Car Tyre Facts That You Should Know – Part One
Posted by Admin at 17 March 2025, at 06 : 12 AM
You must choose the correct tyres for your vehicle. Remember that it is only via these four pieces of rubber that your contact with the road is made. It makes sense, then, to understand at least a little about the importance of having the correct tyres fitted to your vehicle, as well as what some of the more common terms used when talking about car tyres are. Any experienced tyre-fitter could talk for ages about the different kinds of tyre. Remembering that having your wheels re-aligned is also very important, any main dealer service centre will be happy to do. This is the first part of a series of articles talking about tyres.
There is no standard material, manufacturing process or test procedure for the numerous types of tyre on the market. In addition to this, there are different tyres to cater for all manner of performance requirements. Hence the amount of choice you have when replacing your car’s tyres can often seem bewildering. Some of the types of tyre available are listed below.
Belted/Radial Tyres
Radial or belted tyres have now replaced the older type of cross-ply tyre. The materials of the radial tyre’s inner casing run perpendicular to the direction of tyre travel. The designation ‘radial’ comes from the fact that a side view of the materials reveals a radial pattern. The only disadvantage of the radial tyre is that cornering or accelerating can prove too much for the materials to take. To compensate for this defect the materials are supported by another material such as steel belts. Rubber surrounding ropes of steel wire constitute these steel belts. Flat road contact and structural rigidity are provided by the steel belts. With bead-wires, the ultra-strong steel wires hold an extreme resistance to stretching, therefore holding the tyre to the rim, even during very high performance driving.
Run Flat Tyres
Tyres are now available that allow you to continue driving even though one or more of your tyres has been punctured. One of the two systems currently available has a reinforced sidewall; the other uses a rubber clip secured to the rim. Such tyres must, of course, be compatible with whatever tyre pressure warning systems the car is fitted with. Any new car will naturally be fitted with the right run flat tyres, but replacing them will require proper thought so that incompatible tyres are not fitted.
Summer Tyres
These particular tyres provide excellent driving and braking performance, both on dry and wet roads, during temperatures above freezing in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. They are ideal for warm weather conditions. The tyre has a simple block shaped tread which has the effect of maintaining a firm grip on the road surface at all times.
Winter Tyres/Cold Weather Condition Tyres
When ice or snow is present these are the tyres to use. The tyre’s tread is characterised by blocks of deep grooves. This design enables the tyre to maintain its purchase on the surface where the slipperiness demands greater traction. The tread rubber gives excellent friction and allows flexibility at low temperatures. Most of the current designs are centred towards the braking performance and driving control on icy roads.
All-Season Tyres
As their name suggests, these are designed for use all-year round, and are more complex than other tyres. The maximising of the effect of their edges by the greater number of grooves ensures a much improved braking and driving experience. Characteristic of these All-season tread designs is superb all-round grip as well as low noise and even wear whatever the road conditions.
Snow tyres
Snowy conditions bring out the best in these tyres. They have been designed to replace the standard tyre for the winter months to ensure driving on the snow and ice is safer. The tread is a lot deeper which increases traction, and the elasticity is maintained in the cold due to the type of rubber used. The deeper treads also work to displace higher volumes of snow, sleet and ice than a tyre would do with fewer and more shallow treads. In muddy or icy conditions these tyres out-perform other types.
4WD Tyres
High performance 4X4 vehicles are fitted with these tyres. They will often be made for driving off-road too. Four wheel drive is not an uncommon feature of vehicles today. Four wheel drive systems that can be engaged or disengaged according to the driving conditions are now available on many smaller saloon cars.
Rolling Resistance
Your car’s fuel economy can be affected by the rolling resistance of your tyres. Both performance and fuel economy are affected by whether or not your tyres are pumped correctly. Therefore some tyres are described as “fuel savers”, “eco” or “energy” tyres. Tyres like these will almost certainly have a low rolling resistance. Usually a narrow tyre will provide better fuel economy as well as being less likely to aquaplane.
Tyre Pressures
Make sure that you carry out regular checks on your tyre pressures. Information about tyre pressures will be found in the glove box, the inside of the driver door panel or, of course, in the car’s handbook. Check the tyre pressure every couple of weeks. The true measure of tyre pressure can be achieved by taking a reading only when the tyres are cold; the air in hot tyres will have expanded and therefore give an incorrect reading.
Tyre Care Reminder
Not only are your safety and fuel economy dependent on having the correct tyre pressures, but the environment is also at risk if your pressures are incorrect. So make sure that all your tyres are at the recommended pressure by checking every two weeks. These checks should include your spare as well.
Check for tyre damage at the same time as you check the pressures. Any cuts, lumps and bumps, scrapes or kerbing damage could result in tyre failure, so if you are in any way unsure, get it checked immediately. A flat area could result from sudden braking or uneven wear from your wheels being mis-aligned. If your car has undergone heavy braking, you should have its tyres checked. This goes for commercial vehicles too, lots of dealers do commercial servicing and would be happy to check tyre pressure and alignment.
If your tyres’ treads are below the legal limit of 1.6mm, you are more likely to skid, aquaplane or have a blow out. So ensure that you regularly inspect the tread and general condition of your wheels. If you are unsure maybe take your car to a main dealer service centre who will be happy to advise you on all types of tyres.