Conti Alignment Indicators Added to European Tyre Range
Continental’s VAI (Visual Alignment Indicators) are due to be added to its European commercial range of tyres, to help drivers correct misalignment that may be causing uneven wear.
VAIs have been standard on US commercial vehicle tyres for over a decade, and are a very straightforward method of determining the wear of your tyres. Pairs of rubber indicators are set into the tread around the shoulder of the tyre. After a few thousand kilometres, you will be able to see whether there is a difference in the wear of your tyres when you compare each one with the tyre on the opposite side of the car. It’s then very easy to notice if your alignment is skewed, before your tyres are too badly worn.
Uneven tyre wear can be caused by negative or positive camber, or badly set toe, causing the tyre to wear out much faster than it should. This not only costs you money in replacement tyres, but it can affect your ride and the handling of your vehicle. The beauty of the VAI system is that anyone can ‘read’ the results, without any need for complicated (or expensive) electronic measurements at a garage.
With the success of this simple method across the pond, Conti are now planning on introducing VAI into its product range in the UK and Europe as standard on selected tyres.