Fitted, Balanced & Aligned
Tyres are the only part of a car actually touching the road, and in the wet up here that matters more than most. Tread depth, pressure and alignment all affect how quickly a vehicle pulls up and how predictably it behaves in heavy rain. At Advanced Automotive Services, we supply and fit tyres for cars, trucks, SUVs and 4WDs, and we repair punctures where the damage is safely repairable. Everything is balanced on fitting, and we check the alignment at the same time rather than sending you somewhere else for it. Uneven wear often points to something underneath, so we'll say so if the suspension looks like the cause. Call our Cairns workshop on (07) 4033 6418.
Getting the Most Out of a Set
A set of tyres can last considerably longer or shorter than average, and most of the difference comes down to a few habits.
- Pressures checked monthly. Underinflated tyres wear the shoulders and use more fuel, while overinflation wears the centre. Heat makes the difference more pronounced.
- Rotation. Moving tyres between positions evens out wear, since front and rear axles wear differently. It's easiest to do at each service.
- Alignment. Incorrect camber or toe angles scrub tread away quickly and unevenly. A car pulling to one side or a crooked steering wheel is the obvious sign.
- Age as well as tread. Rubber hardens over time and loses grip even with tread remaining. Tyres carry a date code on the sidewall for exactly this reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Australia the minimum tread depth is 1.5mm across the tread face. Wet weather grip drops off well before that point, so replacement is usually sensible earlier.
It depends where the damage sits. Punctures within the central tread area can generally be repaired, while sidewall or shoulder damage can't be repaired safely.
Replacing across an axle is strongly preferred, because different tread depths either side affect braking and stability. Mixing significantly worn and new tyres on the same axle is worth avoiding.
