To enjoy a smooth ride, increase the fuel economy of your vehicle, then great attention should be given to your tires. After all they are the vehicle’s only contact with the road. Your vehicles engine, brake pads no matter how effective they maybe are at the mercy of your tires. Every manoeuvre a driver makes with the steering wheel or braking is transmitted to the road through the tires.
Whenever you use tires that are under-inflated, over worn or not suited for the environment, then you are subjecting your life, the vehicle and other road users at risk. But most drivers don’t know much about tires before making a purchase. Majority make selection based on what is available and low cost price. This selection is against the vehicle manufacture’s tire specification.
AutoDrive.ng has put together the factors to consider in making a good tire purchase.
KNOW THE RIGHT TIRE SIZE FOR YOUR VEHICLE
Every tire’s size is listed on the sidewalls in a sequence such as P205/55R16 89H
P – Stands for Passenger tire. But some are LT, this stands for Light Truck
205– Width of the tire across the trend
55– Aspect Ratio of the side wall
R– Radial Construction. But some are B which means Belted bias while others are D which stands for Diagonal bias construction.
16– Diameter of the Rim in inches
89– The Load index and Speed Rating. The Load Index tells you how much weight the tire can support when properly inflated. Load Indices range from 62 – 126 for passenger tires with each numeric value corresponding to a certain carrying capacity.
H– Stands for Speed ratings. They are represented by letters ranging from A to Z. each letter coincides to the maximum speed a tire can sustain under its recommended load capacity. For example, H is equivalent to a max speed of 210 km/h (kilometres per hour). Note, even though a tire can perform at this speed, we do not recommend exceeding legal speed limits.
CONSIDER THE AGE OF THE TIRE
The age of the tire starts counting from the week it was manufactured even if it has never been used. Considering the age before purchasing is one of the finest decisions to make. Tires deteriorate with time especially during hot climates. A tire’s manufacturing date is noted as a four digit number following a letter sequence beginning with DOT (Department of Transport). The four digits indicate the week and year of manufacturing.
Vehicle manufacturers recommend you replace old tires once it clocks 6 years from the date of manufactured. Some stores can stock old tires, so always ensure to check every tire age code before purchasing to ensure you are not being sold tires that are several years old.
CONFIRM HOW THE TIRES YOU ARE TO PURCHASE WILL WEAR
To determine how the tires you are purchasing will wear, look for the tire’s Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG). The UTQG is the US Department of Transport‘s labelling system for the trend wear, temperature resistance and traction for each type of tire. A tire with a UTQG of 300 is expected to last 3 times longer than a tire UTQG of 100. For the tire traction, a scale of AA, A, B, or C are the indicators. AA is the highest rating. The traction rating is based on the tires ability to stop a vehicle on wet concrete and asphalt in a straight line situation.
While the temperature rating of a tire based on a controlled step speed test. The possible rating are A, B, and C. the rating is a measure of how well the tire dissipates heat and how well it handles build up of heat. Note that excessive build up of heat can reduce tire life or even tire failure.
APPLY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMEDATION IN SELECTING TIRES
It’s always best to apply the vehicles manufacturer’s recommendation because this is based on the size, weight, load capacity, off road capability and steering for your specific vehicle. Note that changing the tire size and type can influence the handling of your vehicle.
For instance, changing the tire size affect your speedometer reading. And if you have electronic automatic transmission, changing your tire size can also impact the timing of your shifts which may impact your fuel mileage, uphill and downhill transmission changes. Downsizing your vehicle tire can also have negative effects as well.
MAINTAINING YOUR NEW TIRES
Maintaining your new tires is as important as purchasing the specified tire for you vehicle. This is to ensure optimum performance.
Tire rotation is one of the good ways of carrying out an effective maintenance on your vehicle tires. This should be done every six months or after 4,000 to 6,000 miles (6,500 to 9,700 Kilometres’). Tires left un-rotated, unchecked will cause increase road noise, lower fuel economy and even decreased wet-weather traction. Badly neglected tires will also have to be replaced sooner.
Another way of caring for your tires is to ensure a properly inflated tire. This will help generate less heat, or friction with the road, increase fuel economy and decrease tire wear. An under inflated or over inflated tire will wear unevenly. While a tire that is low in pressure losses cornering ability because the side walls are not as stiff.
Weather can change the pressure of your tires, so is advisable to check your tire pressure every week. In cool weather, tires lose 1 to 2 pounds of air per month. In warm weather, tires lose more pounds per month.
Finally, always hold on to your purchase receipt till the last day of the expiration of your tires.
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