How to understand the 'Tyre of your vehicle'

Vehicles that help us to move anywhere runs with the support of air filled vulcanized rubber. Vulcanization is the process of curing the rubber with the help of sulphur at high temperatures. This is done in order to make the rubber harder, durable and resistive to chemical reactions. The tyre helps the vehicles to move in desired directions by providing sufficient friction between road and vehicle. This contact is called Contact patch.

How to read a Tyre:

Selecting of tyre is very important for the vehicle and also the drivers. Tyre may be new but we have to check its manufacturing date, expiry date, its speed and size to ensure whether it is suitable to driving conditions. Through this hub I am sharing some tips to check the tyre that you brought for your vehicle.

• DOTXXXX1112:-Manufacturing date of the Tyre.

Last four digits can be read as: the Tyre is made on the 11^th week of 2012

• TEMPERATURE A/B: The Tyre is highly heat resistant

• Characteristics of a Tyre:

1. Reading the printed data
2. Speed index of the Tyre

• Types of tyres based on the environmental conditions:

All-season tyres:

These types of tyres are seen in all cars while they come out from the manufacturing unit. These types are made from hard rubber and will not compromise in safety.

They provides grip, performance, long life, less noise and wet-whether safety. But these will not suitable for high speed performance where the vehicle should go through the corners. These are one of the best tyres.

All-terrain tyres:

They are mostly used on SUV’s and non-heavy trucks. These tyres are well suited for off-road driving. They are larger tyres coming with stiffer sidewalls and bigger tread block patterns. That is it will very noisy while travelling on normal roads.

Wet-Weather tyres:

These tyres are not too harder as it should provide better grip and should heat up quickly in wet conditions. These are also good in dispersing water from contact patch as they provided with more siping.

Winter tyres:

Winter tyres are designed to work well on snow and ice covered roads. They are large and with noisier tread block patterns. In some extreme conditions these are fabricated with tiny metal studs which help to get more grips to the vehicles. These are identified by a marking called M&S or by a snowflake symbol. These tyres will not be suitable for dry conditions and if so means it will wear do out quickly.

Mud tyres:

These tyres can be used on loose mud and dirt terrain. These are massive tyres with large number of tread blocks and they looks like paddles built in to the tyre Cass.

• Types of tyre based on the material used:

Radial tyres:

These tyres not have cross over belts. Apart from belts they consist of parallel plies radiate from one bead to another. There side wall are weak with less directional stability. They provide softer and comfortable ride.

Belts of steel or fabric run around the circumference of the tyre.

Cross ply/Bias ply:

In these tyres fabric cords or belts runs from one bead to another at an angle respect to the centre line.

Tube tyres:

Tube which consist an inner tube which is air filled. When the tyre gets punctured, air inside the tube will be lost and tyre goes flat. This tube is repairable and is made of rubber.

Tubeless tyres:

They don’t have tube inside like tube tyres. In this case the air is filled between the tyre and rim. It the tyre is being penetrated by nail, then the air will not go out like tube tyres until if we remove that nail.