6 Important but Less Common Facts About Car Tires
There are many facts about car tires that you are already through your local mechanic or friends and family. However, tires still hold a lot of secrets that remain unknown to many people. Therefore, in this article, PitStopArabia plans to discuss 6 crucial but less common facts about car tires.
1. Airless Tires
A few of you might know it, but airless tires are now becoming the norm of the day. Tire manufacturers are working on introducing airless tyres across all price and car ranges. Therefore, in a few years, tire punctures will be a thing of the past. Uptis is one such example of an airless tyre being developed by Michelin.
2. Expiry Date
Most of you know that tires can be driven up to a certain range after which the tread wears out, and the tires do not perform well. However, the interesting thing is that tires also have an expiry date. Regardless of how little they have been driven for, manufacturers recommend changing the tyres after six years.
The reason is that tires start losing elasticity from the second they are manufactured due to exposure to the air.
3. Tires Are Always Black Coloured
Regardless of what type of tire you have, the colour will always be black. If you see a tyre of a different colour, it has been repainted. The original colour of all tires is milky white as the rubber from which they are made is of the same colour. However, this substance is not strong enough.
Therefore, carbon black is added to the tire to make it more durable and stronger. The carbon black is responsible for changing the colour from milky white to the black that we see.
4. Tread Patterns
The patterns on the tire are not there for decorative purposes. The patterns on the tires called ‘tread patterns' play an essential role. The type of tread pattern determines the car's performance, handling, braking distance, acceleration and much more on different types of surfaces and weather conditions.
There are different types of patterns, including:
- Non-Directional (it is the most common pattern and used in a majority of the tires)
- Directional
- Asymmetrical
There is also a minimum legal tread pattern. For passenger vehicles, the minimum tread level is 1.5mm.
5. There is A Lot More Than Just Rubber Inside the Tire
The tire is made up much more than rubber. It includes different materials that are inside the tire and give it strength and various performance characteristics. Various tire manufacturers use cobalt and titanium to bond the steel belts inside the tire. Interestingly, Yokohama uses citrus oil to deal with tread stiffness in varying temperatures.
Therefore, the next time you look at your tire, keep in mind that is much more than just rubber.
6. Tires Are Not Always Repairable
If you have damaged your tire, it does not mean that you can get it repaired in all the cases. In many instances, a tire cannot be repaired, and you must have it replaced. For example, sidewall damage is one of the cases in which a tire cannot be repaired, and you must replace it quickly.
Conclusion
We conclude this article with the hope that we managed to increase your knowledge about tires. Keep these facts in mind as they are not common but can prove useful at some point in your life.