An old customer recently came into our tyre depot in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. Fred as we will call him. Bought a second hand car from a lady whos husband had recently passed away. The car had been stood in a garage for a few years. Consequently, the car was in good condition. The mileage was 47000 and the car was a Vauxhall Vectra.
The vectra was in immaculate condition. However, Fred only wanted the tyres checking. The car had two makes of tyres fitted. Accordingly, two were Michelin zx and the other two were both BF Goodrich. The tyres had tell tale “cracking”. Hence, on the bead and shoulder area of the tyres. Cracking is a tell tale sign of aging tyres?
Do I need winter tyres ? Everything you need to know about cold-weather tyres.
A great question.
Hence, that I have tried to answer a million times. We all live very busy lives. Therefore, we do not like to be hampered or hindered in our daily lives. Thus, from home to work or home to school,.
The roads in the UK are packed to the brim with our cars. Every family now owns two or three cars. We just cannot do without them?
On the other side of the coin.
We all want safer cars and safer roads. Our families are very precious to us.
This in my opinion is where I answer the question “do I need cold weather tyres”. The answer is a big fat YES we do need tyres to aid us in bad winter weather.
The past five or six winters here in the UK.
Of course, they have shown us all just how bad winter can be. I am sitting here writing this. The weather forecast is for snow to fall. In parts of the UK and this is usually in the Halifax area of Yorkshire, where my tyre business is.
Do I need these tyres
A good point to remember is that a winter performs much better when the temperature drops to bellow 7 degrees C. The tyre stays more flexible, because of certain additives in the tyres compound and enables the tyre to grip much better in cold winter weather, This makes winter tyres much safer to drive on in the winter time.
My winter tyres business has built up because of “word of mouth” from the customers that have bought these type of tyres in the past and have spread the word about how good they really are.
Coming forward
to 2024, we are hoping for a cold, snowy winter. Because it will give us a chance to catch up with the loss of business. Of course, the recent “lockdown” had an impact on us. Consequently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,.
As the temperature drops and thoughts turn to winter, many buyers will be wondering once again whether it’s worth investing in Winter Tyres Safety. Here’s our guide.
This is a good article written with some good sense?
In my opinion, the Winter Tyres Safety debate should be non existent. Wherever there is going to be a chance of bad weather,
. So this includes snow, ice and rain. Of course, winter tyres are one of the biggest safety improvements. Hence, you should make one for your car and your family.
In a recent article. I explained how some Canadian insurance companies were giving a discount bonus. Thus, to drivers who were sensible enough to fit Winter Tyres Safety to their cars.
Winter Tyres Safety Tools: Do insurance companies know when they are on a winner?
Another recent development that i am not too sure about is the so-called “all-weather” tyres that are now appearing on the tyre market.
Tyres such as the one in the image, the vredestein Quatrac, have been around for years now and if they were going to be a better option for the genuine winter tyre, then the Winter Tyres Safety would have gone out of existence?
I would still recommend that my customers fit a genuine winter tyre and not an all round summer and winter tyre, they do perform as well
Snow ploughs will be a common site shortly as winter comes sneaking in?
Winter tyre safety tools are as simple as that.
In my opinion Winter Tyres Safety is not an issue with arguments any more. There are of course people who just cannot afford them. This is fine, but it may just be worth making a small sacrifice and divert e little money away from other less important things, to be able to afford some winter tyres.
This will ensure that you will be safer if winter
strikes with vengeance and you get caught out in, say, a less hospitable situation without any Winter Tyres safety to get you out of trouble.
The Vector 4 Seasons tyres are for new Ford car models.
Hence, to versions of its Galaxy, C-Max, Focus, Fiesta, and S-Max models.
The Goodyear vector 4 Seasons tyres, came out with very good results. Especially, in a recent German Auto Magazine tyre test. The Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres came with excellent wet braking results. Of course, in snow and icy conditions, she also did well in all the other disciplines during the test.
There is no doubt
that winter and all season tyres have become a popular choice for UK and European motorists in recent years. In my opinion, it is a faster lifestyle and more safety conscious drivers who are looking to fit safer tyres on their cars.
We are also having more unsettled winters.
The weather can change from mild and wet to a heavy snowstorm over night. Motorists are more aware of this now and are fitting winter tyres such as the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres.
The original Goodyear all-season tyres were brought out more than thirty years ago. Today’s tyre is a different animal, with the use of up-to-date materials for the tyre compounds. This includes the addition of “silica” and natural rubber to the compound mix.
Ford has made a good move by fitting these Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres, and I am sure that other car manufacturers will follow suit.
Goodyear all-season tyres are said to have the following attributes:.
Excellent year-round performance
Traction for all road conditions
Environmentally friendly
Better control on wet and dry roads
These tyres follow in the Goodyear tradition of supplying excellent quality tyres at a reasonable price and are available from Pellon Tyres in Halifax.
Too old to be driving about when fitted to your cars.
There has been an increase of tyre related accidents. Naturally, due to the increase of drivers buying part worn aging tyres. Many of these aging tyres are from breakers yards. For that reason, are well past there sell by date and not fit for the road.
Compounds containing anti-oxidising chemicals. Are used to slow down the natural aging process of rubber. Thus, in new tyres. The problem arises. because, the tyre becomes older than five years old. On the other hand Michelin and Continental. As expected, say that, under the right conditions a tyre could last up to ten years.
AGEING TYRES
Like anything else you should check out your tyres for any cracking and bulges or bubbles appearing on the sidewall area or the tread area. The tyre in the image could have been running under pressure, but it could also be over age?
The date when the tyre was manufactured is embedded into the tyres sidewall. It tells you the week and year that the tyre was manufactured. In the past few years, cash-strapped motorists have been buying part-worn tyres.
What people do not realise
is that many of these part worn tyres have been sold illegally. In the 1990’s, we had a similar economic downturn and laws were passed to curb the number of worn tyres that were sold.
These laws allowed the sale of
part worn tyres, provided they were inspected and tested in a correct manner. This resulted in an improved situation, until recent times. All sorts of rubbish-worn tyres are now been sold to the public.
In recent times, we have seen tyres with cuts, nails, bubbles, screws and, worst of all, ageing tyres that are passed their best and full of cracks.
checking and maintaining good Tyre tread legal limit conditions.
This is a good video. Therefore, it shows an easy way for the tyre-buying consumer. To check their remaining tyre tread legal limit.
I remember this law coming into the UK. The minimum Tyre tread legal limit was set at 1.6 mm.Hence, across two thirds of the tread from the centre of the tread outwards.
This has now lasted for a few years.
It is a thought, though. That the trade think the legal limit. Thus, should be raised to 2 mm.
This is primarily because car designs and speeds.Consequently, have changed significantly in the past ten years. As expected, tyre companies have had to keep up with these changes. Naturally, the introduction of SUVs and crossover vehicles.Thus, has meant much larger tyre sizes.
The relevance of this is. That tyre companies such as Continental tyres. I have now stopped putting sipes (the tiny slits in a tyre that dispel water from the tyre) at 2 mm.
legal limit of your tyres
This means that the Tyre tread legal limit at 2 mm, certain tyres are bald apart from the drainage grooves that run down the circumference of the tyres.
Tyre manufacturers were quick to incorporate technology into their tyre design and included the addition of a bar of thin rubber that runs from one side of the tread edge to the other.
This bar of rubber is exactly 1.6 mm in depth.
It was put there so that the public (and the police) could see if the tread was illegal or not. When the tyre tread had worn down to these bars, the tyre was at the end of its life and should be replaced. It is at the legal limit, and below that, this makes the tyre illegal.
So watch this space; the tyre guys are campaigning for a 2 mm tread limit.
Yokohama Rubber is testing new radial tyres complete with spoilers on their sidewalls, which it says improve air flow underneath the car.
Yokohama Rubber of Japan makes new advances in tyre aerodynamics
Yokohama Rubber has come up with a clever way
of making their future tyre more efficient. So, by creating better air flow around the tyres when the car is in motion,.
Yokohama Tyres, which makes car tyres from their factory in Japan,. Importantly, have also been successful in recent years by developing a greener tyre. Of course, that has less rolling resistance and are now developing the idea of an aerodynamic tyre. So, that will help reduce air drag. This will work similar to fitting relevant spoilers to cars.
This development work has been going on since 2010 and first started with the introduction of built-on fins to the tyre inner sidewall.
This had the effect of reducing drag inside the cars wheel wells. This was followed by the addition of these spoke like fins. To both sidewalls of the tyre. This had the effect of reducing drag on the whole car.
by using a supercomputer, which can run simulations of different effects that adding fins to a tyre may have on a car’s drag; the less drag, the more fuel efficiency the car will have.
So, the giant Japanese tyre company has built this new design into a new tyre that will be on display at the Tokyo Motor Show.
I can’t wait to see what the tyre will look like. I am loving the times that we are in at the moment with all the new developments that are coming out of the top tyre companies, including this tyre from Yokohama .
Toyo Tyres USA Corp. is continuing its long-time support of the National Auto Sport Association (NASA), signing a five-year renewal covering the 2016–2020 racing seasons. Toyo has been the official tyre of NASA since 2003.
Toyota tyres USA likes so many tyre companies these days.
So, look to motorsport for consumer recognition for their tyre products.
I have always had a sweet spot for Toyo tyres here in the UK. They were always a great tyre company to deal with. Toyo were always helpful when it came to credit terms and product awareness campaigns.
In fact, we very often bought their tyre in containers,
such was there popularity in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. Although all this was over ten years ago, we still get some of our customers asking for Toyota and tyre products. Things came to an end, though, when Toyota decided to do what so many other tyre manufacturers do and distribute their tyres through wholesaling companies.
Toyo Tyre USA has been the long-time tyre supplier and supporter of the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and is now signing a new contract from 2016 to the 2020 race season. Toyo Tyre USA is also supporting the prestigious 25-Hours of Thunder hill, the longest endurance road race in North America.
Research and development
Like many other tyre makers Toyo Tyre USA, use these races for the research and development of the tyre products that will eventually end up on normal standard road cars. The name Proxes was developed from a broad range of racing tyres.
NASA races are split into many car types and categories.
Toyo use the Toyo Proxes RR two-groove DOT competition tyre in many of these classes. These include the Honda Challenge, Spec E30 cars, Spec E46 cars and many more. Toyota has also recently added the Spec Z class for Nissan 350Zs to the list of spec classes.
To learn more about the Proxes line competition and UHP tyres, go to www.toyotires.com.
TyreSafe was set up with the responsibility of raising awareness of the importance of the dangers of defective and worn tyres.
Hi Judging by some of the tyres that we are removing in our Halifax tyre shop,. So, I can see why we need such a great organisation as Tyresafe. Constantly trying to educate and inform the car-owning public. About the proper care and safety when it comes to their tyres.
The image I have used.
Of course, this is an every-day sample of the tyres that we take off our customers cars. The tyre stood on edge. So, it is actually worn down to the steel belt. Consequently, the left-hand side of the tread area. The driver said that he was too busy to check his tyres. But he was shocked to see them in such bad condition.
As I have said on many occasions,
Tyresafe is a non-profit organisation. Trying to educate the motoring public. Thus, with different safety awareness campaigns. Of course, throughout the UK. They also produce excellent tyre safety videos. Subsequently, the website is worth a look.
Tyresafe.org established itself in 2006. Naturally, it is a non-profit organisation. Tyresafe campaigns for the tyre safety part of the tyre industry. Hence, in line with the legislation that is current at the moment,. Including the current duty of care regulations.
Tyresafe.org receives support from many areas
Of the tyres industry, this includes most of the large tyre manufacturers, tyre retailers and tyre wholesalers. Tyresafe has also some equipment suppliers and a number of vehicle manufacturers.
To get the safety message across
To inform the public about self driving cars, Tyresafe works closely with a huge range of commercial and government organisations, including Highways England, Road-Safe, police forces, fire services, councils, and many other such government bodies.
This article is yet another reminder from the British motoring organisation, the AA.
It states that motorists here in the UK should take more care of their tyres, than they perhaps do.
Tyres are treated the same as extras
Maintaining Your Tyres:
Why It’s Necessary to Have Regular Inspections Hi everyone!
Your tyres need some TLC if you’ve ever found yourself driving down the M62 motorway and suddenly felt an uncomfortable wobble from underneath. It’s important to keep you safe when driving, not merely to avoid the annoyance of a flat tyre. Let me discuss why it is imperative that you give your tyres a routine inspection and maintenance.
The Value of Foot Depth Let’s start by discussing tread. This is more than just a tyre design—it’s your go-to friend for maintaining traction on the road, particularly in inclement weather.
In the UK, the legal tread depth is 1.6 mm, but let’s not wait to skate on the edge of the law, shall we? It’s time to start looking for new tyres if you can see the border around the edge of a 20-p coin when you insert it into the tyre’s grooves. Improved grip results from deeper tread, and safer excursions to the east coast are especially important when it’s icy or rainy outside.
Keep an eye out for lumps and bumps Have you ever observed any strange lumps or bumps on your tyre, similar to what’s appeared on pie crusts ? These could indicate interior damage that could result in a blowout; they are not merely cosmetic problems. This may occur if your tyre has struck a curb or a very large pothole. Frequent inspections can identify these lumps early on, sparing you from having to deal with a true nightmare!
Slices and Damage to the Sidewall Numerous objects, such as sharp stones, shattered glass, and road debris, can cut and damage tyres. Furthermore, the sidewalls may also be impacted in addition to the tread region. Despite their seemingly innocuous appearance, these can eventually erode your tyres. Make it a practice to check your tyres for cuts or damage; it’s a simple task but may have a big impact.
The Effect on Fuel Economy It’s true that poorly maintained tyres can burn through fuel more quickly. Yes, that is accurate. Tyres that are old or improperly inflated increase moving resistance, or the energy your car needs to keep moving. Thus, maintaining your tyres not only keeps you safer but also, and this is always a plus, maintains a little extra cash in your pocket!
Actions You Can Take Make it a habit to check your tyres every two weeks or so. Examine your tyres for wear and tear, make sure your tread depth is even, and check your tyre pressure (you can typically find the recommended PSI in your car’s handbook or on a label inside the driver’s door). It’s quick and will help you feel more at ease.
And never forget to visit your neighbourhood garage (Pellon Tyres in Halifax, UK) if you have any questions concerning the condition of your tyres or whether it’s time for a replacement. We would be more than delighted to assist or provide guidance.
In addition to ensuring your safety, monitoring your tyres can ultimately save you some money. Thus, let’s not cut corners when it comes to tyre checks—both your car and your pocketbook will appreciate it.
From Eric Roberts: Happy travels to all of you! And be sure to check those tyres!
These cracks will widen and become very dangerous.
The cracks are usually a sign of other underlying problems, such as an illegal repair, inside the tyre. These are very often found in part worn tyres, which are illegally sold to cash-strapped motorists who are unaware of the hidden horrors inside of these tyres.
One of the main reasons for removing a tyre that has still got some tread left,is because the tyre may have developed a “bubble” or “egg” somewhere on the tyre tread area or side wall. Most times the egg only develops when the tyre is in an inflated state. When the air is let out of the tyre the egg very often goes down and is not visible.
This tyre was a car tyre fitted with a bubble on the tread without the owner knowing anything about it?
Worn Tyres
This then looks like a perfectly good tyre, but to all intents and purposes, it is indeed a dangerous tyre that, when re-fitted, could blow out. I have seen many cases of this here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax. The worst case can be seen in this attached image.
These tyres somehow
may find there way into the hands of illegal worn tyre dealers and be sold to an unwitting customer who thinks that they have a bargain buy, but may in fact be sitting on a disaster waiting to happen.
