With Spring just a few weeks away, drivers in summer rainfall areas should start thinking about the first rains and ensure their tyres are up to the job.
With Spring just a few weeks away, drivers in summer rainfall areas should start thinking about the first rains and ensure their tyres are up to the job.
This is the message from tyre maker Bridgestone, who said one of the best tools for determining tyre condition was the tread wear indicator.
In a statement from Bridgestone South Africa, public relations manager Mandy Lovell said South African traffic laws give two conditions for tread depth – the tyre may be worn either to a maximum of 1mm of tread remaining over the entire tread surface of the tyre, or down to the tread wear indicator if the tyre has one. This usually indicates a tread depth of 1.6mm. Many drivers are not aware that a tyre with an exposed tread wear indicator is illegal.
“The tread wear indicator is an easy way to determine how much tread is left,” said Lovell. “It's a raised bump in each tread groove which shows up once the tread has worn level with it. Once the tread has worn this far, the tyre must be replaced,” she explained.
Lovell said a tyre with 1.6mm of tread remaining is almost incapable of dispersing large quantities of water to ensure the tyre can remain in contact with the road.
Lovell said tyres should be replaced once they have 3mm or less of tread remaining, to reduce the risk of aquaplaning. This is when a tyre can no longer disperse enough water to remain in contact with the road, and instead skims along on top of the film of water.
“Also remember that the roads have been accumulating all sorts of contaminants over the dry season: oil, grease, tyre debris, sand and gravel,” she explained. “In the first rains of the season, all these contaminants will be mixed with rainwater, creating very slippery conditions for drivers with even the best tyres on their vehicles, and a potential death trap for drivers with worn or inferior tyres.”
The tread wear indicator wear pattern could also reveal incorrect inflation or wheel alignment, and motorists are advised to have these aspects checked ahead of the first rains.
“Ask your fitment centre to ensure your vehicle and tyres are ready to provide full traction when the heavens open. That way, you'll be able to stay safe in the rainy season,” Lovell said.
