Will the Tyres on Your Car Pass the Rego Inspection?
Before a car that is more than five years old can be driven on the roads around Australia, it needs to be certified as safe and will need to have what is known as a "pink slip" inspection. This needs to be done at recommended intervals and can be performed at a certified facility, where the inspector will assess its condition and concentrate on its general safety. While they will look at the suspension, steering, brakes and lighting, did you know that they will also inspect the condition of your tyres? To ensure that you pass your rego inspection the first time, how can you assess the current condition of your covers?
Serviceability
As you know, rubber tyres will only last for a certain amount of time before they wear down past a recommended level and become unusable. Tread wear indicators are built into the cover, and if the surrounding tread has worn down to the level of those bars or beyond, then you will get a fail.
Signs of Trouble
However, your tyre may be unserviceable even though you appear to have enough tread left. This could be due to many other factors, including poor alignment, but you should be able to see signs of damage with a close inspection.
For example, have a good look at the condition of the sidewall, or the piece of the tyre that runs in between the wheel rim and the outer circumference. If you notice any kind of bulge, then you may have bumped that tyre into a kerb or other object, causing damage to the interior structure. When this happens, the metal lattice within the sidewall may have separated, and this has allowed the inner tube to press against the inside of the sidewall, causing the bulge. If you were to hit that particular tyre again, then it could fail altogether, and there is also a risk that it could blow out at high speed when you're driving down the motorway.
Be on the lookout for tiny cracks on the sidewall, also known as "crazing." This can be caused by excessive exposure to the sun, and you should be particularly careful if you tend to park the vehicle out in the open during the day. It is always best if you try to park in a garage or under an awning of some kind.
Getting Ready
If you notice any of these issues, you will need to get those tyres replaced before you go in for your rego inspection. This will help you to ensure that you pass the first time and do not incur any other unnecessary expense.
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