Tyres

Here at Xpress Fit, we believe in preventing problems before they happen. That's why we carry out a full visual healthcheck every time you visit. This is a checklist that helps us make sure your vehicle is safe to be on the road. It also helps us make sure everything else is running just as it should be.

Although it takes around 30 minutes to do, this is completely free of charge. It's just one more reason why thousands of motorists turn to Xpress Fit every year. Join them by booking your car in today, simply fill in the online form.

UK Tyre Law

When was the last time you had your tyres checked? UK law requires that you have the right size and type of tyre on your vehicle and that the tread is within the legal limit. You also have to ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure.

If your tyres are illegal, you could end up with a fine and 3 penalty points per tyre. So, if the tread on your tyres is less than 1.6 millimetres, across the central ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre, your tyres are likely to be illegal and need replacing immediately.

The shock absorber works because it is filled with a hydraulic gas or fluid. When it is compressed, a piston forced the fluid through a hole in the cylinder of the shock absorber. As this happens slowly, the spring cannot flex and this results in your tyres remaining in good contact with the surface of the road.

Here at Xpress Fit, we recommend that you change your tyres when the tread depth reaches 3mm. This is because tyres show a significant decline in performance when the tread depth falls below 3mm.

Tyrewall Markings

1. Brand name of the tyre - for example Pirelli, Michelin or Continental
2. USA maximum tyre loading - Not relevant to the UK market
3. USA maximum tyre inflation pressure - Not relevant to the UK market
4. Model of the tyre - for example Sport, Pilot or Eagle
5. Maximum weight capacity - the figure denotes the maximum weight capacity of the tyre according to the official load index table.
6. Tyre size - This has four components. Firstly, it shows the width of the tyre in millimetres. Secondly, it shows the 'aspect ratio' which is the height of the tyre sidewall as a percentage of the width. Next is a letter which is the type of construction of the tyre - for example 'R' for 'radial'. Finally, this shows the diameter of the wheel size the tyre is designed to fit, in inches.

Xpress Fit is the East Midlands' tyre specialist. To book your tyre check, book online using the online form.

Tyrewall Labelling

Tyres make an important contribution to road safety and to the environmental impact of road transport. However, all tyres don’t offer the same performance.

The Regulation will enable consumers to make more informed choices when buying tyres. The EU’s targeted outcome is that road safety will improve and that the environmental impact of road transport will be reduced.

What does the Regulation introduce?

Tyres will be graded according to wet grip, fuel efficiency and external noise.

Fuel Efficiency

7.5% loss of fuel economy between best and worst class for a full set of tyres fitted to an average car.

Wet Grip

30% shorter braking distance between best and worst class for a full set of tyres fitted to an average car. That is 18 metres shorter when braking from 50 mph.

External Rolling Noise

3 black bars: above future EU limit

2 black bars: meets future EU limit

1 black bars: at 3 dB below the future EU limit

There are three reasons why you should always make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure:

• Improves safety - underinflated tyres can make your vehicle hard to handle whilst overinflated tyres can overheat
• Maintains your fuel efficiency - underinflated tyres have increased rolling resistance that increases your fuel consumption and, consequently, increases your CO2 emissions
• Helps extend the life of your tyres - over or under inflated tyres suffer more damage and have to be replaced more regularly

The manufacturer of your car specifies what the correct tyre pressure for your car is. This is measured by calculating the amount of air pumped into the inner lining of your tyre in 'pounds force' (PSI) or BAR pressure. You will normally find this in your vehicle's hand book or within the technical information found on your fuel tank flap or inside of the front right hand door.

You should check the tyre pressure on your vehicle regularly - at least every two weeks. Air generally escapes from your tyres at a rate of up to two pounds every month, particularly in warmer weather. Use a tyre pressure gauge when the tyres are cold.

Finally, if you are carrying additional weight in your car, you may need to change the tyre pressure. Your vehicle's handbook will tell you what the pressure should be.

Tyre Balancing

If your wheels are out of balance it can make your car uncomfortable to drive and can result in increased wear of your steering, tyres and suspension. So, ensuring your wheels are balanced will help you eliminate vibration and the premature wear of many of your car's components.

If your steering wheel starts to wobble above a certain speed then it may be a sign that your wheels are unbalanced. This is because lightweight modern cars don't dampen vibrations caused by out of balance wheels in the way that older cars could.

When you bring your vehicle to us, we will balance your wheels on a wheel balancing machine. The machine rotates the tyre and wheel assembly of your vehicle and automatically calculates the weight and location of the balance counter weight. Once your wheels are balanced you should notice a smoother ride and your tyres should last longer.

Save time and money by making sure your wheels are properly balanced. Book a convenient time for your wheel balancing check.

Puncture Repairs

In many cases, we can repair your punctured tyre instead of replacing it. Tyre repairs are covered by a British Standard which defines limits to the size, location and number of repairs that can be carried out on a tyre. So, it pays to use a professional like Xpress Fit who knows the rules and who can undertake repairs that meet these high standards.

Your tyre has to be checked thoroughly before it can be repaired. We can't repair your tyre if:

• It has secondary damage caused by the object that resulted in the puncture
• The tread depth is below the legal limit (1.6 mm across the central ¾ of the tyre tread throughout the entire circumference)
• It has bead damage or exposed cords
• It shows ageing or deterioration of the tyre rubber
• It already has faulty or poor previous repairs

Get your tyres checked out by a professional today. Call Xpress Fit or complete the online form.

Wheel Alignment

If you've hit a pothole in the road or driven against a kerb, your wheels may no longer be correctly aligned. Similarly, wear and tear to your suspension or steering can also cause incorrect wheel alignment.

If you want to get the most out of your tyres, benefit from a smooth ride and ensure your car is safe, ensuring that your wheels are correctly aligned is essential. When we check your wheel alignment – or 'tracking' - we check the direction and angle of your wheels and tyres against your vehicle's manufacturers' specification. These specifications are often called:

• 'Toe' - whether the front of the tyres are closer or further apart than the rear tyres
• 'Camber' - the inward or outward tilt of a tyre. This may need to be adjusted from time to time and can be affected by potholes in the road.

If you notice premature wear on your tyres in certain places it could be because your wheels are not correctly aligned. So, shouldn't you let a professional look at your wheel alignment for you? Call Xpress Fit today or book your check online using the form.