What is Tread? Car tyre tread expalained

TYRE TREAD

• Lugs are the actual tread that is in contact with the road at any given time, known as the contact patch.
• Voids are the gaps between the lugs allowing the tyre to flex as the contact patch leaves the road, also allowing the water to be removed.
• void ratio is between the amount of lugs and voids. The lower the void ratio the more tread it has in contact with the road surface giving better traction on dry tarmac. Mud and Snow tyres will have a higher void ratio to allow the mud and water to escape through the gaps in the tread.
• Grooves are the main channels that run around the tyres circumference that push the water into allowing the tread contact with the road.
• Sipes are the small slits that are cut across larger tread elements to allow the water from the groove channels to escape to the edge of the tyre, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. Up to a point, more sipes will produce more traction in snow and mud as well as over various terrains found off road.

The way your tyres are worn will tell you a lot.

• The tread should be slightly thicker in the middle than the edge
• If the outer edges are a lot more worn than the centre this means that your tyres are under in-flated.
• If the centre of the tyre is a lot more worn than the edges this would show your tyres are over inflated.
• If your tyres are worn a lot more on one side than the other this would indicate a suspension problem or you may need a wheel alignment.

You should Check your tyres regularly for uneven wear, keep to the correct tyre pressures, drive steadily and avoid excessive acceleration and heavy cornering, Swap your tyres around putting the new tyres to the rear this will ensure you get the most out of your tyres.

New tyres usually start at 8mm but some only 7mm, and some budget tyres only start with 6mm
so you have already lost 31% wear. This can be false economy when buying budget tyres.

Independent research by MIRA motor industry research association indicate.... read more

 

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The 4 essential steps to checking your tyres.

Looking after your tyres is ultimately what is going to keep you on the road and safe.

Many factors need to be taken into account before you are fully safe on the road.

The 4 essential steps to checking your tyres

• Correct Pressures
• Tread Wear
• Age of tyre (perishing on sidewalls)
• External damage (cuts or bulges)

These all need to be checked weekly or if you feel anything unusual or have an accident causing to skid, hit your tyre or drive over glass.


As the only point of contact between your car and the road is your tyres, the tyres play a critical role in keeping you safe.

You rely on your tyres for acceleration, steering and cornering, making it essential that they are properly cared for and regularly examined.

Poorly maintained tyres reduce performance and compromises
safety.

You should check your tyres condition as often as you check the pressure. If you park with the steering turned on full lock you will see more of your tyres.

Tread depth, most new tyres have a tread depth indicator built into them between the main grooves. When the tread gets down to these bars then the tyres need replacing.
Damage, look for any deep cuts, bulges, cracks or excessive wear.

It is illegal to drive with badly damaged tyres.

If you’re unsure about damaged tyres call into your local garage and they will give you free advice.

Driving on poorly maintained tyres has very serious safety implications not just for you and your passengers but also for other road users.

For more information and to carry on reading http://newtyresquick.com/tyre-care.html

Checking your car tyres correctly

Car tyres are an integral part of your vehicle, it is what keeps your car on the road, they ensure when you steer left your vehicle turns left and when you apply the brake pedal the tyres ensures that you slow down and stop.

Checking your car tyres regularly and correctly could save your life.

The best way to check your front tyres would be to turn your steering on full lock, so that you can see Checking the rear tyres are a little more difficult as you need to get down to the tyres level, you may want a mat or something to kneel down on.

Things to look out for,

• Any nails, glass large stones or cuts in the tread, having someone to drive the car backwards slowly so that you can see all around the tyre.

• Tread depths in 3 places, inside and outside edge and centre, all needs to be above 1.6mm

• The valve, to make sure it is not excessively deteriorated, twisted or damaged by the wheel trim,

• The tyres side walls, both inside and out.

The image below shows a car tyres side wall, both inside and out, the outside is fine, no perishing at all, but the inside is so badly perished and cracked all around the tyre that it failed the annually MOT test, for exposing the tyres cords, the crack was so deep that it showed the insides of the tyres structure.

INSIDE SIDEWALL

OUTSIDE SIDEWALL

 

 

 

 

The owner was oblivious to the fact that his car tyre was badly perished, as he had checked them that morning to ensure that they went through the MOT. He was correct, all the car tyre treads were in good condition, but he had not looked at the sidewalls, especially the insides.

This tyre could have ‘blown out’ causing the tyre to deflate rapidly and vehicle to swerve across the road.

Just having your tyres checked once a year, with the service and MOT is a long time for things to go wrong. Our tyre page has more details on what to check for.

Check your tyres weekly, if in doubt go to a garage and if there not safe replace them; replace them before it’s too late.

Happy New Year

We would like to wish all of our friends and customers from 2011 a Happy New Year. We look forward to taking care of you in 2012. For all you car and tyre care information and help, look no further than New Tyres Quick.

Contact me @: david-h@newtyresquick.com

Many thanks and we hope for your continued support.