Tyre Safety

Keeping Your Tyres Safe

TC Harrison Ford support TyreSafe and have written this handy guide to make sure your tyres are as safe as possible.

TyreSafe were founded in 2006 and they have successfully helped to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in accidents due to their tyres by a staggering 46%.

TC Harrison Ford will be offering FREE tyre checks to make sure you are safe on the roads! Contact your local dealership to find out more.

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How Can I Make Sure My Tyres are Safe?

There are many things that you can do to check that your tyres are safe, and a lot of them TC Harrison Ford can help you with as well.

Tyre Tread Depth

The purpose of tyre treads is to keep your tyre in contact with the road during wet weather, so it’s really important that you stay on top of checking this. Luckily, checking the depth of your treads is really easy to do yourself, with something as simple as a 20p coin!

All you need to do is place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyres, and if the outer rim of the coin is fully covered by the tread, your tyre’s tread depth is above the legal limit.

How to Read the Codes on Your Tyres

Every tyre has alphanumeric codes on their sidewalls, and it is vital that you understand what these mean to ensure correct tyre usage and to make replacing the tyre easier.

Tyre Width and Aspect Ratio

The first code you will see is the tyre width and aspect ratio. An example of this would be 205/55. The 205 in this code represents the nominal section width of the tyre in millimetres and defines the distance between the inner and outer sidewall of the tyre – meaning this tyre is 205mm wide. The 55 in the code is a percentage and demonstrates the relationship between a tyre’s height and width. In this case, 55 illustrates that the height between the top of the tread and the rim is 55% of the tyre width.

Construction Type and Wheel Diameter

The next code you will see on the tyre is usually the letter R followed by two digits. The R stands for radial and refers to the construction type of the tyre. Radial tyres have been designed with the cord piles positioned at a 90 degree angle towards the direction travel for additional strength. The majority of new tyres made today are radial tyres. Don’t worry if your letter is different, it simply means you have a different type of tyre. The important thing to remember is that you need to replace the tyre with the same letter coding as the one you have already.

The two following digits represent the diameter of the wheel that the tyres are built to fit and is given in inches. For example, if the number is 16, the tyre will fit on a 16 inch wheel rim.

Maximum Load and Speed of Tyres

The final code in the string of information on the tyres is the maximum load and speed of the tyres. An example of this code could be 91 V. The 91 demonstrates that the maximum load a single tyre can hold is 91kg.

The V is the standard speed rating on most tyres and corresponds to the maximum speed which a tyre can reach to be able to carry its maximum load.

We understand these codes can be confusing at times, so if you’re ensure on any of the codes on your tyres, contact your local TCH Ford and we will be more than happy to assist!

How to Change a Tyre

The dreaded flat tyre. Unfortunately, we’ve all been there - that’s why we’ve created this handy step-by-step guide on how to change a car tyre to get you moving again as quickly as possible.

1. Check you’ve got everything you need

- Spare wheel
- Vehicle manual
- Car jack
- Wrench
- Wheel chocks

2. Prepare your car to change the tyre

-Switch off the engine
- Get everyone out of the vehicle and to a safe place away from any potential traffic
- Turn on the hazard lights
- Ensure the handbrake is applied
- Gather all the tools you need from the vehicle, including the spare wheel

3. Loosen the wheel nuts

- Before you jack the car up, ensure that you can loosen the wheel nuts or bolts. If they’re too tight for you to do yourself, you’ll need to call for breakdown assistance.
- If your car has locking wheel nuts, start by using the locking key
- Take the wrench and begin to loosen the bolts by turning them anti-clockwise
- Loosen the nuts slightly and then stop once you know that you can move them

4. Get the vehicle up with the jack

-Locate the jacking point nearest the wheel that you need to change. Usually, it will marked with an arrow or pad
- Wind the jack out and place it into the jacking point. Ensure that the flat foot of the jack touches the ground for stability
- Next, wind the jack carefully until the entire wheel is off the ground.
- Continue to raise the car so that it is high enough to get the new inflated tyre on, as this will be higher than the flat tyre.

5. Take off the punctured wheel

- Undo the nuts and bolts completely and set them aside safely
- You should now be able to lift the wheel away from the hub its fitted to
- If you are struggling to get the wheel off, call for assistance as you don’t want to hurt yourself or damage the vehicle

6. Fit the spare wheel

- The spare wheel should easily slide into the place where the old wheel was
- Once it’s in position, take the nuts from before and tighten them into place to secure the wheel
- Use the jack to lower the car back down the ground level
- Once the car has contact with the ground, make sure all the nuts are fully tightened before removing the jack

Once you’ve got the spare wheel fitted, make it a priority to get to your local dealer or garage to have this replaced as soon as possible. You can only travel up to 50mph with a temporary use tyre.

Winter Tyres

Winter can present challenges for many vehicles, highlighting the importance of ensuring your car is well-prepared for the colder months.

Winter tyres can be extremely advantageous due to their enhanced grip and traction in colder weather. These tyres feature deeper treads, narrower cuts and a softer compound, helping with the dispersion of snow on the road and improving contact with the surface.

While not obligatory in the UK, it is advisable to switch from summer tyres to winter tyres as temperatures drop, particularly if you reside in a rural area where you’re likely to run into snowy weather.

The cost of winter tyres varies depending on the vehicle and wheel size. Although they are slightly more expensive than summer tyres, the long-term benefits include extended durability of your summer tyres through seasonal swaps, resulting in overall savings.

Let TCH Ford Help You Keep on Top of Your Tyres

At TCH Ford, we are here to help you better understand your tyre health and make sure you're on the roads as much as possible. That's why we're happy to offer free tyre checks! Contact us today.

Book in for a Free Tyre Check