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We all know that the tires on our vehicles are important, and that there should be the right psi of air in them at all times for the vehicles performance and our safety as well as saving gas. In this article you will learn how tires are made and how they work.
There are two main types of tire, bias ply tires and radial ply tires; the most common one today is the radial ply tires. Until the 1970s the majority of tires made and purchased in the US were bias ply tires, although the radial ply tires had become increasingly popular in Europe before that time.
Tires are made up of a strong steel bead which runs around each side of the tire enabling it to be mounted on to the wheel, and this also gives the tire its strength. The inner lining is then applied to the steel, after this the plies are added which make up the body of the tire. In radial ply tires the plies run around the tire underneath where the tread will be seen later, in bias ply tires the plies are ran across the tire on a diagonal. These plies are made up of steel mesh, polyester and nylon, which are coated in a form of rubber which enables them to be sealed together.
After the plies are added, the outer lining and tire walls are fitted; then the whole assembly is placed in a machine that moulds and heats the tire to seal all the parts together making them airtight, this process is called vulcanizing. During this molding process the tread on the outer lining is formed as well as the markings on the tire walls.
There are many different types of tread for tires; some enable you to drive in wet conditions, snow and mud. The common tires we purchase are all round tires for every season on the roads, however there are more specialized tires for constant extreme conditions.
A tire that has the markings MS, M&S, M/S or M+S has past the safety guidelines as a snow or mud tire. These tires have larger grooves in the tread giving you increased traction when driving in these conditions. A tire that has a deep groove all the way round the center of the tire is designed for usage in very wet conditions, this groove allows for more water to escape under the tire. This prevents the car from hydroplaning across the water, which occurs when the contact point of the tire is no longer on the road and is purely supported by the water.
When we drive our vehicles the weight of the load on the tires tends to bend the tire slightly, allowing it to bulge at each side of the contact point (the place that the tire and ground meet). When we change our tires it is essential to check that the wheels are aligned correctly and the tire pressure is adequate. Poorly aligned wheels and under inflated tires can cause increased tire wear and also make the vehicle unsafe.