The end of year holiday season is finally in sight which can be a great time to hit the road to somewhere new or special, take a few day trips to family-friendly destinations or plan an off-road adventure that will have you well and truly getting away from it all!
While it’s easy to get caught up in planning the more exciting details, it can pay to give your tyres a good “once over” before you head off to make sure they are safe as well as potentially saving you money and inconvenience.
Here are just a few tips to make sure your tyres are road-trip ready:
Do a visual check…
Inspect each of your tyres for any signs of damage or embedded objects such as nails, stones or other sharp objects, which you may not even know are there! Our friendly and experienced Maxxis tyre dealers can help with puncture repairs as well as assessing any damage and give you valuable advice on the condition of your tyres.
Tread carefully…
Doing a visual check will also give you the chance to take stock of how your tread is tracking.
It’s usually easy to see at a glance if the tread is beginning to wear in patches or become generally smooth. The tread indicators (small rubber blocks across your tyres) are a vital key to how your tread is wearing: If they are level with the rest of the tyre (or coming close), your tyres will need to be replaced.
While the minimum legal requirement is at least 1.6mm tread, it is highly recommended that you have at least 3mm. If you’re in any doubt, check in with a tyre expert who can help you make important decisions about when new tyres are really needed and the suitable options for your vehicle and lifestyle.
Tyre pressures…
While this can seem a bit of a chore, checking your tyre pressures only takes a couple of minutes and can make a huge difference to both the safety and performance of your vehicle and its fuel efficiency. You’ll easily find all the tyre pressure information you need on the tyre placard on the inside of the driver’s door, under the fuel filler cap or inside the glovebox.
Pressure checks should be carried out while the tyres are still cool, at the start of a journey. If you’re towing a load (including a caravan, trailer or boat) you may need to increase the pressure in your tyres. Again, check your vehicle owner’s manual for details.
Don’t forget the spare…
With run flat tyres now being used on some vehicles, you may not have (or need) a spare tyre. However, if you do have a spare, remember to check its pressure when you are checking your other tyres so that it’s ready for use in an emergency.
Your local Maxxis dealer is there to help…
Your local Maxxis dealer offers a wide range of tyre services, expert advice and assistance. They can help ensure that your tyres go the distance so your holiday road trip is the amazing getaway you want it to be. You can use the handy Maxxis dealer locator to find the one closest to you!
