Posts Tagged car tyres
Top 7 Tips for Tyre Care and Maintenance
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 18, 2009
Car tyres play an integral role in the performance and fuel-efficiency of any car. Most of the time car owners take good care of their car exteriors, interiors, and even car engine but they forget the significance of car tyres. Care and maintenance of car tyres ensures safer and longer journey.
Here are top 7 tips for tyre care and maintenance:
1. Car tyres should be replaced after 10 years or based on driving and weather condition. Replace them when you see a crack on the side walls. It is believed that the rubber compounds used in tyres consist of anti-oxidizing chemicals that help in slowing down the natural aging process of untreated rubber. All tyres deteriorate with age and blocking the natural aging process increases the risk of failure.
2. Use the proper size wheel bolts when replacing the tyres. If these are either too short or too long, the chances of wheels jumping out increases or an even damage the suspension. They should also be well-balanced to avoid shaking of the car.
3. Rotation of tyre positions is very essential to achieve uniform wear on each tyre. Check the rotation period mentioned in the car owner manual and if no specification is given, rotate after every 5000 km. You need to rotate the tyre position even if there is an irregular wear found on the tyre.
4. Proper wheel alignment is also important as it ensures that all car wheels are pointed in the best direction to the road and each other. It also ensures maximum tyre life by reducing the possibilities of wear and tear. Wheel alignment should be done after every 5000 km or whenever you find any irregular wear on the tyre.
5. Check air pressure of the tyre. All the tyres should be inflated with the correct air pressure as both under-inflation and over-inflation leads to premature tyre failure, eventually leading to a car accident. Perfect air pressure in tyres also ensures maximum tyre life, and delivers best ride and handling experiences.
6. Driving style and habits also puts an impact on the life of tyres. Drive smoothly at a constant pace. Applying frequent brakes or driving rashly results in skidding and eventually tyre loses its tread.
7. Last but not the least, keeping the tyres clean by removing all foreign substances from the surface helps improve performance. Dirt and grime deposits on the surface of the tyre and can degrade them. So, it’s very important to clean car tyres at regular intervals of time.
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How to Repair Tubeless Tyres
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 17, 2009
Tubeless tyres are tyres that do not have tubes within. The inner layer of the tyre is filled with air that is sealed by a butyl wall lining in the interior. This type of car
tyre is lined with an air-tight and impermeable material to reduce air permeation and keep the tyres functional.
In India, tubeless tyres have made a late entry but gradually it is becoming the latest trend in the car industry. Luxury car manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW have already made the use of tubeless tyre standard but other car manufacturers are still in process to accept this as a standard feature.
The basic structure and functioning of the traditional car tyres and the tubeless types is similar but they differ in their methods of repairing the damage and fixing the puncture. Similar to the normal tyres, these tyres also get punctured or damaged if not taken good care of. Tyre care and maintenance is important for all kinds of tyres whether traditional, radial, or tubeless.
Here are the most common methods for tubeless tyre rupture:
Plug Method
In this type of repair method, tools required include hand drill, inserter, solution, and blades. Hand drill is used to clean and make the hole visible. Inserter is used to insert the plug stem into the affected hole, solution or the adhesive is used to fix the plug and a sharp blade is required to trim the extra repair compound present near the punctured surface.
Plug method is considered to be accurate and effective that gives a permanent, strong and airtight tyre repairing.
Patch Method
In this repair method, patches are used to fix the puncture. For this only file, readymade patches, and adhesive is used. File is mainly used to roughen the surface area near the punctured portion of the tyre and then readymade patches are placed inside the tyre with the use of an adhesive.
Filler Method
Filler method is one of the most widely accepted methods for puncturing a tubeless tyre. Most of the car mechanics and service providers use this method because it is believed to be one of the most effective methods that give the strongest repair.
In this type of method, a mechanic needs a probe, repairing tool, needle, adhesive or vulcanizing fluid, T-shaped handle tool, rubber plug, and Allen Key. Probe is used to displace the steel cords for easy application of repair strips. Repairing tool is used to place the repair compound in perfect position. Needle is used to locate the torn out area and the T-shaped handle tool for application of repair strips to the car tyres. Adhesive is required for fixing and securing the strips and the rubber plug for insertion. Allen Key is mainly used to drive bolts and screw to fit the tyre repair strips better off the affected tyre portion.
The key advantage of this type of repair method is that the tyre is not required to be removed from the rim.
