Sunday, August 3, 2008

Car Tyres Could Cost Our Lives


Sin Soon Lee Car Tyre Shop and Worn-out Tyres

Well, the topic doesn't seem intersting at all!! What is it all about? Why this item has to be put on a blog ??
My reason is very simple.. I am sure the experience or info that I am gong to scribble may be an eye-opener to some of us. Those of you, who are veteren drivers or road users may take the thing as a reminder...ok ??


Sin Soon Lee Car Tyre & Battery Shop

Everybody knows pretty well that other than the brake system, tyres are very important items for a car. Good tyres enable car stability when the car execute corners or the car could be stopped at the desired distance when brakes are applied. These phenomena is important to save lives of drivers.
Worn-out tyres will normally cause car-skidding and other road accidents as the car could not be stopped on time or at the desired distance. Worn-out tyres could also the car to be swerved out of control when executing corners and the car would be out ofcontrol.
So, tyres could save our lives and as such they must be replaced when necessary..

This morning, I have gone to a tyre shop to replace two of my car tyres. The mechanics had informed me a month ago that I have to replace the tyres as I had complained that the car had over-steered every time I took a corner. I had requested the two new tyres to be installed at the front and the existing front ones be shifted to the back.
When the tyres were removed by the Tyre & Battery Shop owner (husband and wife), to my surprise, the rear wheels had seriously worn out. The steel belt had even been exposed !!! (the tyres could just explode on hitting hard materials).. It seemed that two of the tyres were totally worn-out while the other two had already 75% worn-out. In the end, I had decided to change all the four tyres as I always commute every week between JB and KL.


Husband & Wife Tyre Shop Owner busy replacing the tyres

It must also be notes that most tyres can only be used within five (5) years after they are manufactured. There is a 4-digit number printed on each tyre that indicates the week and year of manufacture. We have to make sure that the tyre is just being manufactured and they are not manufactured two or three years ago.. Beware !! sometimes tyres are sold at 50% of normal price but it is just stock-clearing. The photographs below (circled) show the week (1st 2-digit) and the year (3rd. & 4th digit). So make sure that you are not cheated ...


The manufacturing date of a tyre (wkyr)



So, in the end, I have to purchase 4 tyres instead of two but I think I have no choice. This is because Safety is Uncompromised ...