Tire Safety: How Old Is Too Old?
When thinking about tire safety, it is important to consider two things: age and use. Vehicles driven daily are typically driven 15,000 miles a year. But there are situations where cars put on even fewer miles. This includes: being driven only on the weekends, never driving in the rain, show cars, and cars that are stored for extended periods of time. So, some tires on these types of cars put on less than 100,000. But it doesn t mean that they are safe tires. Tires deteriorate over time and can age out wear out before they wear out. In a statement from the British Rubber Manufacturers Association (BRMA) issued on June 5, 2001 regarding the age of tires they state, “BRMA members strongly recommend that unused tires should not be put into service if they are over 6 years old and that all tires should be replaced 10 years from the date of their manufacture.” Tire age can be accelerated by a variety of environmental factors, such as sunlight exposure and coastal climates. Poor storage and infrequent use of your vehicle are other things that can accelerate tire age. If you keep your tires in ideal conditions, the tire age can go as high as 10 years from its manufacture date. But ideal conditions are the exception rather than the rule. And the worst part is that you cannot tell the safety of an old tire just by looking at it since there are no conclusive tests for the safety of tires without destroying the tire itself! Due to this, some European car manufacturers of high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans have hedged their bets, stating in their owners manuals that the tire age should reach no higher than 6 years. How Better Rubber Makes Tires That Are Safe There have been a lot of changes in rubber compounds since Charles Goodyear discovered how to cure rubber when he baked a combination of natural rubber and sulfur on his family s kitchen stove. Thus, he would convert an unappreciated raw material into many useful products. Goodyear cross-linked sulfur with polymers that, when exposed to heat, would help make rubber durable and at the same time maintain its elasticity. The main focus of new research has been finding tire age inhibitors. Sulfur molecules are one such tire age inhibitor that is reactivated every time they are exposed to heat, making the rubber harder. Nowadays, rubber in tires has oil in it that tends to migrate into the tires under tread/casing and evaporate into the air. In the process of this, the tire compound releases oil and gets harder. If you can t quite visualize this, go into any tire store and take a big whiff. You ll smell the oil there. Before curing, most tires are coated with a mold release agent that is makes it easier to remove from their mold after curing. If it s a little hard to visualize, think about spraying Pam on a fry pan before pouring on the batter for pancakes. This increases the safety of tires because some of the mold release agent gets cooked onto the surface of the cured tire, which prevents all the oil from evaporating. What Is The Right Tire Age? In most cases, most street tires are good for 6-8 years if maintained properly. Don t forget though that this includes the time the tires spent from the manufacturer s plant to the dealer to you. So, keep this in mind when you are determining tire age. Most tires get to you anywhere between 3-6 months. Some stay longer with the tire manufacturer, but generally all tires that go on your car are less than a year old. So, you should not get an old tire from any tire manufacturer. Which Tires Last Longest? If you want to buy a tire based on how long it will last, you have to consider thread compound. The more aggressive its compound the shorter tire life. Below is a list of tires from longest-lasting to shortest-lasting: Max Performance Ultra High Performance tires DOT-legal competition tires Bottom line: if you want to avoid safe tire issues go with tires that last long and properly maintain them.Bob Martin says Don t buy any new tires until you take a serious look at this today http://www.discount-tires-online.com/TireRatings/tire-rating-guide.htm This article is a copyrighted work and does not come with reprint or resale rights and may not be altered or changed in any way including the resource box. The site owner acknowledges that by using this article they accept this condition. The only exception being to bold the appropriate copy i.e. headlines and subhead text.
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BMW Wheels: Be in Control
It’s sleek. It’s trusted. It’s got style. Just when you think your faithful BMW is working perfectly, your wheels start to look as if they are wobbling a little now and then, and it seems like they might throw you off the road anytime soon. You certainly are sure it was not something you did because you surely have been taking the best kind of care for your good buddy. You decide that maybe this has happened because of frequent use. You surely would want to show off this sleek little thing as much as possible. And with the great comfortable ride it gives you, you just cannot help but use it anytime you need to or anytime you just feel you want to strut this little guy’s stuff. This may be hard to accept but it seems like you may have to say goodbye to your BMW wheels and replace them. Soon. You certainly have realized what these BMW had been doing for you all this time. Without your BMW wheels, you may not have reached any destination your heart chose. BMW wheels work and act as mediator between your car and the road. This happens because they transport your engine’s energy into a forward motion. And BMW wheels withstand an enormous amount forces in all directions so as to keep your vehicle in control, always. Your BMW wheels is made up of a circular frame with spokes or a solid disc that can rotate on a shaft or axle. You have a choice of wheels with a natural, a clear coating or a powder-coated finish. There are also various designs available like a split-spoke mesh design which is enhanced by a polished stainless steel lip, and has bolts to have the look of a two-piece wheel. However, if you choose to customize your BMW to something a little different and something personalized as according to your taste, you also do have that option for BMW wheels also could be customized as per your request. Although, you have to be sure that before installing your new BMW wheels, you have to make sure that they are not too loose or too tight for this could actually affect your car’s performance. Now, if you need new BMW wheels, here at Auto Parts Online, they have a vast array of BMW wheels to choose from. Your new BMW wheels would surely make you be in control. Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.
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