How do I change a tyre?
Loosen before lifting, lift on the right point, and the motorway exception that matters most.
intermediate45 min3 min read
Tyres & Wheels
Pressures, tread, wear patterns and punctures.
14 guides in Motoring
Can my puncture be repaired, or does the tyre have to be replaced?
Where on a tyre a repair is legally permitted, the size limit, why sidewalls and shoulders can never be repaired, and what a run-flat or a sealant kit changes.
beginner12 min5 min readHow do I check tyre tread depth and know if a tyre is legal?
The 1.6mm legal minimum and where it has to be met, the moulded wear indicators that do the measuring for you, and why 3mm is the sensible replacement point.
beginner10 min4 min readHow do I set my tyre pressures correctly?
Where the correct figures are printed, why cold matters, the separate loaded figure most people never use, and how to read a gauge properly.
beginner15 min4 min readWhy does my tyre pressure light come on when it gets cold?
Air contracts as it cools, so a tyre correctly set in September reads low in November. How to tell the seasonal drop from a slow puncture, and why topping up warm tyres sets them wrong.
beginner10 min4 min readWhy does one tyre keep losing pressure?
Why alloy wheels leak at the rim, how to find a slow puncture with a spray bottle, and the three causes that have nothing to do with a nail.
beginner12 min5 min readAre winter tyres worth it in the UK, or should I get all-season?
What actually changes at 7°C, why the choice depends far more on where you live than on how much snow you expect, and the practical costs nobody mentions.
beginner15 min5 min readDo I have to replace tyres in pairs, and where should new ones go?
When one new tyre is acceptable and when it is not, why new tyres belong on the rear whatever drives the car, and what four-wheel drive changes about all of this.
beginner12 min5 min readAre budget tyres a false economy?
What the tyre label actually measures, how big the wet braking difference really is, and when a mid-range tyre is the sensible answer rather than either extreme.
beginner15 min5 min readWhy does my steering wheel shake at speed?
Wheel balance, warped discs, a bulging tyre and worn suspension all produce a shake. The speed and conditions at which it happens tell you which one you have.
beginner12 min4 min readHow do I use a tyre sealant kit or a space saver spare?
What each option can and cannot do, the speed and distance limits that apply, and when to call for recovery instead.
beginner30 min4 min readHow old are my tyres, and does age matter as much as tread?
Every tyre carries its week and year of manufacture in a four-digit code. How to read it, why a nearly new-looking tyre can still be unsafe, and where age matters most.
beginner10 min4 min readWhat do the numbers on a tyre sidewall mean?
Decoding a marking like 205/55 R16 91V, finding the date the tyre was made, and which of those figures a replacement must match or beat.
beginner10 min4 min readWhat do uneven tyre wear patterns mean?
Four wear patterns, what each one is telling you about pressure or geometry, and which two you can fix yourself with a gauge.
beginner10 min3 min read