Why Tyres Can Make You Fail Your WOF in Hamilton
The deeper the tread depth, the more grip your car will have. Tread depth shouldn’t fall below 1.5 mm.
Honestly, tyres don’t get much love until something goes wrong. We see a fair bit of that here in Hamilton, especially with all the potholes down Te Rapa Straight or the endless stop-start through Five Cross Roads. Your tyres cop a hiding from all those rough roads around Melville, foggy mornings out in Tamahere, and the heat that bakes those rotaries on your Corolla or the family Honda CR-V.
If your tyres are cactus, you can kiss your WOF goodbye. Inspectors are on the lookout for a few classic things. Here’s what you need to know:
- Tread depth: It’s all about those grooves. Too shallow, and you’ll lose grip – big deal in the wet or if you’re hammering over a hill toward Morrinsville. Legally, you need at least 1.5mm. Any less and it’s a straight fail.
- Bumps and bulges: This isn’t just cosmetic, mate. We had a customer from Rototuna with a Nissan Juke that was all good except for a golf-ball-sized bulge in the tyre. That’s the inner structure shot, and it could blow out anywhere, even on Ulster St in rush hour. Off it came.
- Stuff stuck in your tyre: It’s classic to find a little nail or screw from the trade sites around Flagstaff. You see it, you need to sort it. That could mean a quick patch or a new tyre if it’s in the wrong spot.
How to Check Your Tyre Tread Easily
Best tool ever for a quick check? Your 20c coin. Just slip that in the groove with the “20” first. If you can see the whole number, your tread’s down under 2mm, so it’s time to start planning for fresh ones. Really, 1.5mm is the WOF minimum – but I wouldn’t wait until the last minute, especially with the weather we get here.
Also, most tyres have built-in tread indicators. Little bars of rubber that pop up when your tread’s wearing thin. If you spot those, don’t muck around.
What Worn Tyres Actually Look Like
- Cracks or slices down the sides: These show up heaps on cars like Suzuki Swifts and even the odd BMW X1. Hot, dry weather or those freezing Hillcrest mornings can split the side, and they just get worse.
- Bulges: Like I said, bulges mean trouble. Usually, it’s been whacked hard on something like those Cambridge Rd speed humps. If your Outlander or even your partner’s Mazda 2 has one, swap it out fast.
- Wire sticking out: Sometimes we see old Toyota Wish or Civic tyres with little wires poking through. Don’t wait for that – get in before it shreds.
- Vibrations: One of our techs checked out a Hyundai i30 last week – the driver said the steering wheel was shaking on the way up to Chartwell. Worn or damaged tyre was the cause.
- Chewing through fuel: If your tyres are bald or uneven, you’ll burn more fuel, and might wear out other tyres and bits of your suspension faster. Not cheap.
Tyre Repairs and Replacement in Hamilton
If your car’s just failed the WOF Hamilton because of the tyres, no stress – we see it all the time, from hybrid repair stuff on imported Subarus, to work vans, to family wagons. Our team at Grimmer Motors can patch, swap, or replace your tyres and get you sorted. Better grip, smoother ride, safer school run – it all helps.
FREE NATIVE TREE DONATIONS – and a little bonus: buy any tyre from us and we’ll donate a native tree to Trees for Survival. Aim is 3000 trees by August 2020!
For top-notch tyre service, WOF diagnostics, or any car service Hamilton-wide (including places like Ngāruawāhia, Cambridge, Morrinsville, and all around), give us a bell at Grimmer Motors.