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Trivia on Car Tyres
A tyre is the spherical-shaped covering that fits around a wheel to protect it. The tyre can enhance the performance of the car by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground.
The word 'tyre' is derived from "attire" which means to dress. The word has been clipped to 'tyre' or 'tire' as in U.S. usage.
Primitive tyres were metal strips fitted around the wooden wheels to prevent wear and tear. Modern day tyres are made of rubber and fabric along with other compound chemicals. The tread and the body are the main constructive make-up of a tyre. The tread provides traction while the body ensures support. The most recent and popular type of tyre is pneumatic, pertaining to a fitted rubber based ring that is used as an inflatable cushion and generally filled with compressed air. Pneumatic tyres are used on many types of automobiles such as bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, earthmovers, and aircraft.
The first pneumatic tyre was made by John Boyd Dunlop in 1887 for his son's bicycle. Companies making tyres first showed up in the early 20th century. Now, at the moment, over 1 billion tyres are produced annually in over 400 tyre factories across the globe.
The word 'tyre' is derived from "attire" which means to dress. The word has been clipped to 'tyre' or 'tire' as in U.S. usage.
Primitive tyres were metal strips fitted around the wooden wheels to prevent wear and tear. Modern day tyres are made of rubber and fabric along with other compound chemicals. The tread and the body are the main constructive make-up of a tyre. The tread provides traction while the body ensures support. The most recent and popular type of tyre is pneumatic, pertaining to a fitted rubber based ring that is used as an inflatable cushion and generally filled with compressed air. Pneumatic tyres are used on many types of automobiles such as bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, earthmovers, and aircraft.
The first pneumatic tyre was made by John Boyd Dunlop in 1887 for his son's bicycle. Companies making tyres first showed up in the early 20th century. Now, at the moment, over 1 billion tyres are produced annually in over 400 tyre factories across the globe.
Types of Tyres
There are various kinds of car tyres available in the market. They are different from each other and each of them has a special role to play depending on the type and size of the vehicle they will be attached to.
High performance tyres are designed for a car running in higher speeds, and more often, a more "sporty" driving style. They feature a softer rubber compound for improved traction, especially on high speed cornering. The trade off of this softer rubber is shorter tread life. High performance street tyres sometimes sacrifice wet weather handling by having shallower water channels to provide more actual rubber tread surface area for dry weather performance. The ability to provide a high level of performance on both wet and dry pavement varies widely among manufacturers and even among tyre models of the same manufacturer.
Trailer tyres come in durable, high-quality materials for extra safety and convenience. The trailer tyres also have a nylon cord construction that helps distribute shocks and impacts over a wider area. They come with ozone-protected wraparound treads that offer better road grip and maximize your car's mileage. They even have extra-large shoulder grooves for better water evacuation and also exceptional safety under all conditions.
Mud terrain radial tyres are designed to manipulate wind through its directional tread pattern making them virtually silent on the highway. They are ideal for off-road driving as their special 2-ply body construction makes them totally flexible without building excessive heat. Radial tyres are ideal for 4WD vehicles and come with a sidebiter sidewall design that gives you extra traction on mud, snow, or sand.
Tubeless turf-tread tyres are perfect for lawn mowers, lawn equipment and golf carts. They are designed with a special tread to roll gently over the lawn causing minimum damage to the turf.
All-terrain tyres are typically used on SUVs and light trucks. These tyres often have stiffer sidewalls for greater resistance against puncture when traveling off-road, the tread pattern offers wider spacing than all-season tyres to remove mud from the tread. Many tyres in the all-terrain category are designed primarily for on-road use, particularly all-terrain tyres that are originally sold with the vehicle.
High performance tyres are designed for a car running in higher speeds, and more often, a more "sporty" driving style. They feature a softer rubber compound for improved traction, especially on high speed cornering. The trade off of this softer rubber is shorter tread life. High performance street tyres sometimes sacrifice wet weather handling by having shallower water channels to provide more actual rubber tread surface area for dry weather performance. The ability to provide a high level of performance on both wet and dry pavement varies widely among manufacturers and even among tyre models of the same manufacturer.
Trailer tyres come in durable, high-quality materials for extra safety and convenience. The trailer tyres also have a nylon cord construction that helps distribute shocks and impacts over a wider area. They come with ozone-protected wraparound treads that offer better road grip and maximize your car's mileage. They even have extra-large shoulder grooves for better water evacuation and also exceptional safety under all conditions.
Mud terrain radial tyres are designed to manipulate wind through its directional tread pattern making them virtually silent on the highway. They are ideal for off-road driving as their special 2-ply body construction makes them totally flexible without building excessive heat. Radial tyres are ideal for 4WD vehicles and come with a sidebiter sidewall design that gives you extra traction on mud, snow, or sand.
Tubeless turf-tread tyres are perfect for lawn mowers, lawn equipment and golf carts. They are designed with a special tread to roll gently over the lawn causing minimum damage to the turf.
All-terrain tyres are typically used on SUVs and light trucks. These tyres often have stiffer sidewalls for greater resistance against puncture when traveling off-road, the tread pattern offers wider spacing than all-season tyres to remove mud from the tread. Many tyres in the all-terrain category are designed primarily for on-road use, particularly all-terrain tyres that are originally sold with the vehicle.
Care for Car Tyres
The most essential thing in keeping the tyres in good shape for a longer period is air. It is air that keeps tyres fit and safe and carries the weight of the vehicle and its load, not the rubber or the casing material. There are several other factors that can maximize the life of tyres. The best performance can be availed from the car tyres by following a few basic and simple tips.
Firstly, tyres should be regularly checked either at home or when visiting a garage or a filling station. Tyres have to be examined, mainly before a long drive, for obvious signs of under-inflation, wear, cuts in the tread or sidewalls. It is important to check for leakage at the valves and to replace missing valve caps. If stones and debris are found trapped in the tread grooves, they should be removed. Remember not to check tyre pressures during or immediately after a journey while the tyres are still warm. This will result in an incorrect pressure reading. It is very important to adjust air pressure at the recommended PSI.
Check the inflation pressure in the tyres periodically. Save fuel and prevent accidents with regular tread wear checks that can be a result of under or over inflation. Replace worn out tyres immediately. Rotate your tyres, i.e. swap the front tyres with the back tyres of your vehicle every 6000 miles of driving. This prevents the front tyres from taking more abuse and wearing out faster than the rear ones.
Ensure to get the steering alignment corrected if front tyres show signs of excessive or uneven wear. Make a note to examine the car brakes if tyres show signs of wear through wheel locking. Always have front wheels and tyres balanced if there are signs of vibration, wheel wobble or patchy tyre wear.
There are certain external factors that contribute to the wear and tear of the tyres. These cannot be avoided, but the damage on tyres can be delayed. Try to avoid harsh braking, fierce acceleration and fast cornering as much as possible. Take care not to drive on raised obstructions or against kerbed edgings. When it is absolutely necessary to drive over rough, uneven, unmade ground or over ground littered with debris, check the tyres soon afterwards to ensure that no foreign objects have become trapped in the tread patterns and examine the sidewalls for cuts or bulges.
This is important to have a better understanding of the markings on the car tyre as will help you choose the right tyre for your car. Selecting the right tyre for your car will ensure a smooth and safe ride. The condition of car tyres also depends on upkeep of your car. Avoid overloading your car as this will put excessive strain on the tyres.
If there is a flat tyre, inspect it carefully for any external or internal damage to see whether it needs repair or replacement. Learn how to fix a flat tyre. This helps you at times when you are in trouble and help is far. And always keep a spare tyre handy!!
Firstly, tyres should be regularly checked either at home or when visiting a garage or a filling station. Tyres have to be examined, mainly before a long drive, for obvious signs of under-inflation, wear, cuts in the tread or sidewalls. It is important to check for leakage at the valves and to replace missing valve caps. If stones and debris are found trapped in the tread grooves, they should be removed. Remember not to check tyre pressures during or immediately after a journey while the tyres are still warm. This will result in an incorrect pressure reading. It is very important to adjust air pressure at the recommended PSI.
Check the inflation pressure in the tyres periodically. Save fuel and prevent accidents with regular tread wear checks that can be a result of under or over inflation. Replace worn out tyres immediately. Rotate your tyres, i.e. swap the front tyres with the back tyres of your vehicle every 6000 miles of driving. This prevents the front tyres from taking more abuse and wearing out faster than the rear ones.
Ensure to get the steering alignment corrected if front tyres show signs of excessive or uneven wear. Make a note to examine the car brakes if tyres show signs of wear through wheel locking. Always have front wheels and tyres balanced if there are signs of vibration, wheel wobble or patchy tyre wear.
There are certain external factors that contribute to the wear and tear of the tyres. These cannot be avoided, but the damage on tyres can be delayed. Try to avoid harsh braking, fierce acceleration and fast cornering as much as possible. Take care not to drive on raised obstructions or against kerbed edgings. When it is absolutely necessary to drive over rough, uneven, unmade ground or over ground littered with debris, check the tyres soon afterwards to ensure that no foreign objects have become trapped in the tread patterns and examine the sidewalls for cuts or bulges.
This is important to have a better understanding of the markings on the car tyre as will help you choose the right tyre for your car. Selecting the right tyre for your car will ensure a smooth and safe ride. The condition of car tyres also depends on upkeep of your car. Avoid overloading your car as this will put excessive strain on the tyres.
If there is a flat tyre, inspect it carefully for any external or internal damage to see whether it needs repair or replacement. Learn how to fix a flat tyre. This helps you at times when you are in trouble and help is far. And always keep a spare tyre handy!!
