Tyres

Some of the most interesting news on the world of cars concern precisely tyres: how can a tyre withstand 100 times its weight without bursting? Why does the tread have grooves? Have tyres always been black?

Here are 8 interesting facts on tyres that perhaps you did not know, and a few tricks to make them last longer.

CONTENTS

 8 unmissable, interesting facts on tyres

1. What is it that really holds a car up?
2. Have tyres always been black?
3. Why are there grooves in the tread?
4. How can I understand whether the tread is worn or not?
5. Spelling: is it “tire” or “tyre”?
6. The biggest tyre in the world
7. Artillery tyres: in the 1900’s, they were not just for soldiers
8. Lego and tyres: what’s the connection?

Tyre maintenance: here’s how to make them last longer

1. Keeping tyres in top condition
2. Tyre balancing
3. Valves
4. Choosing the right tyres for the season

What really holds the car up?

The belief that the whole weight of our car is held up by the tyres alone is a misconception: what actually holds the car up is the air filling the tyres. We only become aware of this detail when a puncture happens: with no air, our tyre is unusable.

Have tyres always been black?

Definitely not. Here is one of the 8 interesting facts on tyres that you probably did not know: in the beginning, tyres were made of natural rubber, which is white. However, the material did not ensure good resistance: therefore, it was decided to add carbon black (or lamp black), a pigment consisting of particular aggregates of carbon atoms obtained from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, so as to improve its performance.

Initially only used for the tread, wholly black tyres were then deemed to look neater and more elegant than two-colour ones, so the previous black-white combination was replaced by total black.

Bonus fact: the idea for black tyres originated at Binney & Smith, the founders of Crayola, best known for its crayons.

Why are there grooves in the tread?

The purpose of grooves is to increase friction on tarmac, which affects maximum acceleration and braking space. Their “texture” is also important: in wet conditions, the layer of water that forms between the tyres and the ground significantly reduces grip, the purpose of the grooves is therefore to drain away the accumulated water, preventing the aquaplaning effect.

How can I understand whether the tread is worn or not?

Precisely thanks to the grooves: by using a depth gauge, which is inserted into the grooves and measures the depth in millimetres, we can check the tread depth, the legal limit of which is 1.6 mm, measurable at any point of the tread.

Spelling: is it “tire” or “tyre”?

Among the 8 interesting facts on tyres, is the fact that, although many car parts have entirely different names on the two sides of the Atlantic, such as boot-trunk, bonnet-hood etc., tyre is pronounced the same way in both British and American English.

However, the Brits have retained the little spelling quirk that probably dates back to the 15th or 16th century, possibly originating from the word “attyre”, referring to the need to dress wheels to increase grip.

Whereas Americans, with their penchant for simplifying things, just opted for spelling the word the way it’s pronounced. The spelling tyre is used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and most current and former Commonwealth nations. So whether you choose to write “tyre” or “tire” depends on which side of the pond you are on.

The biggest tyre in the world

What if we told you that there is a huge tyre, weighing 12 tonnes, 243 metres high, would you believe it?

No, it’s not the tyre of a giant’s car, nor is it a hoax: the largest tyre in the world is at Allen Park in Michigan, USA. It is called “Giant tire” (see above) owing to its “modest” size, and it was presented to the public at the 1965 World Fair as a Ferris wheel.

Artillery tyres: in the 1900’s, they were not just for soldiers

You got that right: until one century ago, the first cars were fitted with the so-called “artillery wheels”, which had the same hub as cannon wheels. The tyres were indeed entirely attached to the wheel, and they could not be taken off the hub. A detail that meant replacements were expensive and complicated, to say the least!

Lego and tyres: what’s the connection?

The last from the 8 interesting facts on tyres, is perhaps also the “strangest” one: there are many tyre manufacturers worldwide, and some brands are definitely well-known. A household name, however, stands out in this extremely long list, although it is well-known for another type of product: Lego, precisely. The well-known Danish manufacturer of colourful toy bricks started as a tyre manufacturer in the 1960’s, and over time it managed to be ranked among the top tyre manufacturers worldwide!

Tyre maintenance: here’s how to make them last longer

Lego, crayons and cannon tyres aside, how can we ensure tyres last longer?

When were our tyres produced? How often must they be replaced? How can we become aware of a problem? Where do I find the proper pressure reading to make sure it’s fine? 

These are some of the questions that even the most experienced motorists struggle to answer.

Tyres are an essential part of a car, and road safety, consumption and car performance all depend on their condition. What is more, if the tread is particularly worn, you run the risk of being fined or even of the car being seized.

There are some checks than one can perform on one’s own: to see the tyre’s age, for instance, just check the date of manufacturing, always printed on the tyre shoulder, consisting of four digits. The first two digits indicate the week and the last two the year of manufacture (e.g.: 1417 means manufactured during the 14th week of 2017).

Checking the tyre pressure and the thickness of the tread, which we have already mentioned, are also simple operations, which any motorist can perform on their own.

To measure the degree of wear, there is also a really simple method: just take a 1 Euro coin for summer tyres, and a 2 Euro one for winter tyres. In both cases, the outer crown must not protrude from the tread outline.

The same quick check can be performed by looking at the markers sunk into the groove. Looking at the tyres every now and then will allow you to catch any abnormalities such as cuts or bumps caused by sharp-edged potholes or by hitting the pavement while manoeuvring. In these cases, replacing the tyres (two per axle) is the only recommended solution.

However, limiting tyre wear is possible. How? Through frequent maintenance and checks.

And above all, by following some smart hints: let’s look at them.

Keeping tyres in top condition

A check of your car, even just visual, might be all you need to bring to light any critical issues, as we have seen. First of all, tyre pressure: lower pressure than required, in addition to significantly increasing consumption and accelerating the tyre wearing process, also jeopardises the safety of the people travelling in the car. Expert help is also needed to check that the car is balanced and to ensure that one of the four tyres is not excessively strained. In this connection, it is strongly recommended to periodically invert the tyres, in order to limit tread wear.

The driving style is also important: sudden braking, excessive speeds, speeding around bends and roundabouts, incorrectly calibrated accelerating wear tyres quickly.

Wheel alignment

Tyre balance must be checked at least every 10,000 km in the case of normal use of the vehicle, every 5,000 km with sports cars. A first check of the alignment of the wheels can be carried out in total autonomy: just take your hands off the steering wheel and travel a few dozens metres on a straight and flat road, checking that the vehicle travels in a straight line. Otherwise, it is recommended to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

Valves

Together with the tyres, it is essential to also replace the valves. While driving, they undergo significant stress which, in the long term, may cause them to malfunction. To prevent any snags, their condition should be checked regularly.

Choosing the right tyres for the season

Using winter tyres in the summer increases exponentially the car’s consumptions and may lead to faster wear of the tread: that is why you should choose the right tyres for the season. Ordinarily, the suggestion is to change them twice a year. Should that not be possible, a useful compromise is to opt for 4-season tyres.

Also using summer tyres in winter exposes you to great risks, because grip might be too low. Furthermore, a summer tyre used in cold winter weather risks being damaged very quickly. The compound of summer tyres subjected to low temperatures becomes indeed very stiff and this not only decreases grip, but also exposes the tread pattern to the risk of tearing and flaking.

In these cases, the warranty might even be voided; indeed, this would be tantamount to misuse, which would mean any damage would not be covered. The tread might be damaged even if there is no snow; indeed, all it takes is for the temperature to be very low.

Finally, the loss of grip is obviously considerable under snowy conditions, but even in case of rain, situations that could cause road accidents.

In other words, tyres are a crucial aspect of driving and should be constantly checked and looked after. 

MOTRIO TIPS & TRICKS 

TYRES

Tyres play a crucial role in your safety at the wheel because they are the only point of contact between you and the road. They deteriorate with time and with the mileage travelled as well as due to the road conditions and to each motorist’s driving style.

OUR ADVICE

The two aspects to be periodically monitored are the inflation pressure and the thickness of the tread, the legal minimum of which for car tyres in Europe is 1.6 mm. If you use your car often, especially in cities where it is easier for the tread to get worn, visit one of our MOTRIO Service Center, our technicians will perform a visual inspection of your tyres and they will check the depth of the tread. For safe tyres, they must be replaced every 40,000km or every 5 years.

The new MOTRIO Fairway tyre is produced in Europe, it ensures safe driving under all weather conditions and is produced in the three versions:

Summer - Winter - All seasons

Main features:

· 51 items available

· Environmentally-sustainable: low fuel consumption and low rolling resistance

· Dimensions from 13 to 20 inches

Make an appointment at the nearest MOTRIO Service Centre, all it takes is a few clicks!