The right tyre will give you a comfortable road trip, whereas the wrong tyre will give you a headache. Tyres play a significant role in your vehicle. They are responsible for smooth rides along the road, and their condition reflects on your overall vehicle performance.
Choosing the right tyre for your car might not be as easy as it sounds. The tyres vary a lot in size and quality, despite being sold by the same name and brand.
Let's dive deep to understand the variations that can be found in tyres.
| Tube Tyre | Tubeless Tyre |
|---|---|
| The main components are a rim, a tube, and a tyre. | The main components are a rim and a tyre. |
| Tubes are vulnerable to puncture and heating up due to rubbing between rim and tyre. | No heating due to the absence of a tube. |
| Easy to repair and install. | Need expertise for installation. |
| Low cost due to traditional type. | High cost due to modern type. |
| Get flat quickly by an air leak in case of a puncture situation. | Gives some time to find a repair shop in case of a puncture situation because the air leaks slowly. |
| Requires High maintenance. | Requires low maintenance. |
The size of your tyre is best suited and recommended by the car manufacturers. Different cars have different tyre sizes and dimensions. If you want to change your car ride quality and choose a different size than the recommended one, then it will also impact other things like car mileage or the efficiency of riding.
To find your tyre size, simply look at your tyre’s sidewall and note down the numbers. Those numbers represent the size, dimension, type of tyre, and other things that are explained below.
Tyre width or section width is generally measured in millimetres. The actual measurement is the wider side from the tyre’s outer side to the wider side from the tyre’s inner side. Most of the time, car owners decide on wide tyres to get a better stance on the vehicle and to get a better grip on the road.
The aspect ratio present on the sidewall of the tyre is the ratio between the tyre height and width. It entirely depends on the tyre sidewall height. The lower the ratio, the higher the rough ride.
The internal structure of your tyre is represented with predefined alphabets. Those alphabets have meaning, as every tyre type has a different internal structure. You can understand easily like “R” for Radical structure which is common in most tyres or “D” for Diagonal Construction and others.
The wheel diameter is measured in inches and is measured from one end to the other end of the tyre. For example, A size P215/65 R15 tire is made for a wheel with a 15" diameter. This information indicates what size of the wheel a tire fits on.
The tyre load capacity or load index is a universal number that informs how much load that tyre can handle when properly fitted to the rim. When you choose a tyre with a higher load index, it will help you to carry more weight. Most of the time, the regular passenger car’s load index lies between 75 and 100.
A variety of cars have a variety of Tyres, and so they have different tread patterns. Tyre tread helps you when you are riding muddy roads. Especially when you are riding in the mountain area. Tread patterns are designed to have a good grip during potholes and keep away water from the tyre. There are several thread patterns, but the most commonly used are Directional tread, Asymmetrical Tread, and symmetrical Tread.
The tyre quality is primarily based on three metrics which are Product Warranty, Brand Reputation, and manufacturing date. The tyre which comes with a longer warranty period ensures security. Make sure you check out the manufacturing date of the tyre before purchasing it as it is made up of rubber and setting it down ideally in the shop will affect the tyre too.
The tyre compound, in case you didn't know, is the quality of material used in its production. Skimming the surface, the tyre compound changes depending on the vehicle's operation.
For enhanced grip, summer tyres are normally built of a rather soft rubber compound. Although the substance is tougher in winter tyres, and the blocks are larger, the tyres grip the road better. They also provide higher traction in rainy weather.
For example, F1 tyres are made up of around 150 distinct components, but the most important ones are rubber, carbon, and mechanical oil.
The term OE or "Original Equipment" refers to tyres that have been approved by your vehicle's manufacturer to be installed as the original kit.
Some automakers, such as Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and others, fit their cars with tyres designed particularly for their brand. On the sidewall of these tyres is a special OE marking. Michelin suggests that you replace the tyres on your vehicle with OE-marked tyres in this circumstance.
* = BMW, Mini
MO = Mercedes
AO = Audi
VO = Volkswagen
N0, N1, N2, N3, N4 = Porsche
MO1 = AMG
RO1 = Quattro
The tyre of your vehicle is very important and a vital part that needs to be taken care of. Low-quality tyres are not only a danger to you but also to your passengers and the people driving around you.
By considering all the components of the tyre, you stand a higher chance of choosing the perfect tyre for your vehicle.
Finding the best brand and size of the tyre is a little tricky part. Do some research. Learn more about your tyre specifications, gain some knowledge of which dimensions to look out for, check out info on load capacity, tread pattern, and used compound. Ultimately, it's more important to find a tyre that meets your every need.
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