PRESSURE

Under inflation can lead to tire failure. It results in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat!

ALIGNMENT

A bad jolt hitting a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment and damage your tries. Have a tire dealer check the alignment and damage your tires. Have a tire dealer check the alignment periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned.

ROTATION

Regularly rotating your vehicle’s tries will help you achieve more uniform wear. Unless your vehicle owner’s manual has a specific recommendation, the guidelines for tire rotation are approximately every 6000 – 8000 miles.

TREAD

Advanced and usual wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip the road in adverse conditions. Visually check your tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or usually smooth areas. Also check for signs of damage.
Log on to www.rma.org for more information about tire safety.

SIDEWALL INDENTATIONS IN RADIAL TIRES

The condition, sometimes referred to as sidewalls undulation, is a common characteristic of radial tire construction (see photo). These indentations are more noticeable in larger/wider radial-ply tire sizes and become more visible with higher inflation pressures. In a radial tire the body ply cords run straight across the tire from bead to bead. Because of the “straight across” constructions, the joining of the ply material creates a narrow overlap of ply cords in the radial direction at each junction. These overlapped ply cords slightly restrict the natural expansion of the sidewalls when inflated. This results in an indentation. Since all radials tries contain belts, which restrict the tread and keep it flat, only the sidewalls are indented. Sidewall indentations are purely a visual characteristic and will not affect the performance of the tire. If bulges, rather than indentations, appear on the sidewall or if there is any question concerning the sidewall appearance, the tire should be removed from service. A knowledgeable tire dealer or the manufacturer’s representative should be contacted.

UNMOUNTED TIRE STORAGE AND SPARE TIRE USAGE RECOMMENDATIONS

The tread and sidewall of tires are compounded to resist deterioration caused by sunlight and ozone. Nevertheless, stored tires should be protected against these and other potentially damaging conditions. An important thing to remember about tire storage period, the more exposure there is to potential damage.

Storing Unmounted Tires

Do store Tires

• Where area is clean, cool, dry, dark and well ventilated but with a minimum of circulating air
  
  
• So that tires on the bottom of a stack retain their shape
  
  
• Whitewall – to whitewall to avoid staining
  
  
• Protected by an opaque waterproof covering, if outdoor, but avoid creating a heat box or steam bath
  
  
• Where tires are raised off the storage surface, if outdoors

• Where area is wet, oily and greasy (such as with gasoline or petroleum-based products)
  
  
• Where subject to extreme temperatures or direct sunlight
  
  
• In the same area as an electric motor or other ozone generating sources (if there is a question, check ozone levels to be sure they do not exceed 0.08ppm)
  
  
• On black asphalt or other heat absorbent surfaces
  
  
• Adjacent to highly reflective surfaces (i.e. sand or snow covered ground)
  
  
• On piers , ship decks or other unprotected areas

• Where area is clean, cool, dry, dark and well ventilated but with a minimum of circulating air.
  
  
• Protected by an opaque waterproof covering, if outdoors, but avoid creating a heat box or steam bath
  
  
• Store the vehicle on blocks to remove all weight from the tires
  
  
• If the vehicle cannot be blocked up from the storage surface, completely unload it so minimum weight will rest on the tires. Keep tires, including the spare tire, inflated to recommended operating pressure. The surface should be firm, reasonably level, well drained and clean.
  
  
• Move the vehicle at least every three month to prevent ozone cracking in the bulge area and also to prevent a “flat spot” from developing (due to strain from deflection). If tires do develop a temporary “flat spot”, it will usually disappear in a short period of time (for example, the first 25 miles of service).

Before Placing Tires In –Service

• Inspect tires to be sure they are clean and free from foreign objects
  
  
• Remove any water that has collected in an unmounted tire.
  
  
• When using a spare tire, have it checked for proper inflation pressure and condition by a full-service tire dealer, as soon as possible, after placing it in-service on the vehicle

	Tread: Provides traction and cornering grip Belts: Stabilize and strengthen the tread Sidewall: Protects the side of the tire from road and curb damage Body Ply: Gives the tire strength and flexibility Bead: Assure an air-tight fit with the wheel Inner liner: Keeps air inside the tire

Modern tire technology blends a unique mix of chemistry, physics and engineering to give consumers a high degree of comfort, performance, efficiency, reliability and safety. Many tires are custom designed to meet the stresses and performance needs specified by the maker of a particular model vehicle. Every tire is carefully inspected, and random samples are pulled for additional safety tests. As part of these tests, tires are x-rayed, cut apart and examined, run on test wheels, or road-tested to evaluate handling, mileage and traction performance. If properly cared for, tires can last a long time- usually from 40000 to 80000 miles, depending on the application.

HOW A TIRE IS MADE

As many as two hundred different raw materials combine into a unique mix of chemistry, physics and engineering to give consumers the highest degree of comfort, performance, efficiency, reliability and safety modern technology and creativity an provide. Here are the basic steps:

PLANNING AND DESIGNS

Many tires are custom-designed to meet the stresses and performance needs specified by the maker of a particular model vehicle. The process begins with a computer, which converts the mathematics of a car’s special needs into specifications. A prototype tire is then made to test the tire design’s ability to provide the desired characteristic. Custom-designing a tire for a particular vehicle typically takes many months of testing, inspection, and quality checks by the tire maker and the vehicle maker. Only then does the vehicle maker commit with an order.

MANUFACTURING

The production process begins with the selection of several types of rubber along with special oils, carbon black, pigments, antioxidants, silica and other additives that will combine the various raw materials for each compound into a homogenized batch of black material with the consistency of gum. The mixing process is computer-controlled to assure uniformity. The compounded materials are then sent to machines for further processing into the sidewalls, tread or other parts of the tire.

Then the task of assembling the tire begins. The first component to go on the tire building machine is the inner line, a special rubber that is resistant to air and moisture penetration and takes the place of an inner tube. Next come the body piles and belts, which are often made from polyester and steel. Plies and belts give the tire strength while also providing flexibility. The belts are cut to the precise angle and size the tire engineer specifies to provide the desired ride and handling characteristics. Bronze-coated strands of steel wire, fashioned into two hoops, are implanted into the sidewalls of the tires to form the bead, which assures an airtight fit with the rim of the wheel. The tread and the sidewalls are put into position over the belt and body piles, and then all the parts are pressed firmly together. The end result is called a “green” or uncured tire.

The last step is to use the tire. The green tire is placed inside a mold and inflated to press it against the mold, forming the tread and the tire identification information on the sidewall. Then it is heated at more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit for twelve to fifteen minutes, vulcanizing it to bond the components and to cure the rubber. (FACT: This twelve to fifteen minute curing process is for passenger and light truck tires size!)
Every tire is then inspected, and sample tire are randomly taken from the line and tested. Some are x-rayed, some are cut apart to look for flaws, others are run on test wheels, or road-tested to evaluate handling, mileage and traction performance.

1. Always fit correct size &type of tyre recommended by vehicle Manufacturer.
   
   
2. Check all tyre pressure including spare tyre at least one in every 15 days.
   
   
3. Maintain tyre pressure as per vehicles specification to ensure optimum life out of tyre & safety drive.
   
   
4. Check & adjust all tyre pressure when tyres are cold i.e. early morning & not when tyres are hot .
   
   
5. Never reduce air pressures from tyres during summer season or let out any air from hot tyres
   
   
6. Always fix new tyres on front axle & never mix tyres of different make & structure on same axle as it affects braking ability.
   
   
7. Always rotate tyres from front axle & vice versa at 15000 KM to minimize irregular wear & increase tyre life.
   
   
8. Never use worn out tyres or old second hand tyres as it is very dangerous to drive on them, change them promptly.
   
   
9. Always put a valve cap on tyre of tubeless tyres.
   
   
10. Always put a new tube in new tube type tyres, never fit it without a tube i.e. as a tubeless.