The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Bernard Njiraini on Wednesday, November 2, shared tricks used by some manufacturers to make substandard tyres leading to road accidents.
Through a statement, Njiraini warned motorists of stuffing tyres which had sneaked into the Kenyan automotive market leading to accidents on major highways.
According to Njiraini, the vice involves crumpling smaller tyres into bigger ones, compromising their quality. This means a small tyre is squeezed and rammed inside a slightly larger tyre, forcing that pair into an even bigger one.
"Stuffing tyres is a dangerous practice, and we should all be on the lookout. This is when smaller tyres are crumpled into bigger ones, compromising the integrity of the seal once fitted on a vehicle," Njiraini stated.
The KEBS MD thus warned motorists to be keen and reject tyres that with signs of irregularities.
This illegal practice saves space, reduces shipping costs, and hides the number of tyres in a container shipped into the country.
Most dealers in these types of tyres also tend to sale them at discounted prices attracting potential and unsuspecting buyers.
How to Identify stuffed tyres
According to his statement, stuffed tyres can be easily spotted due to their deformed edges. Most sellers and manufacturers tend to convince car owners that after fixing on the ream, the tyre would regain its shape.
"Do not purchase a tyre that has any distortion in its shape, no matter how good the price, how good the tread and no matter what the salesman promises about its return to shape when it is mounted and inflated," an expert stated.
However, most of them end up bursting, causing road accidents.
According to the KEBS MD, an incomplete seal is also a sign of a stuffed tyre. This is because the process involves exerting a force that distorts all the tyres involved far beyond their design limits, causing invisible but potentially damage to the tyre casings.
Also, inconsistencies in quality marks is a sign of stuffed tyres which are considered risky on Kenyan roads.
To help motorists confirm car details, including mileage and other features, KEBS unveiled a short SMS code.
using the code, buyers can confirm the authenticity of the tyres by sending their standardised number to 20023.
