Tyre fitment is more than swapping rubber. A good fitment centre checks the size and ratings suit your car, mounts the tyre without marking the rim, fits a new valve, balances the wheel, torques the nuts correctly and takes your old tyres for proper disposal. Tell us the vehicle, the tyre size from the sidewall and whether you need the tyres supplied or already have them, and we pass your request to independent tyre shops and fitment centres in your area. They quote you directly, free.
Reading the tyre size
A size such as 205/55 R16 91V means a tyre 205 mm wide, a sidewall 55% as tall as that width, radial construction, for a 16 inch rim, with a load index of 91 and a speed rating of V. Your replacement should match the size and at least the load index and speed rating your car's maker specifies, which you find in the handbook or on a sticker in the door frame or fuel flap. For a bakkie or 4x4 that tows or carries loads, the load rating matters most. If you want a different size, for example a slightly wider tyre or one to suit bigger mag wheels, ask the shop to check that the overall diameter stays close to the original so the speedometer and ABS are not thrown out, and that it clears the arches on full lock.
The DOT date code
Tyres age even in a warehouse. The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall are the week and year the tyre was made: 2425 means week 24 of 2025. Ask the shop for the date of the tyres it is quoting, and be cautious of a cheap set that has been sitting for years. If you bought tyres online, check the code when they arrive, before they are fitted.
What a proper fitment includes
- A new rubber valve, or a service kit for a TPMS valve (see TPMS sensors)
- Clean bead seats and bead lubricant so the tyre seats evenly
- Wheel balancing of every wheel
- Nuts tightened to the maker's figure with a torque wrench, not only an impact gun; many fitters advise a recheck after the first 50 to 100 km
- Correct pressures and a look at the spare
- Disposal of the old tyres
Ask what is included in the price per tyre and what is extra.
After fitting: alignment and the rims
New tyres start their life straight only if the car is straight, so many shops suggest a wheel alignment check with a new set, especially if the old ones wore on one edge. Fitting time is also a good moment to look at the rims: a bent lip, a crack or heavy curb rash is easier to fix while the tyre is off.
What to put in your request
- The full tyre size from the sidewall
- Vehicle type and what you use it for
- How many tyres, supplied or your own
- Whether the car has TPMS sensors
- If you want an alignment check as well
Tyre Fitment for drivers, fleets and workshops
- Private car owners: a set of four for the family car before the December holiday drive
- Enthusiasts, 4x4 and performance drivers: performance tyres on large wheels and all-terrain or mud tyres for a 4x4
- Company and rental fleets: regular tyre replacement on rental, courier and company cars with records per vehicle
- Dealers, panel shops and insurers: matching tyres fitted to used cars before they go on the floor
- Tyre shops and wheel workshops: mechanics passing tyre jobs found at a service to a fitment centre nearby
- Truck, bus and taxi operators: minibus taxis on high mileage that need fresh tyres often
- Farms: load-rated bakkie and trailer tyres that cope with gravel and heavy loads
- Mines and construction sites: strong light truck tyres for site vehicles on rough haul roads
Frequently asked questions
Can you fit tyres I bought online?
Should I replace two tyres or four?
How do I know when my tyres need replacing?
Do you sell or fit tyres yourselves?
Tyre Fitment by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg