Tyre Fitting in Abbotskerswell

Abbotskerswell sits near Newton Abbot and is reached by narrow country lanes, which many residents use daily to commute. Tight lanes mean scuffed kerbs, grit and debris in the verges and the odd pothole, and each of these can shorten the life of a tyre or damage it outright.

Automaster is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and we fit new tyres, repair punctures, and carry out wheel alignment and balancing. If you are in Abbotskerswell and want a sensible second opinion on your tyres, read on.

What damage do narrow lanes do to tyres?

Passing places and tight bends push tyres against kerbs and banks. Scuffing on the sidewall is common, but a deep cut or a bulge is not something to ignore, because the sidewall is the most flexed and least protected part of the tyre.

Flints, thorns and stones washed onto lane surfaces can lodge in the tread. Pick out anything you can see safely, but leave embedded nails where they are and get the tyre checked, since removing them may let the air out fast.

• Scuffed or cut sidewalls
• Embedded nails or screws
• Slow pressure loss overnight
• Stones wedged in the tread

Is my tread still legal?

The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three quarters of the tread. Check several points around each tyre, because wear is rarely even. Commuters who do the same route every day can find the inner or outer edge wearing first.

If one tyre is lower than its partner on the same axle, tell us. Tyres on an axle should generally be matched, and we can explain what that means for your car.

Why does my steering wheel shake or the car drift?

A shake that appears at certain speeds often points to a wheel balance problem, particularly after a tyre change or if a weight has come off. A drift to one side may be alignment, uneven pressure or uneven wear.

Alignment, or tracking, can move after a clip against a kerb or a deep pothole. It is worth checking rather than letting the tyres wear out early on one edge.

Do you cover Abbotskerswell for tyre fitting?

Drivers from Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot, Milber, Bickington and Liverton come to our garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes. When you ask for a quote, give us the registration or the make, model and year, plus the tyre size from the sidewall.

Tell us if the tyre has gone flat on a lane, and whether it was driven on. That affects whether a puncture repair is possible.

What can be repaired and what cannot?

A small puncture in the central tread can usually be repaired from inside once the tyre is off the wheel and checked. A hole or tear in the sidewall cannot be repaired, because that part of the tyre flexes constantly.

Each case depends on the tyre, so we inspect before we say yes.