Improving the life of tyres

[marshall]

We all know that tyres are much more than just rubber and whatever else may be placed in them. They are essential to the look of any vehicle and can make a huge difference in how good, or bad a vehicle looks. Tyres are also essential for the overall health and life of the vehicle.

We understand that not properly caring for our tyres can lead to poor gas mileage, and a bad driving experience overall. Anyone who has tried to drive in bad weather with a set of old tyres understands how poor tyres can impact the quality of the driving experience. We also know that a vehicles ability to navigate corners effectively is completely dependent upon the quality of the tyres on the car.

I already have a great understanding about how to maintain my tyres properly, but I wanted to learn more, and share what I have learned with everyone here. I started my search on the internet and eventually found this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_tyres on Wikipedia. I was amazed to find that GoodYear tyres have been the leading tyre for Formula One Racing for nearly a decade. It is no wonder it has grown to become one of the biggest producers of tyres on the planet. They have recently decided to focus more of their business on the private sector, but the experience and knowledge gained from Formula One Racing has made a huge difference in the quality of the tyres on the market today.

I found several websites that discuss tyres and the importance of proper maintenance. They all offered the typical information about tyres in order to improve their performance and overall life span. I also stumbled upon a few companies that provide tyre sales, rotation, and replacement.

I continued my search and found a variety of information. I never realized there were so many aspects of maintaining the health of our tyres. Here are some tips to help keep tyres lasting longer. Some of these tips you may already know, but I am hoping to provide people with some information they don't already have.

1. The numbers and letters on the side of the tyre have very specific meanings. I already had a good idea about the fact that the numbers and letters had a meaning, but I wasn't aware of all the information that is located on a tyre.
2. Air pressure is essential to the health of a tyre. It also effects the gas mileage of the vehicle itself.
3. There are tools available that allow you to inspect the health of your tyres. It is worth investing in a few of these cheap tools in order to get the most out of tyres. One investment is an American penny. The tread on a tyre should at least touch Abraham Lincoln's head on a penny.
4. We all know about rotating our tyres. Tyre rotation allows us to prolong the life of our tyres, as well as improve how safe they are. Tyres should be rotated at least every 6,000 miles.
5. Properly balanced tyres are essential. A tyre out of balance will wear unevenly, and can ultimately lead to problems within the vehicle itself.
6. At one time in the history of vehicles it was much more essential to get your tyres aligned properly. Though things have changed a bit the need to align tyres properly is still there. Tyres that aren't properly aligned can lead to damages in the vehicle, as well as poor performance from the tyres themselves.
7. There is actually a right and a wrong way for washing tyres. A clean set of tyres can make a huge difference in the appearance of a vehicle, but many cleaning products are petroleum based or contain countless harsh acids. These products can actually effect the overall health of a tyre, and there are now eco-friendly products on the market that can make those tyres shine just as brightly as petroleum based products.

These are just the basics of tyre care and maintenance. What other tips do you folks have for prolonging the life of our tyres and getting the most out of them. Tyres can get expensive, so how can we improve the overall quality and life span of our tyres without sacrificing safety or performance?

[Hodgie812]

One important piece of information that i think should be included. When rotating tyres you should only swap them from front to rear. During the tyres life as it spins the molecules in the rubber take shape and direction in relation to its rotation. Swapping the tyre to the other side of the car reverses the direction of rotation. This causes the molecules to rip apart and is believed to increase the chances of having a blowout on what looks to be a good tyre.
Hope that makes sense.

[Christoff]

I don't agree with the above post. Not something iv ever heard of before

Can you back this up with anything please, just out of interest?

Not dismissing the idea by the way, but I'm sceptical of that.

[Christoff]

In fact there's a few things in the original post that arnt the best either.

A tyre out of balance won't have that much effect on its wear like said. More wear on ball joints and such. I'd be more worried about wheel alignment, mostly toe angles. Especially more than with modern cars than with older cars tbh

I bet most cars on the road today have unevenly worn tyres due to alignment issues

Lastly why not just buy a proper tyre depth gauge to measure tyres.

[donkeychomp]

Sounds like more spam to me from an American who probably works for Goodyear. Hey ho.

[Christoff]

Yeah thought it might be. Probably works at halfords

[Jordi]

Sounds like more spam to me from an American who probably works for Goodyear. Hey ho.

Im going to agree. If we were all concerned about tyre life we wouldn't do what we do to them.

[timwilks13]

Sounds like more spam to me from an American who probably works for Goodyear. Hey ho.

Im going to agree. If we were all concerned about tyre life we wouldn't do what we do to them.

The man makes a valid point.

[Edweird]

If we were concerned about tyre life we would probably walk everywhere....in sandals....made from straw

[Hodgie812]

I don't agree with the above post. Not something iv ever heard of before

Can you back this up with anything please, just out of interest?

Not dismissing the idea by the way, but I'm sceptical of that.

I can't remember were I read/heard it, and tbh I waste enough time on the internet looking at sh!te to want to go and find proof of it. I don't suppose it would effect us for off roading, but if you like to drive your car that has super low profiles quickly, I personally would avoid swapping them to the other side.

Anyhow tyres are evil and must be punished!!!