{"id":104937,"date":"2015-11-16T11:14:57","date_gmt":"2015-11-16T09:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=104937"},"modified":"2015-11-19T08:51:41","modified_gmt":"2015-11-19T06:51:41","slug":"worn-tyres-tread-on-risky-ground-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2015\/11\/16\/worn-tyres-tread-on-risky-ground-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Worn tyres tread on risky ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weddings and wheels.<\/h2>\n

While these are not two topics you might ordinarily associate with each other, Duncan and his fianc\u00e9e Petunia have been travelling far and wide\u00a0in search of the perfect wedding venue.\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"<\/p>\n

One rainy afternoon after having visited their third wedding venue that day, Duncan noticed that Petunia\u2019s car kept skidding while they were on their way back home to [location].<\/p>

<\/div>\n

\u201cWhen was the last time you got your tyres checked, darling?\u201d Duncan asked Petunia.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t remember. I think over a year ago,\u201d Petunia replied, causing alarm bells in Duncan\u2019s mind. This is because not regularly checking your tyres every 8,000 kilometres to 10,000 kilometres can result in your tyre tread wearing down to dangerous levels. Since Duncan\u2019s flat tyre<\/a>, he\u2019s learned to never ignore any unusual signs<\/a> coming from a car.<\/p>

<\/div>\n

Luckily, he knew that they would be passing a Dunlop Zone on the way home, and Duncan immediately made the stop.<\/p>\n

The experts explain<\/h3>\n

\u201cThe problem is with your tread depth,\u201d an expert explained after inspecting Petunia\u2019s car. \u201cIn a matter of days, the depth would easily become less than one millimetre deep. This is why your car is skidding.\u201d<\/p>\n

In between the grooves of your car tyres is an indicator, which tells you when you need to replace your tyres. The indicator can sometimes also be found outside the grooves in the form of a small triangle.<\/p>\n

\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"<\/p>\n

If your tyre tread is not level with the indicator, you\u2019re still good to go. If your tread is however level with your indicator, you\u2019re in trouble.<\/p>\n

\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"<\/p>\n

If the tread depth of your tyres is less than one millimetre, you risk not only your own life but that of your\u00a0passengers and other road users. You can also expect the following fatal issues to crop up:<\/p>\n

\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"\u00a0Skidding
\n\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"\u00a0Steering problems
\n\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"\u00a0Poor braking response times<\/p>\n

How do you measure tread depth?<\/h3>\n

Tread depth is measured from the tread rubber down to its deepest grooves. The more you drive, the more worn your tyres get, and the more \u2018shallow\u2019 your tread depth becomes.<\/p>\n

Tyre grooves do more than make patterns in the sand: They\u2019re responsible for the car\u2019s general stability and safety on the road, from taking a corner to making a sudden stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recommend a tread depth of at least 1.6 millimetres. If you\u2019re tread depth is above a millimetre, your car will always be stable on the road, even if it rains,\u201d said the Dunlop Zone expert. \u201cYou can also make your tread to last by rotating your tyres every 8, 000 kilometres to 10,000 kilometres.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"duncan-the-dunlop-tyre-guy\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there another way I can check my tread depth?\u201d Petunia asked, because with all the driving her and Duncan are yet to do, she anticipates that she might not have the time to take a look at her tyres.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course! Ever heard of the matchstick test?\u201d asked the expert, to a puzzled Duncan and Petunia.<\/p>\n

To check tread depth, put a match head into the tread grooves, and if any part of the head shows above the grooves it\u2019s time to replace the tyre.<\/p>\n