Tyre Fitting in Pounds Gate

Pounds Gate is a small rural hamlet on narrow lanes near the Dartmoor edge. Drivers from here and from Caton, Buckfastleigh, Bickington and South Brent come to Automaster at Longcombe Cross near Totnes for tyres, puncture repairs, alignment and balancing.

Here is a practical guide to judging your own tyres and describing a problem clearly when you ask for a quote.

How do I measure tread properly?

Use a tread depth gauge rather than relying on a glance. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three quarters of the tread, around the full circumference. Measure on the inner, middle and outer parts of the tyre and at more than one point round it.

If one edge reads lower than the other, that suggests an alignment or pressure problem, and it is worth telling us when you ask for a quote.

What should I look for on the sidewalls?

Bulges, cuts, cracks and exposed cord. Narrow lanes cause scuffs and some are harmless, but a deep gouge or a blister is not. The sidewall is thin and carries much of the tyre's load, so damage there matters.

Any bulge should mean replacement, and the car should not be driven at speed until it is done.

Check the inner sidewall as well as the outer one. Damage on the side facing the car is easy to miss, and a quick feel with your hand along the inside edge can find it.

• Bulges or blisters
• Cuts
• Cracking
• Exposed cord

Which punctures can be repaired?

Small holes in the central tread, once checked from inside the tyre, can often be repaired. Sidewall and shoulder damage cannot be, because those areas flex too much for a repair to be safe.

Driving on a flat tyre often destroys the inner structure, so a repair may no longer be possible. We can only say after inspection.

Why might I need tracking or balancing?

Pulling to one side, a crooked steering wheel or wear on one edge of the tyre point towards tracking. Vibration at steady speeds points towards balancing. Lanes, banks and kerb knocks can cause either.

They are separate jobs, so describe what you feel and we will advise on which applies.

Tell us when the symptom appears: at low speed, at a steady speed, or only when braking. Those details help separate a tyre problem from a brake or suspension one.

Do you cover Pounds Gate, and where do I bring the car?

Yes. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and drivers from the surrounding countryside and nearby towns come to us. When you ask for a quote, give us the vehicle details, the tyre size and any symptoms.

We will say if something else, such as a suspension part, looks like the real cause.

Hamlet roads mean many drivers cover plenty of miles on lanes before reaching a main road, so the tyres see rough surfaces every journey.