Page 15 - BRIDGESTONE PR REPORT - JULY 2025

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wear indicators, marked by an indicator in the shoulder area of the tyre. One trick to check for
wear is to insert a euro into the tyre tread: if you can see the gold edge, it is time to change it.

Equally important is to check that the wear is even. Front axle tyres, because of the configuration
of the vehicle, usually show uneven wear between the outer and inner shoulder. A tyre that is in
good condition on the outside may be ‘eaten’ on the inside.

Other irregular tyre wear, resulting in a less than optimal contact patch, can be caused by incorrect
balancing and/or alignment, or poorly maintained shock absorbers. In these cases the tyres are the
messengers of the problem, telling us what the cause may be and what needs to be rectified.

Faulty alignment, axle parallelism and balancing

Correct vehicle alignment, maintaining axle parallelism and wheel balancing (adjusting the wheel-
tyre assembly by means of counterweights to avoid imbalances) are essential to avoid irregular
wear, vibrations and even steering wheel trajectory problems (safety), apart from the risk of
mechanical breakdowns. According to First Stop, tyre distribution company, alignment should be

carried out when tyres are changed or rotated between axles, once a year or when between 15,000
and 20,000 kilometres have been driven.

Deformed or damaged tyres

It is also crucial to check the condition of tyres and rims from time to time, as they may be
deformed, damaged, cut or torn (as a result of impact with kerbs, potholes, etc.), which can
compromise their safety. If they are damaged in any way, a professional should be consulted for
possible replacement. If it is necessary to do so, remember that it is not advisable to install tyres
with different characteristics or levels of wear on the same axle.

Aging tyres

Although tyres do not have an expiry date as such, depending on many factors, including
maintenance, exposure to oxidising agents, conditions of use, etc., they can lose some of their
performance over time. So, even if they still have tread, it is advisable to check the appearance of
the tyres at least once a month. From the 5th year onwards, we recommend an annual check by a
specialist, and in any case replace them when they are more than 10 years old. Cracked, aged, cut
rubber, etc. on a tyre can affect road safety.

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