These are handy tips on how to measure your car floor mats. As a start, you’ll need the following:

• Tape
• Scissors
• Paper and Pencil
• Measuring Tape
• Heavy Paper

These are all needed so you can properly measure the size you need. To do so, you’ll need to create a pattern to show to the shop. You can do this by:

1. Measure the total floor area between the door job and the start of your vehicle’s centre console. Do the same to the back of your car, but this time measuring it from the door jamb up to the floor hump where the seats begin. 

NOTE: Consider any irregularities on the floor such as slants and obstructions on the floor.

2. Draw these measurements into your heavy paper. Cut it with scissors before placing it into your car to see it fits accordingly. Should there be any pattern covers that need to be adjusted, ensure that it has been properly noted.

Based on these notes and measurements, So it will fit exactly as you have measured it. 

Here at Ryanie for Tyres, we perform rubber matting cut to size for the back of:

• Utes
• Trailers
• Trucks
• Workshops 
• Horse Floats

Be prepared, this is going to be one dirty topic for you! Well, maybe not that dirty but hey, it’ll be greasy! Afterall, we are talking about the right battery to choose for your 4×4.
&nbsp

Why the need to take care of your car battery

Batteries are a box of sparks responsible for starting your vehicle. They are one of the essential things that helps your engine run. Thus, before hitting the road; you should ensure that your batteries are working efficiently. Otherwise, you may find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere because your batteries broke down.

Understanding the role of your 4×4 battery

Your 4×4 batteries are responsible for making the electrical system of your vehicle work. One way it is working properly is to ensure that there are no loose connections. You also need to check its sulphuric acids’ level, especially if you are doing a long drive. 

Things to consider when caring for your 4×4 battery

Your battery’s life can be shortened if you always leave it flat (not having enough power to for it to work). Here are some reasons why your battery is flat.

• The electrolyte solutions’ level is very low.  The solution levels of your car’s battery must always be checked as it is important for it to operate. It’s the one that fuels your battery.
• Short frequent trips can shorten your battery’s life and soon it’ll be flat. A quality amount of time is needed for the alternator to charge your battery. If you always use it for short rides, your battery won’t have ample time to fully charge.
• Unused for a long period of time. If your car is rarely used, tendencies are, your battery will turn flat as it does not charge. So need to warm it up even just in your garage.

How to find the right 4×4 battery for your car?

Your choice of battery will depend on the load it will handle. Thus, the need for you to know the amount of electricity each of your accessory needs. 

For 4×4 vehicles, it is common for it to have a dual battery system, especially if it is running multiple accessories such as fridges and winches. These dual batteries uses a dedicated starting battery and a deep cycle battery. The starting battery is used to help crank the engine and is isolated when it is switched off while the deep cycle battery is utilised for the accessories of the 4×4 vehicle. This secures the efficiency of the starting battery without compromising the overall performance of your 4×4.

Things to consider when choosing your 4×4 battery

When choosing a battery for your 4×4, it is important to consider the following measurements:

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) – Usually, a heavy-duty battery has CCA in the 600s. So starting a big-turbo diesel is easy even on a winter morning.

Reserve Capacity (RC) – this measures the length of time your battery can operate the accessories when the engine is not working or if the alternator fails. A heavy duty battery shall have an RC of 130 minutes and above. The higher the RC number, the longer you can be sure to drive even with a broken alternator.

AH(Amp Hours) –  AH is the amount of current is available for a specific time. Usually, a battery has 55AH for a 4WD.

These 3 measurements ensures your battery can cater to the initial requirements of your vehicle for it to run the engine. But what about the other stuff you want to use? How will you account for the type of battery to use on these accessories?

You’ll need an additional deep cycle battery to power these accessories. For professional assistance, let our battery experts help you. 

Caravans and trailers are great travel partners, especially for long trips with the family. It serves as your second home while you journey deep into the wild with your friends, family or and loved ones. But how do you keep its tyres in good condition, when it is not on the road?

Why is there a need to care for your caravan tyres?

Your caravan tyres have direct contact on the ground, even if it is parked. This exposes it to constant ground pressure and outside factors. Not to mention the amount of weight it has to carry, which is approximately half the weight of the caravan on each wheel. This is equivalent to a quarter of the weight of typical car.

With this amount of weight, it is not surprising if you see your caravan tyres are not in good condition after it has been parked for a long time.

How to care for your caravan tyres

The below tips will help ensure the quality of your caravan tyres. Read on.

Check the pressure

Checking the stability and safety of your caravan tyres is very important. Ensure that each of these tyres are completely inflated. An under or overinflated tyre can mess up with the steering handling, which may lead to an accident.

What has to be done?
Before setting on the road, check the pressure of each of your caravan tyres. If you see that the tyres are cold, adjust the pressure prior to your journey – not after or during the ride wherein they are higher. You should also remember not to deflate a warm tyre as they can be very low once they cool down.

If your caravan tyres’ are not properly inflated, they will wear out faster. Keeping your tyres with the correct pressure, can make them last longer and save you money in return.

There are recommendations on the amount of pressure your tyre can accommodate. Thus, it is important to read the manufacturer’s handbook to know about this.

Nose Weight

For optimal stability, the nose weight should be at an approximate rate of 7% of the caravan’s laden weight. This will vary on the actual laden weight of your caravan or towed trailer. However, these might be limited by the caravan’s hitch limit.

Minimum Thread Depth

The depth of your caravan tyres’ thread must be 1.6mm minimum across its full thread width. It is also advisable to change your tyres before they reach this thread width limit.

Use the Right Caravan Tyres

Use tyres that fit your caravan. As much as possible, use tyres that are the same as the old ones. They have to be of equal size, loan index, symbol and speed specifications.

Always Have a Spare Caravan Tyre

It is highly recommended for you to choose a compatible tyre as spare for your caravan. Ensure this has the same dimensions, specifications, and strength.

Do Not Overload Your Caravan

Overloading can cause damage in your caravan tyres’ along the way. The same will happen if you poorly distribute its load.

As we have earlier mentioned, there are specific amount of loads your tyre can carry. If you go beyond this limit, then be prepared to experience an adverse reaction to your tyre’s pressure, which may even lead to an accident.

Conclusion

As a final note, you should remember to keep all of your tyres in good condition by:

• Maintaining the correct tyre pressure
• Using the correct tyres
• Avoid overloading
• Driving at a combination of comfortable speed at an allowed speed limit

Constantly check your tyres for possible signs of damage and apply the proper solution as needed. Follow the manufacturer’s specifications and recommendations to prevent damages. Ultimately, let the professionals inspect your caravan tyres on a regular basis.

Talk to us

Nothing lasts forever, even the tyres of your vehicle. Sadly, replacing your tyres require costly expenses. Make your tyres last longer with these helpful tips.

Have a monthly tyre pressure check-up

Did you know that driving with low pressure can easily shorten your tyre’s lifespan and also increases your fuel consumption?

That is why it is important to regularly check your tyre pressure and inflate it according to your specific vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. Just make sure not to overfill your tyres to avoid uneven wear on the tread and poor traction.

Religiously align your tyres

Your suspension alignment must be checked every 5,000 to 10, 000km. This ensures your tyres have good contact with the road and won’t pull to the other side when steering.

Regularly include this in your tyre maintenance because a tyre misalignment can result to:

• Increased fuel consumption
• Uneven tyre wear
• Other dangerous consequences

Rotate the tyres regularly

Do not wait for signs of wear and tear before you rotate your tyres.

Tyres must be rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 km regardless of your driving habits. This is necessary to maximise your tyres’ life and even out wear and tear since your front and rear tyres have dissimilar functions.

Road hazards must be given attention

Road hazards have a damaging effect on your tyre’s sidewall, which can result in uneven tyre pressure. This is mostly due to:

• Hitting speed bumps and potholes
• Braking too soon
• Driving too fast
• Driving on rough roads

Plan ahead to make an alternate route in order to avoid roadworks. Moreover, try to slow down when driving over a speed bump or pothole to prevent damaging your tyres.

Avoid curbs

It is never a good idea to drive over a curb just to get to the turning lane faster. Hitting the curb can damage your tyres and maximise the chances of tyre sidewall fractures.

CONCLUSION

Save money by prolonging the life of your tyres with these tips. For all your tyre needs, call Ryanie for Tyres. We are ready to help you.