Do your tires wear out prematurely or irregularly and you don’t know the cause? In this article we tell you how you can identify the problem, since the tire can deteriorate in several different ways.
According to Tire Reviews, the tires of a vehicle are a vital active safety element, as they are the only element that comes into direct contact with the asphalt or the surface on which we drive. In addition, quality tires in good condition allow the vehicle to develop its full potential. And another important thing, they save us money since changing them is not cheap.
The tires on a vehicle’s drive axle can last more than 40,000 kilometers if you use them properly. Those of the other axis, even more. But there are many ways to spend them prematurely, and how they will do so will give you clues as to why.
Quality tires in good condition save us money
It is no longer just about safety and performance, as irregular wear or defects affect braking capacity, ride comfort and performance. aquaplaning. It is that, in addition, it is illegal to circulate with tires whose depth of drawing is less than 1.6 mm. And, when you go to pass the ITV, the inspection will be unfavorable if there are defects or irregular wear.
Therefore, it is important that you know what the wear of your tires tells you and what are the causes that cause it.
edge wear
This type of wear is the most common, since its cause is one of the biggest mistakes that drivers make. When the tire wears more at the edges of the tread than at the center, it is because the air pressure is insufficient.
This makes the tire flex more in the curves and a greater degradation occurs in this area. It is something that also happens when driving with excessive weight, since the normal pressure is insufficient for said load increase. In addition, the car will consume more fuel because there is more drag. It will also be more inaccurate when cornering.
Solution: Increase the pressure according to the recommendation of the car manufacturer.
Wear in the center
This case is the opposite of the previous one. It is the central part of the tread that wears excessively because the tire has too much air pressure. This means that the edges do not touch the asphalt or do so slightly, increasing the stress in the central area.
Some problems arising from this are a increased braking distance and a worsening of ride comfort, as the car drives harder. There will also be more propensity to aquaplaning.
Solution: Reduce the pressure to the levels recommended by the car manufacturer.
Wear on the outside or inside edge (not both)
This tire has worn more along one edge due to incorrect wheel alignment or balance. Photo: Depositphotos.comWhen the tire is wearing the most on the outer shoulder of the tire it is because your car has too much weight on that axle or, more likely, because there is a excess sag or positive camber.
This causes the outside of the tire to touch the asphalt more than the rest of the tire, causing greater degradation. The same is happening when wear occurs inside the tire, although as a result of a fall or negative camber.
Solution: carry out an alignment or balance of the wheels.
Diagonal or multi-area wear
This is not usual, but it can also happen. Sometimes the tire shows diagonal wear because the tire has been incorrectly mounted or because the suspension is bad and generate bounces that wear the tire erratically.
Wear can also occur in various areas of the tire as a result of skidding braking, ABS or brake malfunctiona warped tire or an imbalance.
If you suspect that the cause is a mechanical problem and not a skid, you should go to a workshop for a thorough review.
Solution: check wheel mounting, check suspension and braking system, check alignment.
Bulging on the flanks
This cause of tire deterioration is also common in tires. And it is that the cause is also: there has been a curb or hit in that area that has generated the deterioration of the carcass, allowing air to penetrate the flank.
This is something that we must not leave, because it is very likely that sooner or later the structure will give way and a blowout. This is especially likely when tire pressure increases, either from high speeds, sporty driving or high summer temperatures.
Solution: Replace the tire with a new one.
