Wheels and Tyres

Tyres are put under tremendous strains when a car is being driven. Read more

The best way to keep tyre wear to a minimum is to maintain correct tyre pressures for the load and speed conditions, and to drive as smoothly and carefully as possible. Avoid fierce braking, hard cornering and violent acceleration. Read more

Non-driven wheel bearings - the front-wheel bearings of rear-wheel-drive cars and rear-wheel bearings of front-wheel-drive cars - are similar in design, differing only in detail. Read more

Cars with front-wheel drive have front-wheel bearings that resemble closely those in the rear wheels of rear-wheel-drive cars which have independent suspension (See How car suspension works ). Read more

Damage to a tyre sidewall or carcass can make the tyre useless, even though the tread is hardly worn. A major cause of damage to wheels and tyres is debris on the road - such as pieces of broken silencer and objects dropped from trucks and lorries. Read more

When you take the wheels off to inspect the tyre walls, clean the wheels thoroughly and look closely for cracks starting around the stud holes, and at the joints between the rim and centre. Read more

Wheel bearings need periodic checking - and adjusting if necessary - usually at 12,000 mile service intervals. Read more

Clean the hub and races well with paraffin or white spirit. Then drive the races away from each other. The inner and outer races may be of different sizes. If so, begin with the smaller one. Read more