4 March 2010
After all the gritting and salting to roads to keep traffic moving during this winter’s unprecedented bad weather, the wheel arches and undersides of UK vehicles are now caked in corrosive debris. Whilst every effort should be made to clean it off, motorists may be causing unseen but terminal damage to their car’s tyres by using pressure washers incorrectly. In a bid to limit the possibility of damage, mytyres.co.uk, part of Europe’s largest web-based tyre retailer, is advising motorists of the dangers pressure washers can pose to the sidewall of a tyre.

According to the respected German safety and testing organisation, DEKRA, if a pressure washer nozzle is held too close to the sidewall of a tyre at high pressure, serious damage can result in as little as five seconds! Even tyres that appear to be unaffected after being exposed to a pressure washer may have microscopic perforations which can weaken the tyre sidewall and cause deflation, leading to a possible blow-out.

Other factors, says mytyres.co.uk, that may cause deterioration or damage to tyres include some soaps and detergents. These can remove protective chemicals that are embedded in the sidewall – they can sometimes be identified visually on the tyre as brown watermarks –resulting in a significant reduction in durability.

mytyres.co.uk advises motorists considering using a pressure washer on their cars to adhere to the following tips:

• Ideally, use a light to medium duty pressure washer (110 bar or less)
• Keep the washer nozzle at least 20cm from the tyre surface
• Always use a fan nozzle to clean tyres, rather than a circular nozzle
• Avoid prolonged jet washing of any one area of the tyre
• Avoid aiming the water jet at the join between the tyre and wheel rim

Tip:

If you're like the majority of 4x4 Drivers, you won't be able to change the diff oil until you get home, because you won't have spare oil and a sump pump to change it. If you suspect contaminated oil (a deep water crossing without extended diff breathers or perhaps you have leaking diff seals) then you can try and remove the water by draining the diff until only oil comes out the drain hole. Do not drain too much and leave your diff short of lubrication. Collect this oil and water emulsion as you should never dispose of oil into the environment. Save it till you get back home and dispose of it properly. Its not only diffs that can have water contamination, but also your gearbox, transfer case and engine oil. However, it is usually only when a 4x4 is stationary in deep water that these components are contaminated.