Tyre Care | Tyre Break-In Period Every Tyre Buyer Should Know

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Do you remember when you last purchased a new pair of shoes? Then you must have known that the new shoes are firm and tough, and take a time to become soft and comfortable on the surface. Or you happen to purchase a new car, initially, you will not get out-of-the-box performance as engine takes a time to ensure optimal functioning. Same principle can be applied to a set of new tyres you have purchased for your car. After installing a new set of tyres you will not be able to get expected performance immediately since it’s a fresh out of factory product and needs time to smoothen up.

Tyres are made up of multiple layers and a combination of various materials like rubber, steel, fabric and chemical compounds. During the manufacturing process a tyre goes through various stages and at the final stage, a releasing agent or lubricant treatment is given so as to prevent it from sticking to the mould during the curing process. After you install a new tyre to your vehicle, the traces of this lubricant are still there and that is the reason a new tyre shines so much.

Why do new tyres need to break-in?

Just like other components such as engine, new tyres need to go through light running conditions in the initial phase. The lubricant added at the end stage of manufacturing although is practically invisible; it acts as an additional layer that is actually slippery when you drive. This is the reason why experts recommend you first break-in your tyres initially and let this lubricant completely wear off the tyres for a proper contact on the road. Other than breaking in this lubricant, the tyre itself needs to undergo some break-in period so that all the compounds and materials gel together.

As a natural process of wearing undergoes load conditions and various temperatures, the compounds and fibre get settled into a place, providing optimal performance after some time.

How do I do that?

Most of the experts will recommend to moderately drive the vehicle for the first 500-800 kilometers.
It is also better not to go harsh on cornering as it could be dangerous at sometimes due to slippery nature of the new tyres.
Keeping a good braking distance will not put your life at risk.

Going easy for a few hundred kilometres initially will definitely unlock the full potential of your tyres. As the rubber tread wears off, you will notice improvements in the performance, ride and handling compared to your first drive post fitment of the new set of tyres.