For all motorists who do not use all-season tires, the change of car tires is scheduled twice a year. There are a few important things to consider when changing tires. If the tire change is improper, the driver risks his safety on the one hand and his insurance cover on the other, which in extreme cases can expire if a tire change was not carried out correctly. Here are some points to consider when changing car tires.
1. The age of the tire
The age of the tire has no direct influence on the process of changing itself. In addition, there are no fixed requirements or even laws after which time an old tire should be replaced with a new one. Various dealers and automobile clubs generally advise the following change intervals:
Summer tires: With average use (15.000-20.000 km / year), it makes sense to change the summer tires after about eight years.
Winter tires: Even with average use, it makes sense to change winter tires after just six years, because the conditions that winter tires have to withstand are more serious and drastic than those of summer tires.
However, this can never be precisely determined. Ultimately, the deciding factor is the tread depth of the tire, which is checked very closely during every inspection. Summer tires should be replaced with 2-2,5 mm tread depth and winter tires even with around 4 mm. Oriented to the recommended tread depths, a tire change can therefore be completed sooner or later.
2. Observe the specifications of the car manufacturer / tire manufacturer
Safety is crucial for every vehicle and, above all, for its driver. For this reason, when changing tires you should definitely pay attention to the specifications and recommendations of the tire manufacturer and never proceed according to your own feelings. Only by adhering strictly to the instructions, a general safety for themselves and other road users is guaranteed.
3. Emergency wheels have different tightening torques
If the driver gets into the uncomfortable situation of having to make use of the emergency wheel contained in the vehicle during his journey, it is essential to pay attention to which tightening torque it has. The vehicle's instruction manual provides more information. If the emergency wheel is not fitted properly, there is a serious lack of safety that could possibly be fatal to the driver and other road users.
4. Exclusive use of undamaged accessories
Also relevant to safety is the use of high quality and perfect tire accessories. These include wheel bolts and wheel nuts. If you choose defective material, extensive security can no longer be guaranteed.
5. The threads of the screw connections must be rust-free and clean
In order to ensure a perfect grip of the wheels, the connections of the screws must be neither dirty nor rusty. If the vehicle owner notices this when changing the tires, he has the option of cleaning the connections using a wire brush. This is usually quite easy and does not require much work.
6. No oil or grease on screw threads
Under no circumstances should the screw threads of the tire bolts come into contact with oil or other greasy substances. In the extreme case, this could lead to the screws not being properly tightened or being released unnoticed while driving.
7. Tighten the tires again
After changing the tires, the driver is recommended to drive 50 to 100 km. At the end of this section, the tightening torque should be checked again, as tires may loosen again just after a change. By tightening the tire again, it is almost impossible.