Stop for a second and think about the importance of your car's tyres. Each one of them is a very cleverly engineered product and is the result of extensive research and testing to ensure that it works well on your particular vehicle and keeps your family safe. Yet how often do you "set it and forget it" when it comes to replacing or servicing these covers? Why should you be paying more attention to your tyres and wheels on a regular basis.

Why Adjustments Are Important

Every time that you buy new tyres, you may have noticed that the fitter at the garage spends a lot of time adjusting them before you get ready to leave. This is because they need to be properly aligned, track and balanced. If not, they're going to wear out very quickly and it's going to make your car more difficult to drive. The wheels and tyres need to be "mated" together, so that they perform as intended by the various manufacturers.

In Or Out?

One of the most important elements is what is known as "toe." This is set to varying degrees inward or outward, in relation to the way that the tyre presents itself to the road. It is said that this terminology is based on the way that a human foot behaves when walking. If the toes on your feet are pointing slightly to the side in one direction or another when you walk, this will over time wear out the heel on the corresponding side of your shoe. As far as tyres are concerned, setting this correctly ensures that there is even wear throughout the cover.

Negative Or Positive?

When the wheels are fitted to the car, the technician will also need to adjust the camber, or the degree away from perpendicular. This will affect the tyre wear on the outer or inner edge and it is generally felt that wheels should be adjusted so that there is a small degree of negativity to the camber, to get the best effect.

Even Wear Across A Set

There is even another adjustment to consider, known as "castor." This involves adjusting the steering arms so that all four wheels on the vehicle are in general alignment. Once again, this gives better handling and more even wear on the full set of tyres.

Have A Look

While you're thinking about it, have a look at the wear rate on the tyres of your car right now. If you can see any uneven patterns, then this is an indication that one or more of the aforementioned adjustments has fallen out of line. Take this into your technician as soon as possible and ensure that it you need new tyres, you consider these elements again in the future to save money.