You need good tyres to drive safely. They affect the steering, braking and acceleration of your car.
Faulty tyres work less efficiently and don't last as long; they could also mean a heavy fine and penalty points on your licence.

The law

It's against the law in the UK to have:

• Car tyres with tread worn to below 1.6mm;
• A mix of radial and cross ply tyres;
• Over or under-inflated tyres;
• Tyres with cuts, lumps, cracks, bulges or tears;
• The wrong sort of tyre fitted to a vehicle or trailer.

 

Checking tread depth

Most tyres have tread wear indicators, usually six or more small ribs across the bottom of the main tread grooves. When the tread surface is level with these ribs, the tyre needs to be replaced.

Checking tyre pressures

Look in your handbook or consult your garage or tyre dealer for the recommended pressures for your vehicle.

You should check the pressure at least every two weeks, and only when the tyres are cold. Even a short trip to the local garage will warm up the tyre and raise the pressure.

Avoiding wear and tear.

Classics are more prone to tyre problems than modern cars as many of them are left in storage for long periods of time, and are not used as daily runabouts. This can lead to tyres that are cracked or that have developed flat spots through standing. 

Placing your classic on axle stands when in storage raises the tyres from the ground, removing the load and preventing deformaties and cracking.  This will save you money as often classic tyres suffer this type of damage long before they wear out through use.

Check your tracking, incorrect tracking will greatly increase the rate of wear on your tyres, as will having tyres that are incorrectly balanced.