The Tips for Checking Off-The-Road Tire (OTR Tire)
The OTR tire includes spare tire, which needs to be checked regularly every month. During the inspection, the surface of the OTR tire should be observed whether there are cracks or scratches on it at the same time. It is best to put on gloves and reach inside the tire to check for suspicious marks. As long as you find the slightest suspicious point, immediately ask the car dealer for a detailed inspection. Do not be reluctant to throw away the tire with defects. If you find that the surface of the tire is abnormally worn, you should think that there may be a problem with the toe-in adjustment of the wheel, which is in need of repair.
1. Does the OTR tire have convex and corrugated wear?
Reason: If it is found that the two sides of the tire landing part are convexly worn, and the periphery of the tire also has corrugated wear, it means that the shock absorbers, bearings and spherical couplings and other parts of the car are seriously worn.
Solution: Due to the relatively high cost of replacing new tire, it is recommended that check the wear condition of the suspension system and replace the worn parts before replacing the tire. Otherwise, even changing the tire, but to no avail.
2. Does the OTR tire have outer edge wear?
Reason: If observe in the direction of travel, there is greater wear on the outer edge of the tire, which indicates that the tire is often in the state of under-inflation, that is, insufficient pressure.
Solution: Check the tire pressure several times. If possible, inflating the tire according to the "highway" standard, that is, add 30,000 Pa more than the normal standard. Furthermore, it is generally believed that since the under-inflated tire is good for driving on snow and sand, it is also good for driving on the wet ground. However, it should be noted that the under-inflated tire is very unfavorable for driving in rainy weather, on account of that the grip will be significantly reduced.
3. Does the OTR tire have local wear?
Reason: If there is only a large area of wear on the surface of the OTR tire, it means that it is caused by holding the wheel during the emergency braking, while if the front and rear wheels have two same wear, it indicates that there is a problem with the drum brake.
Solution: In this case, the tire must be replaced by all means. In order to cope with urgent needs, of course, the old tire can be temporarily replaced to the rear wheel so as to ensure the safety.
4. Is the surface of OTR tire evenly worn?
Reason:The even wear of tire is normal phenomenon. Each part will have corresponding performance. Once the pattern has been worn out, it indicates that the service life of the tire has expired and must be replaced. In addition, the pattern has the effect of draining gathered water on the road, so it is an important part of maintaining the car's grip.
Solution: Never make tire patterns by yourself. If the wear has reached the standard depth of the tire pattern (usually1.6mm, and 2 mm for the tire with a width greater than 175 mm), the tire must be replaced. Of course, the degree of wear will be various. However, it should be noted that the wear difference of different tires on the same axle must not exceed 5 mm.
5. Are there any "internal injuries" in the OTR tire?
Reason: After the OTR tire collided with a hard object (for example, hitting the edge of the sidewalk), or after driving in the state of the flat tire, the rubber layer of the tire will be severely scratched, which will affect the degree of sealing.
Solution: In this case, the tire will leak or break. If the wound is small, it can be repaired for emergencies certainly, but if you want to travel a long distance, it must be replaced immediately.
6. Is the center part of the OTR tire worn?
Reason: If you find that the center area of the tire landing part is severely worn, which indicates that the tire is often in the state of over inflation. It is not conducive to the maintenance of tire, on the contrary, it accelerates the wear of the tire.
Solution: First of all, being sure to check whether the pressure gauge is accurate and adjust the pressure. It should be noted that the tire needs to be over-inflated only when driving at high speeds or when driving with heavy loads, while it is unnecessary under the normal conditions.
7. Does the OTR tire have the internal wear?
Reason: The inner side of the tire is worn and the outer edge of the tire is burr-like. It is commonly seen that the poor suspension systems of some old cars cause the entire body to sink, which indicates that the tire has been deformed and the symmetry of the two tires have been affected.
8. Does the OTR tire have the side cracks?
Reason: Mostly due to the poor maintenance or driving on gravel roads as well as construction sites, so that the hard objects contact the tire, causing the damage to the inner layer of the tire under the heavy pressure.
Solution: Action must be taken immediately, if the repair cost is not too expensive, it is better to repair, otherwise the tire must be replaced. Although new technology is applied to the current tires, they are more delicate and need to be properly maintained.