How Car Tyres Evolved
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011The majority of the drivers don’t pay much attention to car tyres. They fill air in them when they get low, they rave when they’ve to be replaced, and they pay attention to those only at times when they fail. However, automobile engineering have undergone a revolution in tyres since the nineteen sixties, and contemporary tyres are safer, inexpensive, and a bit more economical than ever.
At the beginning, tyres were regarded as a part of suspension system. At that time, suspension systems were not so good, roads were uneven. And therefore, tyres were big, supple and were more vulnerable to breakage. Precarious blow-outs were regular in old school white-wall tyres. Lack of pressure in one tyre at that time could pitch the whole car badly and drivers had tough time controlling the car.
Engineers consequently developed thinner tyres, secured by increasingly more sophisticated suspensions. Learning from racing cars, engineers fine tuned the tyre technology. They designed wider and flatter tyres which would get more grip on the road surface. This proved to not only improve grip, but speed and handling also. Tyres in addition lost the inner-tubes, instead relying on air-proof rims and air-tight seals against the rim. Since inner-tubes were notoriously fragile and prone to breakage, this very much extended the stress that a tire could endure whilst remaining inflated.
Throughout the 1990s, an importance was placed on tyre security and long life. Front wheel drive was introduced and that meant the tyres will wear out quicker as they were continually functioning in double shift, steering and driving. Therefore newer, tougher tyres were designed, which were better capable to withstand friction and providing breaking power. Treads as well were made in several variations to assist the grip. Various types of tyres were designed for various purposes. Hard grip tyres for sports cars and soft and comfortable ones for common vehicles.
Tyres have undergone many revolutions and now are much safer than ever. But, nevertheless they need regular maintenance and should be inspected by a mechanic 2-3 times a year. Furthermore tyres that are losing tread must be replaced, as they eat away the mileage and make it more difficult for the car to turn or stop quickly, which can increase the chance of an accident. Due to the progress of tyres, we see less accidents and get better mileage.