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TYREPOWER NEWCASTLE "SAY HELLO TO YOUR TYREPOWER PRO" |
Cnr. Throsby & Railway Sts Wickham Phone: 02 4961 1550 Fax: 02 4961 1340 |
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TYRE TIPS AND TYRE CARE Tyrepower Newcastle has assembled some useful information on tyres and tyre care. You can navigate to any section quickly by using these links. Tyre Care General || Tyre Choice || Reading The Sidewall || Tyre Load Rating Tyre Speed Rating || Space Saver Spares || Low Profile Tyres Tyre Balance || Tyre Pressures || Tyre Examination Tyre Rotation || Tyre Cleaning TYRE CARE GENERAL Check air pressures in all tyres regularly. It is preferable that this check be made weekly, when tyres are cold and with a gauge known to be accurate. Ensure you have the correct tyres for your vehicle. You can check this be referring to the tyre placard fitted to the vehicle which indicates the correct size, speed rating and load capacity, as well as recommended inflation pressures. The placard is fitted to all vehicles manufactured since 1973. Avoid "mixing" types. Radial ply and diagonal ply tyres have different handling characteristics and it can be dangerous to "mix" them on your vehicle. It can also be dangerous to mix tyres of different sizes or aspect ratios. Avoid hard braking and sudden acceleration. Tyres may wear quickly if consistently subjected to hard braking or rapid acceleration. Adopting a conservative driving style will maximise tyre life. Use care when parking to avoid tyre damage. Many impact fractures occur in the sidewall area of the tyre rather than the tread. Careful parking will reduce damage to tyre sidewalls that can occur through contact with kerbs. Ensure that tyres have more than 1.6 mm of tread. Most new tyres have about 8-9 mm of tread pattern when manufactured but when the tread wears down to less that 1.6 mm, the tyre may be unsafe to use in wet conditions and should be replaced as soon as possible. Tyres have indicators in their tread pattern which show as lines across the tread when reduced to 1.6 mm. Have your tyres fitted by a specialist. Tyres should be fitted by us as we will ensure that they are fitted to the wheel correctly. Poorly-fitted tyres can result in vibration, premature failure, poor handling or rapid tread wear. Do not use sealants to repair punctures. After a puncture, tyres should be inspected internally by Newcastle Tyrepower to assess what damage has occurred, and whether the tyre still complies with minimum safety standards. While sealants may be acceptable as a temporary emergency measure after a puncture has occurred, they often do not fully inflate the tyre and accordingly the vehicle should be driven at reduced speeds until the tyre can be changed or permanently repaired. Sealants should not be used as preventative measures, the use of sealants may invalidate tyre warranties. Back to index TYRE CHOICE Determine When You Need Tyres Tyres are considered to be un-roadworthy at 1.6 mm minimum tread depth. In wet conditions 3.0 mm or less tread means a significant loss of wet traction due to shallower grooves and channels. In snow conditions, traction noticeably diminishes at 4.75 mm tread-depth; shallower lug and groove depths limit a tyre's ability to "bite" into snow and clean out snow compressed into the tread. Irregular wear necessitates early tyre replacement. Determine How Many Tyres You Need By utilising the safety checks for your vehicle at Tyrepower Newcastle we can alert you to early or premature tyre wear. If you do need new tyres we will only be too willing to show you any problems or the tyres that need replacing and explain why. You may need two tyres, its best to put them on the rear so that you drive to the condition of your tyres. Its best to replace tyres in pairs so there is not uneven wear, no alignment problems and so that you vehicle in most cases remains roadworthy. Determine the Tyre Size Most people replace their old tyres with the same size that was on the vehicle when first released. If this is your choice, see your owner's manual or tyre placard in the vehicle (see door or glove box locations) or the tyre itself for the size. Tyrepower Newcastle can help with this. You can often improve ride and performance, however, by changing tyre size. We can tell you if there is a size available, what changes to your vehicles performance will occur, keep within Government and State regulations and most importantly keep you safe when driving. Typical Changes of this nature are: By selecting a tyre of the next lowest profile, you can significantly improve the handling of your vehicle. On small cars, a good example is to replace the original equipment 155/80R-13 size with 175/70R-13. The tread is almost an inch wider and the tyre has a proportionately lower sidewall (however the tyre's height remains the same). By Plus sizing. In this application, the plus size tyre is the same height as the original but its sidewalls are shorter. This change delivers improvement in tyre response and handling. Up sizing, selecting a larger tyre is a common option, especially for 4WD and truck owners; taller, wider tyres improve performance as well as ride quality. On trucks, larger tyres can improve traction, load carrying capacity and appearance. In all cases its best to check with us, as this will insure your car is roadworthy and most importantly keeps you and your loved ones safe. Analyse Your Driving Habits Tyrepower Newcastle can help you select the best tyres for your situation based on the conditions that your city, town, state or region delivers. A person who lives in Cairns Queensland will often choose a significantly different tyre for their car than somebody who lives in Melbourne Victoria. We can help you analyse your driving conditions; perhaps you drive on dry roads most of the year, mixed wet and dry, or mostly wet. Then factor in seasonal extremes. Most tyres purchased today are the all-season type that appeal to the great majority of drivers who seek acceptable performance and traction across the spectrum of possible driving conditions in all four seasons. If you drive a RV or Four Wheel Drive, chances are you'll be considering an all purpose-built tyre design to match your driving needs. These designs have trade offs including traction highway ride quality and, fairly recently, performance. In terms of traction, designs range from HT (highway tread) to AP (all-purpose) to AT (all-terrain) to MT (mud terrain) in order of aggressive tread design. Highway ride quality diminishes, as the tread design becomes more aggressive. Buy the Best Quality You Can Afford The old adage, "you get what you pay for", may have been invented for tyre buying. A good exercise would be to calculate the total price for your tyre purchase and divide that by the kilometres of service to get the cost per kilometre. You'll quickly see that the better tyres are the better value. When you have kilometre guarantees to compare, this is very easy, but there is another way. When you are comparing tyres within a particular brand, use the UTQG ratings (tread wear) to calculate value; divide the tread wear rating by the price; the highest number should be your pick if you want the best value by wear. This system won't help you compare between brands, however, because there is no standardisation for tread wear ratings. Traction and temperature ratings are standardised and useful for making comparisons between brands. Consider Performance and Speed Ratings Most people are aware of speed ratings. Suffice it to say, buy a tyre with the appropriate speed rating for your vehicle. If you do not do this, be aware that you are limiting your vehicle's performance in terms of handling and speed capacity. Generally speaking, a tyre's handling response is commensurate with its speed rating. Look at it this way, you'll lose that crisp handling the manufacturer designed into the vehicle and you will not be able to safely achieve the speeds the vehicle was designed for if you use a lower speed rated tyre than the original design. Conversely, you can improve your vehicle's handling with a higher speed rated tyre. Consider Tyre Type Each year more and more car and light truck/4WD/SUV designs are introduced. As a result, tyre manufacturers are responding with more and more specialised designs. Be aware that for a given vehicle you can choose anywhere from longwearing, easy-riding tyres to neck-snapping, style-conscious ultra-high performance tyres. It's your call. We have many different types of tyres to fit a wide range of vehicle styles and driving habits. Back to index READING THE SIDEWALL OF A TYRE Tyres have a code system moulded into their sidewall which allows you to understand their technical capabilities. This code provides information on the tyre's construction (e.g. radial), its size, its load-carrying capacity and its speed rating. For example, the code on a common fitment for Australian cars is: 205/65R15 95H 205 indicates the nominal section width of the tyre in millimetres (205 mm). 65 indicates its aspect ratio, a comparison of the tyre's section height with its section width (65 indicates the height is 65% of its width). R indicates radial ply construction. 15 indicates the nominal diameter of the wheel rim (15 inches). 95 indicates the maximum load capacity and speed at which the tyre can be safely operated, subject to the tyre being in sound condition, correctly fitted, and with recommended inflation pressures (95 represents a maximum load of 690 kg per tyre. H represents a maximum speed of 210 km/h).  Back to index TYRE LOAD RATING The Load capacity of a tyre determines what payload each tyre can carry. It is vital that you check with your manufacturer what capacity should be put on your car. Again in cases insurance can be void if you select the incorrect tyres. The following table shows what Index specification can carry. Passenger Car Tyre Load Ratings:
TYRE SPEED RATING A tyre receives its speed rating meeting minimum standards for reaching and sustaining a specified speed. What does that mean to you? Well, in general, a higher speed rating will result in better car handling. Below is a list of speed ratings along with the corresponding speeds they represent. Remember, the speeds are test speeds, not recommended speeds.
It is Illegal and very dangerous to your safety in lowering the Speed rating. This may result in poor handling and unpredictable steering. However, if you want better cornering response, there is no problem installing a higher speed rated tyre on your vehicle. Tyre manufacturers recommend not mixing and matching tyres with different speed ratings on your vehicle. It is recommended that speed-rated tyres be replaced in sets of 4. If replaced in pairs, the new tyres should be of the same or higher speed rating. If tyres with different speed ratings are installed on a vehicle, it is recommended that they be installed with like pairs on the same axle. It is highly recommended the lower speed-rated tyres be place on the front axle, regardless of which axle is the drive axle, to help prevent oversteer. (Oversteer occurs when the vehicle loses traction at the rear tyres first, causing the vehicle to spin and the driver to lose control.) The speed rating for all tyres will become that of the lowest speed-rated tyre on the vehicle. Back to index SPACE SAVER SPARES  Temporary use spare tyres or space savers are specially constructed spare tyre and rim combinations provided by vehicle manufacturers as standard equipment in many vehicles. These spares are lighter and smaller than those which you normally see fitted to motor cars. Temporary use spare tyres are generally recognizable by their unusual design (yellow rim) and compact size. Fit only the temporary use spare tyres provided by the vehicle manufacturer for your vehicle model. Temporary use spare tyres are not designed to travel long distances. If you are unsure of the condition of the space saver spare tyre, check it before driving the car. Do not attempt to fit a temporary use spare tyre to any other rim. Use the temporary use spare tyre strictly in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's instructions. Carefully observe the manufacturer's recommendations for any limits on speed, tyre pressure, load and safe travel distance. Note inflation pressure will not be the same for the temporary spare as the primary tyre. This information can be found either on a placard near the spare tyre or in the vehicle handbook. Back to index LOW PROFILE TYRES Aspect ratios. Tyre profiles have changed considerably in recent years because of changes in vehicle styling and demand for increased vehicle performance. Today's tyres have a squat appearance, rather than the tall, narrow look of yesteryear. The aspect ratio is a comparison of the tyre's section height with its section width (45 indicates the height is 45% of its width). Upgrade to low profile tyres. An upgrade to a tyre with a lower profile size than the original will generally improve the vehicle's steering response, handling characteristics and appearance. There are options available to change the rim width and diameter, which will maintain similar specifications to the original tyre fitment. For more information, talk to Newcastle Tyrepower to ensure the upgrade is suitable for your vehicle. NOTE: When fitting new replacement tyres and/or wheels, ensure any alternative to the original tyre and wheel fitment complies with relevant state legislation, and that tyre load and speed ratings equal or exceed the minimum allowed for that vehicle in your state. Back to index Tyre Balance Maintaining the tyre balance on your vehicle is critical to receiving satisfactory service from your tyre investment. In addition to providing a smooth ride, balancing is a key component in tyre wear. The focus of this article is to help you understand the balancing process and to know why it is important to keep your tyres balanced throughout their tread life. For those of you who may think that tyre balancing isn't that important, consider some industry trends - they may help you rethink the issue. Perhaps the most compelling argument for precision balancing comes from an obvious fact… vehicles are being made lighter and lighter. The heavier cars of yesterday actually helped smooth-out the ride by damping many vibrations before they could be felt by the driver. The softer suspensions also had the same effect. The second factor is tyre technology; generally, more responsive tyres with lower profiles (which send more road feedback to the driver) are being used in today's style and performance oriented market. By the way, lower profile tyres do provide lower rolling resistance, which helps fuel economy. As a result, the slightest imbalance (as little as half an ounce) can be felt in most modern vehicles; this is significantly less than the average of ten years ago. For those of you who have plus-sized your tyres and wheels, balancing is even more critical. The Balancing Act 
 Perhaps the best way to begin is to discuss the lack of balance. When a tyre is mounted onto the wheel, two slightly imperfect units are joined to form an assembly weighing forty pounds (this is the average for cars). The chances of this assembly having absolutely precise weight distribution about its radial and lateral centres are virtually impossible. Remember that all it takes is half an ounce of uneven weight distribution for a vibration to be felt. The illustration above shows how an imbalance creates vibration. Static imbalance: Occurs when there is a heavy or light spot in the tyre so that the tyre won't roll evenly and the tyre and wheel undergoes an up-and-down motion. Dynamic imbalance: Occurs when there is unequal weight on one or both sides of the tyre/wheel assembly's lateral centreline, thus creating a side-to-side wobble or wheel shimmy. The static imbalance creates a hop or vertical vibration. The dynamic imbalance creates a side-to-side or wobbling vibration. Most assemblies have both types of imbalance, and require dynamic balancing (commonly referred to as spin balancing) to create even weight distribution. The balancing system directs a technician to place counter weights on the rim's outer surface to offset the imbalance. When the balancing system tests for virtually perfect weight distribution, the assembly is in balance and will not vibrate. Your tyres will ride smoothly and wear evenly (with regard to balance). Keeping Your Tyres Balanced For example, assume you have driven your tyres 5,000 kilometres since their purchase and it's time to rotate. Over time, turning left and right, hitting bumps and holes you could not see or avoid, and driving down uneven road surfaces have led to uneven tread wear on your tyres. Perhaps a pothole has knocked-out your vehicle's alignment (this creates uneven tyre wear). Well, besides rotating the tyres and getting an alignment to set things right, you should also rebalance the tyres. Even if you can't feel vibrations, they are present. The uneven tread wear has created an imbalance that generates excessive heat and wear on your tyres! Considering the hundreds of dollars you spent on your tyres, a rebalance is a wise expenditure. Other Sources of Vibration Very often the wheel/tyre assemblies on a vehicle may be in balance but you still feel a vibration. Here are some of the other causes of vibration: Bent wheel, Tyre out of round (radial or lateral run out), Wheel to axle mounting error, Inconsistent tyre sidewall stiffness (force variation), Brake component wear or failure, Drive train or engine component wear or failure, Suspension wear or failure, Wheel bearing wear of failure and Wheel alignment is out. Tyrepower Newcastle can isolate many of these problems for you, and there is no question that determining whether the tyre/wheel assemblies are good and in balance is the first place to start. But ultimately this may not be the source of your vibration problem. Balancing High Performance Tyres and Wheels Match Mounting: Today's high performance tyres and wheels are made with features that facilitate optimum mounting. Wheels are marked to identify the minimum radial run-out spot (low point) on the bead seat surface. Tyres are marked with a high point location. Mounting the assembly to match these two points is called match mounting. This method minimizes the balance weight needed to correct any remaining imbalance and the radial run-out that may occur in the wheel/tyre assembly. Force Variance: On rare occasion, a tyre may be manufactured with slightly inconsistent sidewall stiffness (creating what is called force variance) which leads to a ride problem. There is a new generation of balancers that can detect this condition and guide the technician to remount the tyre in an optimum position that puts the assembly within specification and eliminates the problem. Wheel Weight Placement Many of today's wheel designs necessitate unique wheel weight placement to achieve both precise balance and aesthetic appeal. We will inform you of the best method for your wheel type.
Tyre Pressures The Benefits of Correct Air Pressure Keeping the correct air pressure in your tyres is as important as giving your engine a tune up. The economic benefits are perhaps even greater! With the right amount of air pressure, your tyres wear longer, save fuel, enhance handling and prevent accidents. The effects of not maintaining correct air pressure are poor petrol mileage, loss of tyre life, bad handling (perhaps even loss of control), and potential vehicle overloading. Check Air Pressure Routinely Perhaps because our tyres do so much without seeming to need any attention, we tend to overlook this important task. But tyres do lose pressure, slowly but surely everyday, through the process of permeation. Generally, a tyre will lose up to one or two kilopascals of air per month in cool weather and even more in warmer weather. Also, tyres are subjected to flexing and impacts that can diminish air pressure. So, think in terms of refilling your tyre just like you do your petrol tank; actually that's a good reminder, refill your tyres every other time you fill up at the petrol station. That's the recommended interval. Another time to check air pressure is when the tyres are rotated. Many vehicles have different tyre pressures on the front and rear axle, so remember to have this adjustment made. Also remember to have the pressure in your spare checked. The space-saver type spare requires a much higher air pressure level than other tyres and is virtually useless (due to overloading) at lower air pressure levels. Where To Find Air Pressure Information The correct air pressure may be found in the vehicle owner's manual or on the tyre placard (attached to the vehicle door edge, doorpost, glove box door or fuel door). The placard tells you the maximum vehicle load, the cold tyre pressures and the tyre size recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Another valuable resource is the Tyre Load/Inflation Tables. Not only will this document tell you the correct tyre pressure for stock sizes, but it will provide the information on optional plus sizes as well. A good example would be the findings on a Honda Civic with the stock size 185/65R-14; recommended air pressure is 193 kpa. Plus one size is 195/55R-15 with a recommended air pressure of 220 kpa. Plus two size is 205/45R-16 with a recommended air pressure of 248 kpa. Note how the air pressure increases with plus sizing to meet the load carrying capacity for the car. Other Factors Change Air Pressure Besides the routine air check, other circumstances necessitate a visit to the air pump. Seasonal changes or altitude changes create a rise or drop in air pressure (for every 10 degrees change in temperature, tyre air pressure changes approximately 7 kpa). But perhaps the most overlooked factor is vehicle loading for trucks and 4WDs. Since these vehicles can be configured and loaded in many ways, the proper inflation pressure should be determined by actual tyre loads. This is best determined by weighing the vehicle; vehicle loading can change from trip to trip. Remember that tyre failure can occur due to under inflation and overloading! One of the most dangerous conditions that can exist is the slow leak. Sometimes a small nail, screw or other object will puncture a tyre and then act as an inefficient plug. Air pressure drops slowly over a matter of hours or days, undetected by the driver. Your best defence in this circumstance is to be alert to the symptoms of this condition. Be aware of any pulling or vibration that seems unnatural. And listen for any tick-ticking sound - especially audible at slow, parking lot speeds. If you detect this, get off the road and inspect the tyres on the side of the pull, vibration or sound. A bulging sidewall and/or excessively hot tyre indicates a slow leak. Put on your spare tyre and have your punctured tyre repaired. Ask the repair technician if any sidewall damage has occurred (a powdery residue inside the tyre indicates this condition). If so, have the tyre replaced. How To Check Air Pressure Properly checking tyre pressure requires an accurate air gauge. Many people believe that they can check air pressure just by looking at the tyre and judging the sidewall appearance. Also, many people use the air gauges at service stations, which can be grossly inaccurate due to exposure or abuse. Invest in a quality air gauge. When checking your vehicle's tyre pressure, make sure the tyres are "cold". Cold air pressure means that the vehicle has not yet been driven one kilometre (remember that driving on a tyre as well as being in direct sunlight increases its temperature and air pressure). If you must drive more than one kilometre for air, check and record the air pressure in all your tyres before you leave. Once at your destination, measure each tyre's inflation again and then note the difference. Inflate the tyres with low pressure to a level that is equal to the recommended cold pressure plus the difference at the higher temperature.  In the example above, add 20 kpa in the right rear tyre to match the other rear tyre's warm reading. When the tyre returns to cold pressure, it should end up at the recommended pressure. Finally, after completing the pressure check, make sure the valves and extensions are equipped with valve caps to keep out dirt and moisture. Remember to replace the valve assembly when you replace the tyre; it's your best assurance against a sudden or consistent loss of air pressure. Environmental Impact How can routine air pressure maintenance impact our environment? Consider that fewer tyres per year would end up in the landfills and scrap heaps that trouble our ecology. How many tyres are we talking about? We estimate that most drivers lose from 10% to as much as 50% of tyre tread life due to under inflation. That's a significant statistic. Now consider the extra fuel we burn to push cars along on soft, underinflated tyres. Tyres do require extra energy to roll if they are under inflated. While the statistics vary widely and inconclusively, the implications are staggering. So maintaining tyre pressure is a small line item in our busy daily routines, but it adds up to big environmental consequences. We must all care and take action to do the right thing. Back to index Tyre Examination WARNING! All punctured or damaged tyres must be removed from the wheel for internal and external examination to ensure there is no hidden secondary damage which may later cause tyre failure. Puncture repairs must meet Australian standards. Inspect tyres regularly, paying attention to: Objects embedded in the tread Remove all stones and other objects embedded in the tyre tread before driving. Tread wear Ensure tyres have adequate tread depth. If your tyres are worn to the tread-wear indicators (TWI), they must be replaced. Sidewall condition If there are bulges and cuts, have the tyre examined Tyrepower Newcastle, as the damage may be more serious than it appears. Note: Tyres showing wear on one side, or showing feathered edges to the tread pattern, are often indicative of mechanical maladjustment. The vehicle's steering, or suspension geometry may need to be checked, and the wheels aligned. Back to index Tyre Rotation Rotating your tyres periodically is an essential part of tyre maintenance. The main purpose of regularly rotating tyres is to achieve more uniform wear for all tyres on the vehicle. If no rotation period or pattern is to be found in your owner's documentation, rotate your tyres at least every 10,000 kms and follow one of the patterns suggested below. (Only where tyres are same type & size)  However, rotate your tyres earlier if irregular or uneven wear develops, and check with us to determine the cause of the wear problem. Remember that a hard impact such as hitting a pothole can cause misalignment, which then causes uneven tyre wear. Remember that certain tyres cannot be rotated in the patterns described. These include tyres with asymmetric or uni-directional tread designs. Also, some vehicles are equipped with different size tyres or wheels on the front and rear axles. Check the owner's manual for the proper rotation in these cases. Finally, check the inflation pressures and have them adjusted for the tyre's new positions. Under-inflated or over-inflated tyres may result in poor handling, uneven tread wear or poor fuel consumption. Also check that the lug nuts have been properly installed and torqued. Back to index Tyre Cleaning Cleaning of your tyres is a simple procedure, following these simple steps will enhance the beauty of your car and will help your tyres look great for years to come! Cleaning Tyres When cleaning your tyres, use a soft brush, never with metal bristles, and be careful around the edges of your wheels. You can use special cleaners, but typically the mild detergent you are washing your car with works well when you use a brush. After washing your tyres, dry them with a soft cloth and apply a tyre dressing. This will enhance the beauty of your entire car and will help prevent the exposed sidewall rubber from cracking or checking. Back to index |
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Legal Issues and Disclaimers Last updated 22 May 2010. Copyright © 2010 Tyrepower Newcastle (ABN 60 053 388 382). This site requires Java Scripting to be enabled in your browser. Designed and maintained by Mark Peachman | Hosted by IDL Internet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
