‘Three of the most important things I learned while working in a tyre shop’

Tyres — those black, round, rubber things that are an essential part of one’s motor vehicle. At least, that’s how I thought of them until I started working in one of Australia’s major tyre franchises. I wasn’t employed as a tyre fitter. My role was as the customer service manager, working in the front office, but I knew sweet Fanny Adams about tyres. Sure, I had the customer service skills and the computer skills, but I needed to learn about the product that I would be talking to customers about. Boy did I learn fast!

Tyres were no longer black, round, rubber things! I learned terms like tread depth; tyre pressure; width and depth. I quickly found that tyres came in a wide variety of sizes and had to be fitted to a steel or alloy rim, which required balancing before being fitted to the car. If I thought it stopped there, I was wrong. The car had to be wheel aligned. Nope, tyres were no longer black, round rubber things to me. Few men — and even fewer women — understand the importance of tyres on a vehicle. I could go on and on and on, but I won’t. However, in all my years work, there are a few things that everyone who drives a car should know.

First, tyre pressure — the pressure of the air inside a tyre. It’s measured in PSI (pounds per square inch) and the ideal number for your car can be found on the placard usually located on the inside door jam. The vehicle manufacturer specifies this number in order that the vehicle will drive at the optimum comfort level. The manufacturer couldn’t give a s**t how quickly your tyres will wear, but if your tyres are at the correct pressure you can extend the life of your tyres, improve vehicle safety and even maintain fuel efficiency. The recommendation is to inflate your tyres at least 5 psi above that specified on the placard and check the pressure regularly.

Second, at least every 5,000km have your tyres rotated, balanced and wheel aligned. Every time you catch the kerb or hit a pothole, the alignment of your wheels changes and this in turn affects the wear on your tyres (not mention the suspension of the vehicle).

Third, visually check your tyres. Does one of your tyres look a little lower than the others? It may have a slow leak from either a minute hole in the tyre or around the rim. Feel across the width of the tyre and ask yourself the question: Does the surface feel even? Uneven wear across the width of the tyre is an indication of too little or too much tyre pressure or an alignment issue.

Nope, tyres are not just black, round rubber things. They keep you safe! Maintained properly, they can be the difference between stopping in time (brakes are important too) and not stopping at all; help your vehicle from sliding in wet weather. They are your ‘handprint on the road’ and deserve attention.

I might sound like an advertising agent for tyres, but the truth is, I learned that having a good quality tyre on your vehicle can make a huge difference. Many years ago, when driving from Albury/Wodonga to Brisbane with my two sons, we had a blow out. I was driving a good vehicle; the tyre was on the rear, but it was just punctured. It didn’t blow off the rim. It didn’t split on the side wall. Because we’d taken care with the maintenance of the car’s tyres, we were safe!

Do you own a car? How often do you have it serviced?

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