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AS TRIVIAL AS IT MAY SEEM, A PUNCTURE IS A
SERIOUS EXPERIENCE |
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A small and insignificant setback like suffering a puncture can turn into quite a
nerve wrecking, extremely frustrating and
sometimes traumatic experience.
Remember that a puncture is always
unannounced – you could enjoying a
pleasant Sunday drive, be 30 minutes late
for work, driving along a dark and deserted
road, or be in the car with your wife and
kids – and in 9 put of 10 occasions, it’ll
always surprise you.
That one occasion that it doesn’t get you
stranded by the side of the road is when
you actually spot the problem early and
actually have enough air in the tyres to
make it to the nearest tyre shop.
If and when you do have to pull over,
make sure you have the adequate tools and
equipment to get the tyre changed and be
back on your way. In the meantime, here
are some pointers to prepare you for the
inevitable. We say this because it’s all part
of the joy of driving.
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| GENERAL TYRE TIPS |
| As much as you can, avoid placing your
trust in used or second hand tyresMake sure all four tyres and the
spare in the boot, is properly and
adequately inflated according to the tyre
manufacturer’s specificationsCheck your tyre wear periodically and
determine if they need to be replaced soon.
It’s a bad idea to keep putting it off.If you spot a crack, bulge or a tear in the
tyre (normally occurs at the tyre sidewall),
have it inspected and when
required, replaced |
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| PRE-DRIVE INSPECTION |
| Visual check on all four tyres to see if it
is adequately inflated. While all of us have
been guilty of just jumping into the car and
driving off, it certainly pays to take a few
seconds to make a quick check. If any of the
tyres look under-inflated, have it inspected
as air could be leaking. Air leaks can occur
as a result of damaged wheels, a faulty tyre
valve, sand and debris trapped in between
the tyre and wheel fitment, or a thumbtack
that has gone unnoticed.Once on the move take a few seconds to
look out or feel for tell-tale signs that you
may have a puncture. This usually involves
the car abruptly veering to either the left of
right, the steering wheel suddenly feeling
heavier than usual, or a louder than usual
sound when going over uneven roads.If unsure, it’s best to always safely pull
over and again inspect the tyres visually.
The last thing you want happening is you
noticing the puncture too late and finding
that the tyres have shredded to pieces by
the time you do decide to stop. This is a
problem that normally occurs when you
have upgraded to larger size wheels which
results in the driver being less sensitive to
a puncture. |
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