Tyre tread depth: the UK legal limit and how to check it
The legal minimum is 1.6mm - but the wet-weather penalty starts well above that. How to check your tread with a 20p coin, and what illegal tyres actually cost.
5 min read
Tyre Guides
Straight answers to the questions we get asked on the phone.
These are written for drivers, not for search engines. If a guide saves you a call-out you did not need, it has done its job.
Can a puncture be repaired, or do you need a new tyre?
The repairable area is narrower than most people think. Where the damage has to be, how big it can be, and the situations where replacement is the only honest answer.
6 min read
What to do if you get a flat tyre on the motorway
Where to stop, why you should get out of the car, how to find your location from the marker posts, and why changing a wheel on the hard shoulder is a bad idea.
6 min read
Correct tyre pressure, and how to check it properly
The right pressures are on a plate in your door shut, not on the tyre. Why checking them warm gives you the wrong answer.
5 min read
The TPMS warning light: what it means and what to do
Steady light versus flashing light, why it appears on the first cold morning of autumn, and why you should never just reset it.
5 min read
How to read the markings on your tyre sidewall
205/55 R16 91V decoded, plus the DOT date code that tells you how old the tyre actually is.
6 min read
Tyre load index and speed rating explained
What 91V actually means, why fitting a lower rating than the manufacturer specified is a problem, and when going higher is pointless.
5 min read
The tyre label explained: fuel economy, wet grip and noise
What the three ratings measure, which one to prioritise for UK driving, and what the label deliberately does not tell you.
5 min read
Winter, summer or all-season tyres: what makes sense in the UK?
The 7°C rule, what the snowflake symbol certifies, and why all-season is the pragmatic answer for most UK drivers.
7 min read
How long do tyres last? Age matters as much as mileage
Plenty of tread does not mean a good tyre. How to read the DOT date code and what to look for on an older tyre.
5 min read
Uneven tyre wear and what the pattern is telling you
A diagnostic table: match the wear pattern to the cause, and fix the cause before you fit new rubber.
6 min read
Wheel balancing and wheel alignment are not the same thing
Vibration at speed means balance. Pulling and uneven wear mean alignment. Which one we can do at the roadside, and which we cannot.
5 min read
Tyre faults that will fail an MOT
The checks a tester actually performs, the ones people fail on without knowing, and a five-minute pre-MOT inspection.
5 min read
Changing a wheel safely, and when you should not attempt it
The order of operations that matters, why you loosen bolts before jacking, and the places you should never do this.
6 min read
Space-saver spare or sealant kit: what is in your boot?
Space-savers are speed and distance limited. Sealant kits only fix small tread punctures. Know which you have before you need it.
5 min read
Run-flat tyres: how they work and what to do when one fails
How far you can actually drive on one, why repair is normally refused, and whether you can switch to conventional tyres.
5 min read
Van tyres vs car tyres: why you cannot just fit either
What the C marking means, why load index is the number that matters on a van, and the pressure differences people miss.
5 min read
EV tyres: why electric cars are harder on rubber
Weight and torque are the reasons. What the HL load rating means, why quietness matters more on an EV, and how pressures affect range.
5 min read
Part-worn tyres: the UK rules, and why we do not fit them
The legal requirements sellers must meet, how rarely they are met in practice, and the arithmetic that makes part-worns poor value anyway.
6 min read
Storing tyres properly between seasons
Stack or stand? Cool, dark and dry, away from electric motors, and why you should mark which corner each came from.
4 min read
Need the job doing rather than the reading? See how mobile tyre fitting works, or call 07989 606060.
