Interesting Facts About Tires

If you ask car drivers what are the most important spare parts in their autos some of them will say that it is an internal-combustion engine, for some people it is carburetor, some car drivers will say that it is an actuator, but for my best friend tires are the most important things in his car.

I guess that you have a question: - Why?

Frankly speaking I had the same question when he told me that fact for the first time. That answer was very easy: he simply has many problems with tires/ He has never been able to choose that tires that will really fit his car though he tried a lot of times.

So I decided to help him. I spent nearly all the evening in front of my computer trying to find useful information about tires on the Internet. I have to say that I learned a lot of new and interesting things I had never known before. For example:

"Under inflated tires cause the engine to work harder. It's like riding a bike with low tires. It becomes harder to pedal because of the increased rolling resistance."

"Clearance and traction are the most important factors to take into account when going off-roading, and the right tires will give you an increase in both."

"Taller tires give more clearance under the differential and chassis. But wider tires (or change in tread pattern) give you more traction."

"If you go to a larger tire size you should re-gear your front and rear ends to offset the size."

After reading all these facts and all these articles on the Internet and visiting a great number of Internet shops I decided that Kumho tires discounts were really the tires what my friend had been looking for! He actually appreciated my concern and decided to follow this advice.

Safety

Your car's tires have been engineered to provide safe performance whenever you need them, but they can't do that without some help from you. Regular maintenance and keeping them at the right pressure will help you. That's because tires that are under or over inflated will cause problems with handling. You may not notice it right away, but your vehicle won't be steering, accelerating or slowing down correctly, and traction control and anti-lock brake systems might not work right, either.

Fuel Economy

If your tires are correctly inflated, you'll save more gas. That's because well inflated tires have less rolling resistance and take less fuel to move. If you were to maintain your tires correctly, you could save two weeks or more worth of gasoline each year. That's a lot of money, especially with gas prices fluctuating.

Environmental Factors

Did you know that every gallon of fuel you use results in around twenty pounds of carbon dioxide being released into the air? This greenhouse gas has been attributed with making climate change much more severe. If your tires are inflated and your fuel efficiency goes up, your emission will go down. Given the number of tons of CO2 released each year just because of badly maintained tires, isn't it worth it to inflate yours? On top of that, using less fuel means requiring less fossil fuel production, which is also environmentally advantageous.

Another environmental impact that tires have is disposal. Most tires end up either in recycling centers or landfills, and tires don't really decay. Even recycling them is difficult, with some states banning the use of shredded tires in asphalt, and this material being difficult to use in the amounts in which it's produced. Better tire maintenance means less need to figure out what to do with the old ones.

You'll Save Money

If your tires are maintained correctly, your car will be a lot more efficient, and your tires will last longer. You'll get those two weeks worth of gas savings, and you won't have to replace your tires as often, too. Those are pretty good cost benefits compared to the price of the air needed to keep your tires in top condition. So, if you think your tires are over or under inflated, check them out now.

Your tires just won't last as long as your car. They'll wear out and need to be replaced periodically. If you change your own, getting rid of them in the past was pretty difficult. That's why so many people used to burn tires or throw them away illegally. In the old days, even companies that were willing to take tires from you usually burned them, too. The substances released by burning tires include heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury, plus dioxins and other unpleasant substances. It's just plain bad for the environment and for human health.

Thankfully, nobody's burning tires anymore. Since more than a billion are sold each year, with more than two thirds of them replacing worn tires, nearly that many are discarded, too. Recycling numbers for those tires have gone from ten percent in the late 1980s to more than eighty percent today. The materials in tires can be recycled in a number of ways, though it's been challenging to find good uses for old tire material. Let's take a look at some of the things that are done with old tires to recycle them.

Most of us have our tires changed by professionals. If you don't, you should turn yours in to a recycling facility. One in four tires taken to a recycling location, either by an auto shop or an individual, will simply be retreaded and used again. Old tires that are too worn out for retreading may be ground, with the resulting rubber used to make rubberized highway asphalt. This material is less subject to cracking in areas with harsh winters, since the rubber allows it to expand and contract with temperature changes. That means asphalt lasts longer when it's made with old tires.

Shredded tires may be used to base gravel roads, or they may be used to replace sand and gravel in other road construction uses. They're also part of the surfaces for many indoor sports fields, including tennis courts, and are used to create safe playing surfaces in play grounds. For many uses, old tire rubber is cheaper then the collection and processing of new rubber for the same use. Plus, it gets rid of those old tires, which would otherwise pollute and take up space.

There's even an environmentally friendly way to burn tires that can't be recycled otherwise, but you can't do it on your own. Pyrolosis is a process by which tires are burned in a vacuum or an environment with reduced air. Many of the raw materials of the tire can be recovered, including petroleum products, carbon, combustible gas and steel. However, this process is complex, can be expensive, and must be done by professionals.

There are so many different ways to recycle tires and get more use out of them that it's silly not to do it. If you change your tires on your own, turn them in to be recycled. If you have them changed professionally, find out what's done with them afterward. Recycling tires is a smart choice.

Too many people rely on visual inspections to tell them whether their tires are over or under inflated, but that's not an accurate way to do it. You can't tell whether your tire inflation is correct just by looking. The best way to find out if your tires are in the best shape possible is to measure the pressure in them with a tire gauge. You can get one of these in many different places - most auto and hardware shops carry them. Even most gas station air pumps have a tire gauge attached.

The correct tire pressure for your vehicle will vary depending on the make and model, and may even be different on different wheels. The recommended pressures for personal vehicles can be anywhere from twenty psi to more than fifty psi! Fortunately, you'll find the correct tire pressure for your car in your owner's manual. If you no longer have the manual, you can ask a dealer or look online to find out the pressure to which your tires should be inflated. There may also be a place inside the car, glove box, or trunk which has the tire pressure listed for some vehicles.

Don't just go by the pressure listed on the sidewalls of your tires. That's the maximum tire pressure for this type of tire, not the recommended pressure for the tire. Many people don't realize this and have improper inflation. Most of us under inflate our tires, but some go to far to the other extreme and over inflate theirs. Both are a bad idea. Under inflation is the biggest cause of tire failure and it can cause a lot of problems, including poor braking, acceleration, and steering. Squealing tires are a sign of bad inflation.

All that inefficient movement is also playing havoc with your fuel efficiency. More and more people are being concerned with how much fuel their cars use, and that's smart. After all, vehicles that have tires which are under inflated by ten percent will have five percent more wear and use two percent more fuel. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up at the pump and at the mechanic. Twenty percent under inflation, which many people are driving around on and aren't aware of, brings additional wear up to sixteen percent, and fuel use up to an extra four percent. Tires that are poorly inflated have a higher rolling resistance, and it just takes more fuel to get them moving.

It doesn't matter if you're driving a new sports car or any old run down pickup - your vehicle won't handle, brake, or steer right on poorly made or inflated tires. Since there aren't attendants at most gas stations to check the state of your tires anymore, you're going to have to do it yourself. Making sure you have the right tires for your vehicle can make a big difference in its performance. You'll need to know what's recommended for your car or truck, and don't cut corners by choosing a tire that seems close, but isn't quite right.

Fortunately, most tire change stations will let you know which tires are the ones that are best for you. You'll need to let them know what you want - ordinary day to day driving, great performance on ice and snow, or other options. All season tires are fine for most people, but some challenging environments may require you to use specialty tires instead. This can be one situation where the more expensive tires are better for your car - in cases where the every day tires just don't measure up.

If you really want to talk about the best tires without spending too much, you should probably talk to the experts. That means visiting a store that just sells tires, instead of a chain store, and talking to multiple people about them. Specialized tire stores just know more about tires. However, even the cheapest economy tires of today are a lot better than tires you may remember from decades ago. They perform better and offer a lot more durablity. You may remember when a long drive meant at least one flat tire, but those days are long gone.

Name brand tires are often more consistent in their quality than private labels, and may be the best choice. Find out what works well for your area, and your driving style, and don't skimp on pricing. While the most expensive tire in the store may not be for you, the super cheap ones will wear out faster and perform less well. When it comes to tires, you'll get what you pay for. Remember to find out traction and temperature ratings instead of simply a wear rating, too. Many people forget about this, but higher temperature and traction ratings mean better dissipation of heat and better handling on the road. Shopping just by wear rating can be a bad idea, since high wear ratings usually sacrifice heat dissipation and traction in favor of hardness.

A long mileage warranty on your tires may seem to be in your favor, but tire experts say not to bother. Most companies don't pay off on them, since most tires wear out due to mechanical failure, which voids your warranty. Spend more for a good tire, but skip the warranty. Then, once you have those tires, keep them in top shape and rotate them regularly for the best results. You'll be surprised by the difference a good tire can make.

The reason front wheel drive is so hard on tires is due to both the way the weight of the vehicle is distributed and the fact that those wheels are providing the push for the car. The engine sits immediately above the front tires, as does most of the weight of the car. Plus, your front wheels are always turning - that's more stress on those tires.

Rear wheel drive cars use their tires less quickly because the drive wheels aren't the same wheels that are responsible for steering. Of course, front wheel drive has many other advantages that makes it worth the extra tire wear, but that does mean you've got to replace your tires more often or have them rotated on a regular basis. You decide which one is really the hassle.

Tire rotation is just a process of taking your front tires off the car and putting them on the rear, then replacing the front tires with the ones that were on the rear wheels. Usually, there are particular intervals at which this should be done. It's easy to get it done at a garage - the car's just lifted up, and the tires are rotated quickly and easily using professional grade tools. It's a cheap process, and while you can do it at home, this is probably one of those things it's easier to have done by a professional.

Of course, there's a right way and a wrong way to do the job. On a front wheel drive car, the right front tire should be placed on the right rear wheel, not the left, and the left front goes to the left rear. The rear tires, however, don't go straight forward. Instead, the tire on the left rear goes forward onto the right front wheel and the right rear tire is put onto the left front wheel. Your back tires should cross over when they're put onto the front of the car.

Doing it differently may cause a problem, since the point of tire rotation is to equalize the wear that your tires are subject to. With more equal wear, you're less likely to get a thin spot, and you won't have to buy new front tires nearly so often. Remember that worn treads, particularly on the drive wheels, can actually be pretty dangerous. After all, you don't want to drive or steer on a surface that doesn't have any grip left.

That, plus structural stability, is one reason you always want to have good treads on your front tires. By rotating, you'll get even wear and you won't be in danger of a skid or a blowout, and you'll save money by replacing those tires less often. So, if your tires haven't been rotated recently, have it done. It may seem like a hassle, but it's a good idea in the long run.

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More information about Yokohama Tires

The current president and representative director of Yokohama Tires is Tadanobu Nagumo. This company employs over sixteen thousand people, and has net yearly sales of over five hundred fifty hundred thousand million yen (about six billion US dollars). Offices are located in Dubai, Jeddah, Singapore, Tokyo and Nagoya, with factories and plants in Nagano, Onomichi, Ibaraki, Shinshiro, Mishima, Mie and Hiratsuka. Yokohama Tires has tire test courses in a number of locations within Japan, allowing them to make sure that their products are high quality and up to any challenges they may be put through.

Outside the country, the company is known as a number of variations on Yokohama Tire, and has divisions in Canada, Australia, Europe, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, the United States and many other countries. Their basic philosophy involves taking on the challenge presented by new technologies to create value, and developing proprietary business fields to keep on expanding.

Yokohama Tires wants to create a workplace that's efficient and effective, while still being healthy and valuing the people who work for it, as well as dealing fairly with society and the environment. They produce tires for passenger cars and light trucks we drive every day, buses and trucks, as well as for construction and mining equipment and industrial vehicles. Tires are supplied for a wide variety aircraft as well as other types of vehicles.

In addition to top quality tires, Yokohama is also responsible for a number of other vehicle components. If it's made from rubber and it's in your car, there's a very good chance it's made by Yokohama, from hoses and air springs to couplings and thermal insulation. They also make aluminum alloy wheels, sealants, adhesives and much more. If you're in the market for tires for any purpose, Yokohama can help you.

They produce high quality tires for markets all over the world, known for their good traction in wet and slippery environments. These tires are tested under racing conditions, so they're up to the challenge of most vehicles. No matter what you need to put tires on, there's a pretty good chance you can find one from Yokohama.

Looking for Kumho tires? Shop below:

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More background about Kumho Tires

In the later part of the 1960s, the company acquired the KS Mark, and shipped out of the country to East Asia for the first time. This was the time when Kumho/Samyang Tire really got started. This first shipment of 200 tires started a period of growth. By 1969, the company had acquired a mark from the US DOT (Department of Transportation) and snow tires were developed shortly afterward.

The period at the end of the 1960s was one where the Korean government was focusing on national reconstruction, setting business objectives for Samyang Tire and many other companies as well. The company poured a great deal of energy into building the present Kwanju Plant, then called the Songjung Plant. Ties were established with the US company Uniroyal, and Kumho entered the world market. On the tenth Korea Export Day, the company received the Stone Trophy, and two years later in 1975, the Silver Trophy.

Despite difficulties in getting raw materials, as well as the mid 1970s oil shock, Kumho still managed to grow impressively. They became a leader in the tire sector and were listed in the Korea Stock Exchange by 1976. In this year, the company also tested its first aircraft tire and received the Korea Export Day Gold Trophy for producing a million tires in a year, then a record in Korea. Another plant was added in 1977, and the company received the Korea Quality Control Award grand prize two years later. The first radial tire was developed in 1978. Public image was strong for the company at this time.

Unfortunately, democratization in the 1980s and political instability in Korea caused problems, with many struggles between labor and management. Eventually all problems were straightened out, however. Ground was broken for the new Koksung plant and total output in 1980 exceeded twenty million tires. A unique colored tire for passenger cars was developed in 1982. In 1983, the first facility overseas was founded for Kumho. The Samyang/Kumho Tire merger occurred in 1984, a year in which the company also won the productivity Grand Prize.

By August 1992, the company was ranked among the top ten in the world tire market, and the next year, its tires participated in the Paris to Dakar Rally. The first ZR grade tire was developed that year, as well as the high end Xelex model. Currently, the company operates three manufacturing facilities in South Korea, as well as three in China, exporting tires from these locations around the world. Kumho also has three centers for R&D, located in South Korea, the US and the UK. As of 2008, the company has begun construction of a new manufacturing facility in Georgia, hoping to produce over two million tires annually.

Shop here to Buy Goodyear tires:

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Buy now! Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season Tire $149.00 Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season Tire priced from $149. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle GT II Tire $148.00 Goodyear Eagle GT II Tire priced from $148. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Tire $307.00 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Tire priced from $307. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Fortera HL Edition Tire $129.00 Goodyear Fortera HL Edition Tire priced from $129. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Wrangler HT Tire $156.00 Goodyear Wrangler HT Tire priced from $156. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor Tire $132.00 Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor Tire priced from $132. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Wrangler SR-A Tire $95.00 Goodyear Wrangler SR-A Tire priced from $95. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Tire $137.00 Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Tire priced from $137. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle LS Tire $78.00 Goodyear Eagle LS Tire priced from $78. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle LS-2 Tire $63.00 Goodyear Eagle LS-2 Tire priced from $63. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle NCT5 RunOnFlat Tire $315.00 Goodyear Eagle NCT5 RunOnFlat Tire priced from $315. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Eagle RS-A Tire $74.00 Goodyear Eagle RS-A Tire priced from $74. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Tire $142.00 Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Tire priced from $142. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar Tire $177.00 Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar Tire priced from $177. [Read more]   Buy now! Goodyear Fortera TripleTred Tire $146.00 Goodyear Fortera TripleTred Tire priced from $146. [Read more]

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Goodyear Tires - A Leader For More Than A Century

The early Goodyear tires were popular due to their low maintenance properties and the ease with which they could be detached. The original plant had thirteen employees, making rubber pads for horseshoes, poker chips, and tires for carriages and bicycles. Once the automobile became popular, Goodyear moved to making tires for it as well, and grew significantly.

The 1908 Model T used Goodyear tires, and the first aircraft tire was made by this company in 1909. By 1926, Goodyear had become the world's largest rubber company and by 1985, sales worldwide were greater than ten billion dollars.

Currently Goodyear operates twenty-three manufacturing facilities in North America, including ten tire plants, a plant for making steel wire for tires, four chemical plants, a tire mold plant, three tire retread facilities, two aviation retread plants, and two mix plants, as well as a hose producer in the US. Aggregate floor space of these facilities is nearly twenty-four million square feet.

In addition to the North American facilities, the Goodyear company also owns and operates a number of manufacturing locations in five European countries, including fourteen tire plants and facilities for making tire wire, molds and tire making machines, an aviation retread plant and a mix plant, all with aggregate floor space at about thirteen and a half million square feet.

Other plants exist in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Goodyear also operates three research and development facilities and three proving grounds for their tires, plus nearly two thousand retail outlets. Unlike many competitors, the company has not had a major restructuring since 1991.

In 2008, Goodyear Tire and Rubber was recognized as one of the most respected companies in the US by Forbes Magazine and the Reputation Institute, ranking sixteenth in the listing. This list is based on consumer opinion. Goodyear's 2008 score was significantly higher than the previous year, and this company is the only tire producer in the top seventy-five.

The company started with two brothers, who ran a rubber factory in Clermont-Ferrand. One day they repaired a tire for a cyclist, but this tire was glued to the rim, requiring a great deal of time and effort for repair. The brothers quickly set out to create their own version, which didn't have to be glued to the rim. This resulted in an effective, easily changed tire and began the company's long, successful history. (Read more about Michelin Tires below...)

Shop here to buy Michelin Tires:

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Buy now! Michelin Cross Terrain SUV Tire $182.00 Michelin Cross Terrain SUV Tire priced from $182. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Latitude Tour HP Tire $169.00 Michelin Latitude Tour HP Tire priced from $169. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin LTX A/T 2 Tire $148.00 Michelin LTX A/T 2 Tire priced from $148. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S Tire $95.00 Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S Tire priced from $95. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 ZP Tire $271.00 Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 ZP Tire priced from $271. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin XPS Rib Tire $263.00 Michelin XPS Rib Tire priced from $263. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin XPS Traction Tire $299.00 Michelin XPS Traction Tire priced from $299. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Pilot Sport ZP Tire $328.00 Michelin Pilot Sport ZP Tire priced from $328. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 Tire $106.00 Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 Tire priced from $106. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Primacy MXV4 Tire $107.00 Michelin Primacy MXV4 Tire priced from $107. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin LTX M/S Tire $123.00 Michelin LTX M/S Tire priced from $123. [Read more]   Buy now! Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus ZP Tire $235.00 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus ZP Tire priced from $235. [Read more]

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A Leader In Tires - Michelin

You'll probably recognize the Michelin company symbol - Bibendum or the Michelin Man. It's one of the oldest trademarks in the world, and was drawn in 1898 after Edouard Michelin noticed that a stacked tire display looked like a man.

Today, this is one of the most recognized trademarks there is, representing the Michelin company in over a hundred fifty countries. The original poster showed him toasting his competitors, and implied that their products were weaker and not up the the trials of the road.

However, the logo has changed over the years. The original version was a cigar smoking man made from bicycle tires and wearing pince nez glasses. Over the years, the Michelin Man has given up smoking, taken up running, and recently slimmed down to reflect the slimmer, lower profile tires on most automobiles.

He even has a Michelin tire puppy in some American TV ads. He has also shown up as a chariot wheel dealer in several translations of Asterix. A major sustainable mobility event held every year is called the Michelin Challenge Bibendum.

Michelin maps are known for their use by Allied forces to plan the invasion of Normandy in World War II, and the son of Andre Michelin was an early member of the French Resistance during this war. Michelin is responsible for innovating the radial tire as early as the 1940s for the Citroen, which they then owned.

The company has only been managed by a non-member of the family since 2006, when the previous manager drowned in a fishing accident. However, under the current leadership, the company continues to make great tires. They're the original equipment manufacturer for Mark II vehicles from Volvo, as well as GM, Volkswagen, and many other marques. Micheline also owns B. F. Goodrich, a long standing American tire company, as well as Uniroyal USA.