How to Check Used Tyres: A Complete Guide for UK Buyers

Buying used tyres may help you save, but it’s important to check them carefully before driving on British roads. Because second-hand tyres are more affordable, many choose second-hand tyres when needing to replace theirs soon or when money is tight. Not knowing enough about used tyres can make them a risk and not worth your money. This guide will show you what to check for when buying used Tyres Winchester so that you don’t regret your choice.

Visual Inspection: What to Look For

A good visual check is the key to assessing used tyres. You should use good lights and check the details closely in this process.

Tread Depth and Wear Patterns

Initially, inspect the tread depth everywhere across the surface of the tyre. You must replace your tyres when the tread reaches 1.6mm as required by law, while many experts say to change them before the tread hits 3mm for your safety in the rain.

Use a 20p coin to get an easy measurement of tread on your tyres. Look for the coin’s outer edge if it’s visible – the tread is probably not legal. To get proper measurements, it’s best to use a tread depth gauge.

check the way the tread is worn. If the tread is smooth across the width of the tyre, it probably means the alignment and inflation are correct. Worn tyres where they touch the road can be an indication of suspension problems, wheel misalignment or low tyre pressure.

If the tread wears down on one section, it could be due to alignment issues, centre wear means you inflated too much air and if both sides wear down, it is possible that you didn’t inflate enough. Although these patterns don’t damage the tyre, they help tell the tyre’s story.

Checking for Damage

check for breakages in the rubber around the sides of the tyre. Light cracks on the surface can be allowed if the tyre isn’t too old, but any that reveal the layer beneath can be dangerous.

Inspect all parts of the tyre’s sidewall for imperfections, bumps or cuts. If the wall of the tyre is bulging, that tells you the tyre cannot be trusted anymore. A deep cut in the rubber can put the tyre’s safety at risk.

See if any nails, screws or stones are stuck to the tread of the tyre. Although a few can be securely taken out, with others, the fault might be too serious for use.

Inner Sidewall and Hidden Damage

Checking the inner sidewall is important, but it can be very difficult unless the tyres are off the wheel. This section can show us what the tyre has been through and how well it’s holding up.

Beware of signs on the inner sidewall that look like the tyre was run flat. If tyres are run without the right air pressure, they wear in unusual ways and internal damage may still happen.

Examine the inner surface for cuts, punctures or spots where a repair has been done. Some things need to be fixed inside and aren’t obvious from appearance, so you should know if such repairs are present.

If possible, open the lining to check if any wear or damage is present. A tyre’s inner liner helps control air pressure and damage to this area might cause slow leaks.

Age Considerations and Date Codes

How old the tyres are is for safety and performance, more than anything else. Tyre rubber still degrades when tyres are sitting, even if they haven’t been driven.

A date code on the sidewall of the tyre marks when the tyre was produced. A four-digit code on the VIN tells us when the car was built. For example, the 2318 project takes place in the 23rd week of 2018.

Most of these professionals suggest changing your tyres if they are six years or older, even if they look alright. Even if your tyres look good, it’s not safe to use them if they are more than ten years old.

Price Evaluation and Decision Making

When you finish inspecting a second-hand tyre, consider its price next to a new one to know if it is worth your money.

Consider that the miles you have left on your tyres is a certain percentage of a brand new tyre. Used tyres with half their tread usually sell for less than half the cost of buying a new one, due to the risk factors involved.

Always check the age of the tyres, as they lose their usefulness even if the tread is deep. A tyre that is five years old may need to be changed before its tread wears off, simply because of its age.

Tyres bought second-hand are usually not available in sets, so you need to look for each one independently.

Conclusion

Buying second-hand tyres can help you save money if you know what you’re looking for. The main thing is to check the tyres carefully with help of Mobile Tyre Fitting Whitchurch, set a fair market price and be truthful about any risks.

Having the tyre history from the past owners is helpful, but a thorough visual check will reveal most of what you need to know about the tyres. As you make your assessment, notice how worn the tread is, if there is damage on the sides and how old the tyres are.