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Understanding Car Tyre Size and Why They Are Important.

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Understanding Car Tyre Size and Why They Are Important.

As a motorist, your car’s tyre size is something you are probably least concerned about. It may seem like a ‘little thing’, but this ‘little thing’ can cause big and continuous damage.

Read on to find more about car tyre sizes.

Fitting mismatched tyres is a disaster waiting to happen

For starters, mismatched tyres can interfere with the accuracy of your speedometer, resulting in you seeing false readings, and leaving you unaware of how fast you are actually driving.

 

Unequal tyres also adversely affect your car’s steering, accelerating and general handling characteristics, leading to instability. You’ll notice there’s less grip and as a consequence less control, because steering feels sloppy and loose. Mismatched tyres can mean it takes noticeably longer for your vehicle to get up to speed. Another consequence of uneven, mismatched tyres is that long-term your vehicle’s wheel bearings are at risk of damage, as well as the possibility of destroying your car’s clutch.

Get to understand your tyre sizes

The size of a tyre is printed onto the side of the tyre – on the area known as the sidewall. When looking for the size, you will see that it is made up of a series of numbers and letters.

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, then the jumble of numbers and letters on your tyres can seem a little confusing at first, but luckily they’re fairly easy to decode!

Width

The first number on your tyre is its width. It is usually written in millimeters.

Aspect Ratio or Profile

The second number is known as the ‘profile’ or ‘ratio’ of the tyre. Essentially, this refers to the height of the tyre sidewall – the bigger the number, the more sidewall you’ll have.

Rim Diameter

The third number represents the wheel rim diameter. This figure is written in inches.

Load Index

The final numeric character is the load index figure.The load index on a tyre lets us know what the maximum load-carrying capacity of that tyre is. You can order a load index that is the same or above your vehicle's standard requirement. To find this load index, check your Tyre Placard and/or the current tyres on your vehicle. Where is my Tyre Placard? The tyre placard is usually a sticker that is located on the driver’s door/doorframe, petrol lid, or glove compartment.

Speed Symbol

Finally, at the end of the sequence, there’s a letter V. V is a code that indicates the speed at which a tyre can be safely operated, subject to the tyre being in sound condition, correctly fitted and with the recommended inflation pressure.

 

If you’re in any doubt about mismatched tyres, mobile tyre repair and tyres afterpay speak with the friendly experts at 247 Mobile tyre services Melbourne. If you ask yourself “how do I check my car tyre size“ and are unsure which tyres are right for your vehicle, get in touch with our mobile tyre shop. Our experienced, professional team will provide you with impartial, expert advice about the right tyres for you, afterpay tyres, tyre safety, expert fitting services,tyres afterpay, and much much more. The answer to your question - where can I get the best tyre near me? Is 247 Mobile Tyre Services Melbourne. Our Tyre  shop is open on Sunday as well.

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