Legal Tyre Size

The Law and Tyres

The law and tyres. A combination that goes hand in hand with safety on the roads, yet a combination very rarely considered. Find out the legal tyre size for your vehicle at Bud’s Tyres. The rules and regulations surrounding tyres in Australia are among the most restrictive, (in a good way). However, the average car owner may only be aware of bald road tyres and fines surrounding this rule. There are two sets of rules and you should be aware of both. Firstly, there are regulations surrounding the responsibility of a car owner. Secondly, there are tough standards in place for tyre retailers, fitters and mechanics. It is beneficial to be aware of both so you know you are getting what is required when you purchase new or second-hand tyres.

The Driver

Tread Depth and PSI are the two main components that can be monitored by the driver. The minimum legal tread depth in Australia is 1.5mm. However, we highly recommend tyres are replaced when they reach 3mm. You can measure this by a specific tool, a coin or get a tyre technician to do so during your free tyre safety check at Bud’s Tyres. Recommended PSI is often found on the interior car door or in the owners manual of your vehicle. Tyres are required to be inflated to their recommended tyre pressure. You can also be fined if tyres are too old or are showing cracks. For alternative wheels and tyres in Australia there are specific laws. You can always talk to us about alternative tyres.

The Tyre Technician

Your local tyre retailer should be aware of all rules and regulations in place. But it is worth looking out for tyre to rim combination, inspection standards, valve standards, correct labelling and wear and tear. While second-hand tyres can be a great option, you should adhere to new tyre standards. The Australian Design Rules (ADR) are a great reference to find specific rules around the design and function of your tyres and wheel guards.

Vehicle Standards and Tyres QLD

Vehicle standards and tyres QLD. Tyre standards in Australia exist to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers of a vehicle and surrounding drivers and pedestrians. Vehicle owners must meet a set of requirements as the responsibility of owning a car. Failure to meet these requirements may result in penalties or compromised safety.

Tyres are a definitive component in overall vehicle safety. Legislation provisions enable optimal driving performance and driver responsibility to keep our roads safe. Passenger vehicle tyres and small commercial vehicle tyres are placed under Australian Design Rules. These requirements must be met by the vehicle manufacture and the successive owner of the vehicle, to the end of the vehicle’s life.

Penalties

Is your vehicle roadworthy? You need to conduct a range of mechanical checks when appropriate. Vehicle function is incredibly important, and you should be ensuring the working condition of vehicle components such as lights and tyres. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.5mm. Please keep in mind this is the absolute minimum. On the spot fines of one bald tyre can cost $110.

Function

Tyre function must be compliant with Australian standards. Tread depth is the most important component to monitor. However, you should always be aware of any sidewall damage on tyres. Size, tyre inflation and capacity rating should not go against the manufacture’s requirements. Refer to your tyre place card for all necessary information.

Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balance

We consider a wheel alignment and a wheel balance an essential tyre service. To ensure your safety on the roads, these two services will heighten vehicle safety. Thus, if you notice your car pulling in a certain direction or uneven weight distribution, you may want to bring your car in.

Guidelines for Tyre Performance and Cost

What do certain tyre features mean? Guidelines for tyre performance and cost can be vague. There are a certain list of specifications and safety features to be addressed by the manufacture and retailer. Beyond this, most models will have a list of performance and specialised safety features to help you justify the price and make an education decision. Tyre cost generally reflects performance. This means the higher the cost the better the tyre. So, what performance features should you be looking out for?

Safety

Safety should be your number one priority to ensure not only you, but your passengers and surrounding motorists are kept safe at all times. High quality tyres are generally made with a compound that have developed tread depth and tyre structure. This means the formula of a good tyres compound will be built with safety in mind.

Comfort

Comfort alone can be worth investing in a good tyre. These specifications involves features such as noise level, tread grip, tread wear and grip performance.

Vehicle Control and Performance

Vehicle performance pursues a seamless ride and furthermore, will link back to safety features. Your desired style of tyre such as Highway, Mud Terrain All Terrain will perform differently. It is a good idea to talk to your tyre specialist so they can find a tyre to meet your travel conditions. Performance can involve factors such as compound, construction, wet grip, dry grip

Cost

Monitoring your vehicles performance will reduce your fuel economy. This could involve tyre rotation, wheel alignment and balancing. While you can buy the best set of tyres around, you need to be conscious of the early onset damage you may be causing. Load index, tyre pressure and driving habits all contribute to the cost of replacing a tyre quicker than it should be.

Rural Car Breakdown: Tyre Punctures and Breakdown in a Remote Location.

What should you do if your car breaks down or has a flat tyre in a remote area?

Getting stranded in the middle-of-nowhere is a nightmare we all share. We rely on the simplicity of calling roadside assistance when getting stuck roadside. But what would you do if you had no reception, were far from a petrol station with the rare occasion of a passing car?

Food and Water

Water and non-perishable food is a must. In the scenario that you have to wait for a tow truck or sleep in your car overnight, bottled water and long-life food will keep you going.

A Spare

A tyre puncture is a common occurrence, one that will happen to all of us at some point. You should never leave without (at the very least) a space-saver tyre on board with a tyre iron and jack. If your knowledge is a little rusty you could always have a physical step-by-step guide in your vehicle to follow in changing or repairing a tyre.

Direction

Do not rely on Apple or Google Maps to take you to your destination. If your phone runs out of battery or does not have reception what would you do? You should always carry a physical map unless your car has a built-in GPS.

First-aid

Purchasing a basic first-aid kit from a supermarket or pharmacy can come in handy. You could potentially find yourself the first on the scene of an accident.

Jumper leads, motor oil, tool kit, emergency radio and spare blankets are more items you may want to add to your emergency kit depending on where you are going. Your list of essential breakdown items may be very different if you are simply heading to the shops or embarking on a road trip across Australia. Too hard? Purchase a comprehensive emergency kit here.

… what a lot of rules. Sometimes it is just best to pop in store or give us a call to take the hassle out of tyre, vehicle and safety rules.