The invention of the wheel is the single most important invention after the invention of the tools and the discovery of the fire. This allowed the man to travel faster than he could by walking. All the greatest engineering marvels of the ancient world could be attributed to the active use of the wheels. By the time, the advent of the modern age, wheels too underwent a radical change. The rubber tires with air-filled tubes replace the stone and wooden wheels. These are easy to replace and change. The latest development in the field of tires involved the use of tubeless tires. These tires had no chance to leak or burst and are usually replaced when it shows signs of wearing out.
Tubeless tires are usually quite costly. So, if there is a crunch in your wallet and need to reduce your expenses, you can avail quality second hand tyres at a cheap rate. The problem associated with it is that not many people can recognize the quality of these second-hand tires. Usually, persuaded to buy inferior quality tires. This possesses a significant risk to the life of the rider. So, here are SEVEN tips and tricks you need to know while buying the second-hand tires.
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Know the type of road you might face during driving. You may have noticed that the modern tires often have squiggly lines drawn over it, which almost looks like a design. This is the tread mark of your tire. These lines increase the amount of friction and help to keep your vehicle fixed on the road. This information will determine the type of tire required for the specific surface.
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Every tire has its date of manufacture stamped on it. The nomenclature is in the format of WW/YY. So, 0899 refers to the 8th week of 1999. People who buy second hand tyres usually miss this. Try to look for this date and determine the age of the tire. Avoid second hand tyres that are more than 5 years old.
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Rubber integrity can be tested by pinching the tire. This will be indicative of the overall quality of the tire. Other tire defects such as the wearing of rubber by dry rot. Inspecting the tire surface closely will reveal these defects. Do not buy tires with bald spots or with uneven wear spots.
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The tread should not wear a lot. Generally, if a tire has a tread depth of 1.6 mm then the second hand tires are safe for driving. It is always advisable to buy a set of the tire or a pair. The tires should be of the same type. This ensures that the tires have balanced wear on both sides of the axle. This prevents the skidding of the vehicle in the direction of the tire unbalance on a slippery or wet road.
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If you are thinking to purchase a single tire, the second hand tires check the tire from the axle. This ensures that the tire matches the pre-existing tire and you don’t have to manipulate the fixing of the second hand tire to the axle.
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The selected tire should have the same or more wear than the existing tire. This improves the balance and wears between the tires.
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The width of the tire and the aspect ratio of the existing tire should match with the second tire. This reduces the disparity between the other pre-existing tires and the second hand tyres.
Thus, by performing these checks you can be assured to buy second hand tires.