Changing tires is an operation to be carried out by a professional.
A tire should be changed in the following cases:
– Pronounced tread wear leaving a tread depth of less than 1.6 mm.
– A puncture that cannot be repaired.
– Deterioration of the tire carcass (appearance of marbling on the inside of the tire, i.e. wrinkles observed on the inner membrane following a flat tire, most often).
– When there is more than a 5 mm difference between the wear of the right and left tire on the same axle, the most worn tire must be replaced.
– Pronounced wear on the sidewalls of the tire (cracking).
– Tearing off the rubber, revealing the tire carcass.
– When the tire is more than 10 years old, there is no legal obligation, but manufacturers strongly advise you to buy new tires.
Good to know: a 50% worn tire means 20% less grip. So don’t hesitate to change your tires.
Most often, it is the front tires that wear out first on a 2 wheel drive vehicle. It is therefore advisable to change only 2 tires and put the new tires on the back axle of the vehicle.
Tip: This trick allows you to have the best possible grip on the back axle, over which the driver has the least control. Hence, you put the two older tires on the front axle where the car has a better grip as the front axle is connected to the steering and engine brake on the vast majority of the fleet which is powered by front-wheel drive.
Steps to changing tires
Most of the time, it is, of course, the change of a tire on its rim and not the change of a complete wheel.
This act must be done by a professional with well-maintained equipment. Here are the main steps that you will see a professional doing while he is changing a tire:
– wheel removal: removing the wheel from the vehicle;
– removal of the worn tire;
– mounting the new tire;
– balancing the new tire;
– mounting the wheel on the vehicle.
If you wish, we can put you in touch with one or more tire specialists. Remember to leave your comments below. You can also discover the world of cars and vehicles through this blog. From simple car hacks to great tips on car maintenance, there is a plethora of articles to read and apply.
