Car tires are an everyday object that we take for granted. But without them, driving would be a very different experience. Any Formula One racing fan will be able to tell you about the importance of tires. For a conversation with a motorsports fan, I’ve put together five interesting facts you may not know about car tires:
1. There are several different types of car tires, not just cheap or expensive. The type of tire you choose depends on factors such as the make of the vehicle, desired performance, how you drive your car, and driving conditions.
Five different classifications of tires are:
a) all time
b) Humid climate
c) All Terrain
d) mud
e) Performance
A wet weather tire will handle the harshest winter conditions better than a performance tire, which is suitable for summer driving.
Tire types differ in the rubber compound used (soft or hard) and in the tread patterns. These can affect driving in terms of grip, performance, tire noise, and wear. For example, All Terrain tires have large block tread patterns that are very noisy on normal roads but have great grip when driving off-road.
If you are in doubt as to which type of car tire is best for you, consult a car tire specialist such as Merityre for advice.
2. Each year, tire retailers, auto shops, and vehicle dismantlers discard more than 40 million automobile tires. Responsible companies pay for tires to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
A 2006 EU directive banned the disposal of almost all tires in landfills. Many are reused after a new tread is applied. Others are ground up and used as carpet backing or for road resurfacing. One emerging market is energy recovery. Tires are expected to partially replace coal as a fuel source for many industries.
Car tires can be reused at home in the garden. Ideas include as a raised bed for planting flowers or herbs, a basic composter, as part of a children’s playset, or the old favourite: a car tire swing.
3. Car tires inflated to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer can improve fuel economy by 10%.
Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance on the road and if one tire has a different pressure than the others, an imbalance is created. It makes the car engine work harder, using more fuel.
4. The legal minimum tread depth for a car tire is 1.6mm. This applies to the entire circumference of the tire.
Most tires have a built-in treadwear indicator. It is a horizontal bar of rubber located between the tread patterns, at a depth of 2 mm. When the tread height wears down to the height of this bar, it is time to consider replacing the tires on your car.
5. New tires need to be rolled in. This is where the Formula One fan can help. They will be able to tell you that race car tires get better after a certain amount of use. The same applies to our new tires, but not for the same reasons as a Formula One car.
A new car tire is formed in a mold coated with a non-stick coating. The coating is necessary to be able to remove the tire from the mould. It creates a wonderful shiny look on a new tire, but it also reduces grip. It can take up to 500 miles to remove the coating from the tire. During this time, extra care is recommended when driving fast, in corners or curves, and when driving in the wet.