1. Tire Tech 101 What is a tire made of.
What percent of a tire is rubber?
What is a pneumatic tire?
What is the difference between radial & bias ply tires ?
Why are tires black?
Today we are going to be talking about the basic of tire construction and a few basic about the theory of the tire.
we will be looking at what a tire is made of because we know that it can just be rubber because it is black.
So we will actually show you what percent of a tire actually is rubber and is it really black because it is made of rubber.

2. Actual components that go into a tire.
Raw Rubber
Steel
Nylon
Polyester
Rayon
Carbon Black
Synthetic Rubber
Fiberglass
Aramid
Brass
Most people think tires are made mostly of rubber. This is far from the truth at all . A tire consist of many different things such as steel. nylon, polyester, rayon, carbon black, synthetic rubber(which is man made rubber), fiberglass which is light weight but add strength, aramid, brass. All these things help add strength, heat distribution, lower the actually weight of the tire, also help protect it from natural weathering (sun, wind, rain, snow).
Aramid: A synthetic fabric used in some tires that is (pound-for-pound) stronger than steel.

3. What percent of a tire is rubber?
By weight, give or take 30%
By volume, quite a bite more.
Yes it is true by volume it may seem that all a tire is made of is rubber. when you actually look at the comparison of weight and components you can see that the actually weight of the tire is only 30% can be blamed on rubber, the rest lies on many of the other components. When you actually look at it you can see why they use so much rubber. The weight factor is actually quite unbelievable when you look at it.

4. What Is Pneumatic Tire?
Filled by air, especially compressed air: a pneumatic tire (dictionary definition).
All tires manufactured today are considered Pneumatic tires.

5. Who Invented The First Tire?
It was invented in 1888, by John Dunlop.
This would be the end of the solid tire.
John was a Scotsman who experimented with covering a rubber tube with canvas to improve the ride comfort of his sons tricycle. After weeks of work the first pneumatic tire came up to its first competitive challenge. On February When rolled across a courtyard, solid tires choked halfway through, but Dunlop’s “MUMMY” tire didn't stop until it crashed into a door.

6. Why are Tires Black? To protect the rubber from the harmful UV rays.
A common type of UV stabilizer called a competitive absorber is added to capture and absorb these harmful UV light wave energy.
Competitive absorbers work by capturing and absorbing harmful UV light wane Energy. All tire manufacturers use the same competitive absorber, carbon black. This is why tires are black and why tires are not available in designer colors. All UV stabilizers are sacrificial, meaning the are gradually “used up” to where they can no longer protect against UV damage. As carbon black loses the ability to do its job, it turns gray. This is why rubber grays as it ages.
OTHER DEGRADENTS
Silicone oils can remove the protective waxes and increase the rate of degradation. Common automotive “protectants” and “tire dressings” are typically devoid of UV stabilizers of any type and contain Petrochemicals and/or silicone oils which dissolve away the protective waxes and can actually aggress the sidewall. In the event of warranty sidewall failure, one of the first things tire manufacturers like for is evidence of the use of these types of products. In turn this will void warranty.

7. Bias Ply Tire
A bias ply tire has plies running at an angle from bead to bead.
The cord angle is also reversed from ply to ply.
Tread is bonded directly to the top ply.
Has plies running at an angle from bead to bead. The cord angle is also reversed from ply to ply. The tread is bonded directly to the top ply.
A bias ply tire is one of the oldest designs and it does NOT use belts. the position of the cords in a bias ply tire allows the body of the tire to flex easily. This tends to improve cushioning action. A bias ply tire provides a very smooth ride on rough roads.
One disadvantage is that The weakness of the plies and tread reduce traction at high speeds and increase rolling resistance.

8. Belted Bias Tire
Is a bias tire with belts added to increase tread stiffness.
These belts are also ran at a different angle.
These belts only lie on the tread area and not on the side walls, like cords.
Is a bias tire with belts added to increase tread stiffness. The plies and belts normally run at different angles. The belts do NOT run around to the sidewalls but only lie under the tread area. Usually, two stabilizer belts and two or more plies are used to increase tire performance. A belted bias tire provides a smooth ride, good traction, and offers some improvement in tolling resistance over a bias ply tire.

9. Radial Ply Tire
Has plies running straight across from bead to bead with stabilizer belts lying directly beneath the tread.
This results in the radial having flexible side wall, but a stiff tread.
Michelin developed it in 1955! 50 years ago!
Sears imported them in the 1970s
Has plies running straight across from bead to bead with stabilizer belts directly beneath the tread. A radial tire has a very flexible sidewall, but a stiff tread. The belts can be made of steel, Flexten, fiberglass, or other materials. Radial tires have a very stable footprint (shape and amount of tread touching road surface). This improves safety, cornering, braking, and wear. One possible disadvantage of a radial tire is that it may produce a harder ride at low speeds. The stiff tread area doesn't give or flex as much on rough roads.

10. Tire Cutaway

11. Tire Cutaway

12. Cooper Tire Cutaway

13. Tire Cutaway

14. Tire Sidewall

15. Tire Sidewall

16. Tire Sidewall

17. Tire Size
LT = Light Truck

18. Tire Size
If you switch tire size on a car you can mess up the speedometer to figure out how close you are do the math to figure out the diameter.
For a 205/75R15 tire it would look like this
205 X .75 x 2 ÷ =
Tire size X Aspect ratio X 2 ÷ Rim size
100

19. Aspect Ratio
Percentage of tires height in relation to it’s width A 60 series tire height will be 60% of the width. The aspect ratio can be a 40,50, 60,65,70,75,78
These are some of the most common ones.

20. Aspect Ratio
So if we have a P205/60R15 tire. The width is 205 millimeters and the height is 60% of the width. That means 205 x .6 = 123 millimeters.
That tire should be 123 millimeters tall.
You can raise or lower your car by changing the height of the side wall.

21. SERVICE DESCRIPTION
On most tires, you will notice some additional numbers and letters located at the end of the tire size.
For Example: P185/70R14 92S
In this example the 92S is called the SERVICE DESCRIPTION.
The Service Description consists of two parts, LOAD INDEX (the numbers) and SPEED RATING(the letter).
The SPEED RATING is a letter which designates the rating achieved on indoor wheel testing.

22. The LOAD INDEX is a number ranging from 0 to 279 and covers load capacities from the smallest motorcycle tires to those for the largest earth mover tires. In passenger car tires, the load index typically ranges from 75 to 100.
As in aspect ratio where the operative word was ratio, in load index the operative word here is index. An index is a point of reference or a chart to refer to find information. All tire guides used by retail tire stores have them and they have load index charts in them. By referring to the load index chart in the Tire Guide you can determine the maximum load carrying capacity of a tire size from using the load index number at the end of the P-Metric size.
For Example:
Load Index Max Load (lbs.)
Load Index

23. Load Index
For a complete listing of load index ratings go to this web site

24. Load Index

25. Speed Rating
from Michelin Tyres 2003

26. Speed Rating
Thanks To
Tire
Guides.
Com

27. Effects of speed on a tire
Tires are tested under Laboratory conditions they are not worn out, are properly inflated, not over loaded, damaged or altered.
Just because the tire is rated at these speeds does not mean the car is safe or legal to drive at those speeds.

28. TIRE GRADING Uniform Tire Quality Grading System Code UTQGS
TREAD WEAR: Tire life expectations 100 is base line, 150 will give you 50% more wear then one ranked 100 (100 = 30,000 miles
TRACTION:Braking capabilities – AA, A, B, C
(AA Highest rating)
Traction Grades Asphalt g Force Concrete g Force
AA Above
A Above
B Above
C Less than

29. TEMPERATURE: Ability to withstand extreme heat - A, B, C
TIRE GRADING
TEMPERATURE: Ability to withstand extreme heat
- A, B, C

30. Tire pressure Tire pressure should be check monthly
Tire pressure should be checked cold
For every 10° Fahrenheit change in air temperature, your tire's inflation pressure will change by about psi
The air pressure in the tire supports the car, make sure that it is the right amount.
If you check the air pressure inside the shop at a temperature of 70° will the tires be the right pressure when it goes outside at 0°?

31. Tire Pressure
The EPA says your mileage drops 1% for every 2 pounds under the recommended tire pressure.
                  

32. Tire pressure
Use the tire pressure recommended in your vehicle's owner's manual or tire information placard

33. Tire Placard Driver’s door pillar Glove box door or Center Consol lid
Trunk lid or Gas door

34. Tire pressure
This is the Maximum pressure for the tire not the normal pressure, use only if car is fully loaded.
Thanks to Michelin for the picture

35. Tread Patterns Passenger Touring Performance Snow Rain All Season
Competition
Passenger
Touring
Performance
Snow
Rain
All Season
                                     
                                     
Performance
Grand Touring
High Performance
Passenger

36. Net to Gross Ratio – The amount of rubber hitting the road.
                                                              
                                                       

37. 35 psi sitting still in water
Effects of Tire pressure and Speed on wet traction
35 psi at 60 mph
30 psi at 60 mph
25 psi at 60 mph

38. Nitrogen in tires
Nitrogen is a dry inert gas. That means moisture free.
Nitrogen leaks out of the sidewall three times slower then oxygen.
Oxygen oxidizes the rubber in the sidewall. Plus the moisture in the air will rust the steel rims.

39. Effects of tire pressure Over inflation
Wide tires that are under inflated can also wear in the center

40. Effects of tire pressure Under inflation

41. Tire Defects Separations Bulges sidewall separations
tread tearing, chunking
shoulder cracking
Sidewall cracking
Weather cracking
Breaks in sidewall/tread
Excessive radial runout
diameter
Excessive lateral runout
width
Conicity
not level across tread
cone shaped

42. Tire Wear

43. Cupping

44. Tire Defects

45. Bulge

46. Tire Defects

47. Chunk Outs

48. Tire Defects

49. Cracks

50. Tire Defects, Foreign Objects

51. Tire Wear Side Wear & Feathering

52. Tire Pull Defective/damaged tires Bent wheel (rim)
Excessive shoulder wear
Excessive feathering

53. Tire Defects

54. Tire Wear

55. Tire Wear

56. Tire Wear

57. Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated between 5,000 and 7,500 miles see charts on how to rotate
Thanks to Michelin for the picture

58. Tire Rotation

59. Effects of Mismatched Tires
Different Manufactures
Different sizes
New and/or used tires
Effects on speedometer
Effects on ABS/Traction Control Systems
Effects on vehicle handling

60. Tire Replacement
One problem with replacing just one tire on FWD, AWD or 4X4’s is that you have a different size tire when you measure the circumference this creates a problems with the transaxles and drive trains. It also cause’s problems with traction control and ABS stopping. Tires need to be rotated at least every 7500 miles and if one tire is damaged on one of these cars all 4, count them FOUR tires need to be changed. Tread depth should be maintained within 4/32 of each tire.
For more info go to

61. Wheels steel \ cast Off set Bump steer Scrub Radius
note pages C

62. How to measure a rim
You need to measure from bead seat to bead seat. But you cannot measure from the inside with a tape measure take
a good guess where it is on the outside. This one is 14 inch’s.

63. How to measure a rim
To find the diameter you measure the circumference (C) and divide
it by Pi (3.14) ( C ÷ Pi = Diameter )
44 ÷ 3.14 = So it is really a 14 inch rim
That math class is important.

64. Wheel Balance
Improper balance causes the tire to vibrate several types of balancers, Bubble balancers, on car balancers and off car balancers shown. Some are hand spun and some are powered

65. Static balance C 77 Equals wheel tramp or hop
weight not even around the tire must add weight to other side to equal it out.

66. Dynamic balance
C- 78
equals wobble side to side weights not equal

67. Wheel Balance
Make sure when you balance a tire to use the right adapter some wheels are Hub centric or lug centric that means does it center on the Hub or the lugs most cars from the factory are Hub centric but some after marker wheels are lug centric
If you think that your balancer is not working right or the wheel is off check the balance rotate it 180 degrees and rebalance it. It should have the same readings.

68. Wheel Balance
Hub centric or cone adapter
lug centric

69. Air Pressure Monitors May have a sensor inside tire
May have a sensor in the tire valve stem!
Sensors may have to be recalibrated after a tire rotation!

70. (Roll your mouse across the pictures to confirm you were right)
Tire Pressure Quiz
Can you easily identify which tire is 30% under inflated with your eyes? Here is what they would look like in the morning as you walked to your car in the garage.
                                                                                
(Roll your mouse across the pictures to confirm you were right)
29 psi cold
20 psi cold

71. Tire Pressure Monitoring
Warns of significant lose of tire pressure
First used on 1994 Corvette
All cars & LD Trucks must have TP system by 2008
Two types: Direct and Indirect

72. Direct TP Warning System
Computer controlled (BCM) w/ radio transmitters in wheels (pressure sensors)
Transmits actual TP of each tire
Displays on IPC
Diagnostic capabilities

73. Indirect TP Warning System
ABS based system, using existing ABS hardware, w/ software modifications
Changes in TP affect tire circumference, affecting tire speed
Sensors monitor each wheels speed, compares to one another
Approx. 7 psi difference to trigger warning

74. Tire Pressure Monitoring
Before you do any work on these cars, make sure that the warning lights are off before you work on the car. If you mount or dismount the tire and it was not working right before, you could be blamed for causing a problem.
You need to do this with all cars and with all warning lights such as, check engine & ABS etc.

75. Run Flat Tires

76. Run Flat Tires Temp. supports weight of vehicle with no air pressure
Internal support, thicker side walls, stronger beads.
Can maintain Mobility for 50 miles up to 55 mph

77. Run Flat Tires
Michelin unveiled the “Tweel” at the 2005 North American International Auto Show
Increased mobility, lateral stability, and gas mileage

78. For more information go to
A big thanks goes to these companies for use of pictures and information
Tire Guides Inc
Good heart - Wilcox
                                                     

79. The End ??????