matespace
25-10-2011, 10:09 AM
Throughout the 3 parts we will go through facts about the basic tyre and car maintenance you can do yourself at home. Tyres form the only contact between the car and the road; so they have to work hard, very hard - braking, accelerating and cornering. It’s important to understand what a tyre is and how to read and determine the signs of tyre wear.
Many people are unaware that it is not the tyres that support the weight of the vehicle, it’s the pressurized air inside the tyre that does. If your tyres aren't at the correct pressure, their life and performance will be reduced and so may your safety. Remember, safety begins with the tyres and ends with the driver.
The Tyre Placard
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_placard.jpg
Since January 1973 new vehicles have been required by law to have a tyre placard affixed giving information about the designated tyres for the vehicle and recommended inflation pressures. You will find the placard on the driver's door pillar, in the glove box, or sometimes in the boot or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. You should locate the placard on your vehicle and become familiar with this important information.
Tyre Specifications
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_specs.gif
On the sidewalls of your tyres, you will find some important information regarding their description. It's important to have the right tyres fitted to your vehicle for safety reasons as well as from both a legal and insurance perspective.
The tyre requirements for your vehicle appear on the tyre placard.
In the example from left to right: -
195 = Nominal section width of the tyre in millimetres
50 = Aspect ratio (in this case the section height of the tyre is 50% of the section width). Also referred to as the 'profile' of the tyre
R = Indicates radial ply construction
16 = Rim (wheel) diameter code
84V = Service description - showing the load index and the speed symbol of the tyre
Tyre Construction
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_construction.jpg
To most people, a tyre is just round and black. Appearances can be deceiving! Many components go in to a modern tyre to give it the performance, handling and safety that we've come to expect. For instance, the bead wires have the primary task of holding the tyre firmly on the rim while the body plies provide the strength to constrain the forces created by the internal air pressure. The steel belts work in conjunction with the bead areas to maintain the tread in full contact with the road surface allowing the tread area to perform its main task of providing grip on both wet and dry surfaces of all types. The tyre is a package designed to give you tens of thousands of kilometres of safe & comfortable driving. You'll never think of them as just "round and black" again!
The Tread
Some shoes have hard, smooth soles and are treacherously slippery. Others have moulded patterns and rubber that grips to give you good traction. Think of tyres as your car's shoes, and the tread as the sole. The grooves in the tread are specially designed to remove water from under the tyre in wet conditions. As the tread wears down, the tyre's ability to remove water gradually reduces. Consequently, a 'bald' tyre is very dangerous in the wet.
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/neova.jpg
The minimum legal tread depth on a tyre is 1.5mm - about the height of the head on a match. On the side of your tyres you can find little arrows pointing to tread wear indicator bars. When the tread wears down to this level, the tyres need replacing.
Replace the tire immediately when the tread wear indicator shows!
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/dangerofusingwormtire_2.jpg
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/dangerofusingwormtire_3.jpg
Many people are unaware that it is not the tyres that support the weight of the vehicle, it’s the pressurized air inside the tyre that does. If your tyres aren't at the correct pressure, their life and performance will be reduced and so may your safety. Remember, safety begins with the tyres and ends with the driver.
The Tyre Placard
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_placard.jpg
Since January 1973 new vehicles have been required by law to have a tyre placard affixed giving information about the designated tyres for the vehicle and recommended inflation pressures. You will find the placard on the driver's door pillar, in the glove box, or sometimes in the boot or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. You should locate the placard on your vehicle and become familiar with this important information.
Tyre Specifications
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_specs.gif
On the sidewalls of your tyres, you will find some important information regarding their description. It's important to have the right tyres fitted to your vehicle for safety reasons as well as from both a legal and insurance perspective.
The tyre requirements for your vehicle appear on the tyre placard.
In the example from left to right: -
195 = Nominal section width of the tyre in millimetres
50 = Aspect ratio (in this case the section height of the tyre is 50% of the section width). Also referred to as the 'profile' of the tyre
R = Indicates radial ply construction
16 = Rim (wheel) diameter code
84V = Service description - showing the load index and the speed symbol of the tyre
Tyre Construction
http://www.yokohama.com.au/img/tyretips/tyre_construction.jpg
To most people, a tyre is just round and black. Appearances can be deceiving! Many components go in to a modern tyre to give it the performance, handling and safety that we've come to expect. For instance, the bead wires have the primary task of holding the tyre firmly on the rim while the body plies provide the strength to constrain the forces created by the internal air pressure. The steel belts work in conjunction with the bead areas to maintain the tread in full contact with the road surface allowing the tread area to perform its main task of providing grip on both wet and dry surfaces of all types. The tyre is a package designed to give you tens of thousands of kilometres of safe & comfortable driving. You'll never think of them as just "round and black" again!
The Tread
Some shoes have hard, smooth soles and are treacherously slippery. Others have moulded patterns and rubber that grips to give you good traction. Think of tyres as your car's shoes, and the tread as the sole. The grooves in the tread are specially designed to remove water from under the tyre in wet conditions. As the tread wears down, the tyre's ability to remove water gradually reduces. Consequently, a 'bald' tyre is very dangerous in the wet.
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/neova.jpg
The minimum legal tread depth on a tyre is 1.5mm - about the height of the head on a match. On the side of your tyres you can find little arrows pointing to tread wear indicator bars. When the tread wears down to this level, the tyres need replacing.
Replace the tire immediately when the tread wear indicator shows!
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/dangerofusingwormtire_2.jpg
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/go2spacebucket/YOKOHAMA/dangerofusingwormtire_3.jpg