegal. Driving with tyres that have a tread below the legal limit is extremely dangerous and can put both you, and other motorists, at risk. For example, if you have an accident and your car has tyre treads below the legal limit (or even worse bald) your insurance may be invalidated, and you could also face a hefty fine. For each tyre, you’d be looking at a fine of up to £2,500 and three points on your license. For four illegal tyres, this could mean a fine of £10,000 and 12 penalty points!
Legal Tyre Thread Depth
The legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, and the tread must meet this minimum requirement across its complete circumference. It’s widely understood by crash and accident repair facilities, however, that once tyres are below 3mm, stopping distances increase dramatically. So, regular checks and necessary replacement and tyre fitting is not something to be overlooked.
What is Tyre Balancing?
The process of balancing a wheel, put simply, is to ensure that the weight of the wheel is as even as it possibly can be throughout the tyre. This might sound like common sense, but it’s an important step in tyre fitting and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. There may be small variances in the thickness of the material making up a tyre which make some sections lighter or heavier than others. Although they may be very small, your wheels turn very quickly at speed, and this amplifies the effect of the imperfections.
When a new tyre is fitted to your vehicle, it will be balanced as a part of the tyre fitting process. But tyres can and do go out of balance over time, so you may have to have them rebalanced again before they need replacing.
Tyre Fitting and Wheel Balancing in Chesterfield & Rotherham
As an independent, manufacturer approved crash repair facility, CRS (Cosmetic Repair Solutions) Ltd offers tyre fitting and wheel balancing in Chesterfield and Rotherham, as well as a full range of accident repair services including alloy wheel refurbishment, car body repairs, or windscreen replacement. Contact CRS on info@cosmeticrepair.co.uk for more information today.
