Tag: Tyres

BEST VAN TYRES FOR STRENGTH AND DURABILITY

If you are not sure which tyres are best for your minivan, van or commercial light truck, come and chat with the experts and find out what would work best for your business.

Choosing the right tyres can cut your fuel consumption, reduce your braking distance in the wet and will last your business longer.

There are lots of options to consider when choosing a van tyre, especially manufacturers, sizes, load-bearing and vehicle type.

Van tyres for tough jobs

When vans are off the road, your business is affected, and a key consideration with fleet maintenance has to be, the life of your tyres. Even if you are a sole proprietor you must know that, if your van is subject to heavy loads and a lot of wear and tear, it would be best to fit tyres with strengthened side walls which can cope better with the weight.

Van tyres for heavy deliveries

The labelling of van tyres has been developed in such a way as to help drivers understand how reinforced the tyres are; for example, XL stands for ‘extra load’ and RF is short for ‘reinforced’ tyres. These are generally car tyres that have been reinforced to take a little more weight.

If your vehicle takes heavier deliveries, we would recommend a tyre labelled ‘C’ which is designed to be used on a van. These C tyres have been constructed to carry heavier loads and withstand rougher roads. C tyres are especially suitable for driving on country roads, industrial estates and construction sites.

Maintain regular air pressure checks on van tyres

When driving a car, the weight of the vehicle remains relatively constant, especially if you are using it to commute to work or take the children to school.

A van is used for deliveries, and the weight will vary every time it is driven. Tyre pressures need to be frequently adjusted to balance the weight of your load. This may be a nuisance, but it improves fuel efficiency and can lengthen the life of your tyres. If your business relies on a van or commercial vehicles, it’s always best to get the most mileage from your tyres.

Therefore, selecting the correct tyres for your van makes great business sense. If you are not sure what you require, please give us a call on 01273 515128 or pop into one of our garages and have a chat. We can give you some prices and advice, and the rest is up to you.

We keep a wide range of tyres in stock, but if something is out of stock, we can order it and our experienced mechanics will fit them within a couple of days.

If you have a number of vehicles and you’d like to discuss van and lorry tyre checks and inspections, we are flexible to your business needs and can fit tyres across the board from your company cars to vans, light trucks and commercials. Just ask us for details.

TIPS TO PREVENT YOUR CAR BREAKING DOWN IN THE HEAT

Here are a few tips as we don’t always look after our cars in the hot weather. Summers in the UK are definitely getting warmer, with temperatures hitting 30°C and more  this is great news for sun-lovers and holiday-makers, but it’s not ideal for our cars which can be adversely affected by the heat.

Breakdown statistics for roadside callouts show that there is a 20% increase and those figures rise to 30% in coastal areas. One of the leading causes is that cars overheat despite modern vehicles being built to withstand more extreme temperature changes.

In the height of summer or, during heat waves, when cars have to work in these conditions for weeks at a time, there comes a time when this impacts on performance and safety.

What can you do to ensure your car remains safe and roadworthy and, how can you prevent future damage?

Cars are often overlooked in the summer, and it is easy to neglect them when the children or your garden need attention.

Did you know that you are 20% more likely to get a puncture in hot weather? Clutch problems also increase with heat causing added wear and tear.

Soaring temperatures? Then let’s give you a few tips to make you less hot under the collar!

Car Batteries

Heat can take its toll on car batteries with the added use of air-conditioning, fans and electric convertible roofs. Heat can also affect the chemical process inside a battery. Our tip is, if you haven’t checked or replaced your battery in 2 or 3 years, now may be the ideal time to have it checked. Our free checks will give you an idea of the health of your battery and avoid any problems in the future. If you drive an old car, it might be a good idea to pop a set of jump leads in the boot if you’re planning a long journey.

Tyres

Hot weather and tyres don’t mix well due to the air inside the tyre expanding in the heat with a possible cause of over-inflation. Over a year, there are around 300,000 tyre-related breakdowns each year, many of them in the summer. Tyres degrade naturally through sunlight (Ultraviolet/UV), exposure to heat and rain. Remember also that older tyres on caravans and trailers will also suffer in extreme weather.

Our tip is to check your tyre pressure every two weeks and preferably don’t do this in the middle of the day or when your tyres are hot from driving. It’s important to make sure your tyres are not a few PSIs over the recommended pressure as this will put you at an increased risk of a blowout.

Remember to check for any signs of cracking on the sidewalls, especially if your tyres are over four years old and if you park outside. Any tyre specialist will give you advice if you are not sure if your tyres are safe to drive.

Cooling Systems

A car’s cooling system has to work much harder in both cold and hot weather. These systems keep the engine working at the right temperature; therefore, when it’s hot, they have much more work to do.

Cooling systems rely on coolant/antifreeze to keep all parts of the engine cool. On a hot day, the coolant flows around the engine at a higher temperature, causing some parts of the engine to overheat and fail. Problems with cooling systems happen more frequently during low-speed driving when there is less air circulating through the fan which cools the radiator.

You can mitigate any problems by topping up your cooling system with a high-quality coolant/antifreeze recommended for summer driving. A car engine’s optimum running temperature is around 90°, but it can run hotter in warm weather, which is why our tip suggests using a coolant/antifreeze that offers boil protection.

We recommend first checking the current protection level of your coolant/antifreeze with a coolant tester which will show the concentration of the mix and indicate the level of protection your car currently has.

Be sure and, drive safely.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK TO CHECK YOUR TYRES?

It is easy to forget how important our car tyres are and it is not until the autumn, when you may feel that your grip on the road isn’t as good as you remember it, then you might consider checking the pressure and giving them the once-over. But do you know what you are looking for?

Tyre advice from experts

At Arrow Tyres, our fitters are specialists and know exactly what to look for when they check your tyres. It is easy to forget that the only point of contact between your car and the road – is your tyres.

Did you know that a new tyre comes with around 8-9 mm of tread and that once you get below 3 mm your car can take as much as 44% longer to stop in wet conditions? The bare minimum for tyres is 1.6mm across the central- three-quarters of the tyre but this will severely affect your braking performance.

Why are tyre tread patterns so important?

The channels in the tread pattern are vital to dispersing surface water – this prevents you aquaplaning and when the tread gets thin, you lose your grip and your tyres are unable to disperse water quickly and efficiently.

Should you buy part worn tyres?

One of the things we do know is that part worn tyres are often sold because they have come from cars involved in accidents. Just consider that those tyres will have been subjected to considerable force – how much, one will never know and although there are strict conditions to selling part worn tyres, it is generally not an attractive choice.

Affordable tyres

If you talk to any reputable tyre dealer, you will find tyres are available for different costs and a brand new tyre may only cost you a fraction more than a part worn tyre. Tyres are available these days to cover all budgets – from entry level tyres to performance tyres. Do discuss options with your local dealer, take your car in for a tyre check and make sure your vehicle is ready for those autumn rains and misty mornings.

Visit our branches in Newhaven and Southwick, Brighton and we will check your tyres for you.