admin
Lovert Mafukure
Reading your Tyre size
There’s always a set of numbers and letters on the side wall of every tyre, Here is an example and what the numbers mean — 205/40R16 — The 205 is the width of the tyre in millimetres, 40 is the aspect ratio of the tyre profile and indicates that its 40% of its width. 16 is the Rim diameter in inches.
Types of tyres
Standard tyres
All new cars come with standard tyres either with a tube or tubeless. For safety reasons, most come with tubeless tyres nowadays. These tyres are made of harder rubber for longer life.
Tubeless tyres have more advantages than those with tubes. They have lesser chances of blowouts and loss of pressure is not instant.
Performance tyres — Semi Slicks
These are high performance tyres meant to have maximum grip when cornering and at high speeds.
They have very smooth tread patterns and are designed for track use in motorsport. Most manufacturers do not recommend them for road use. They do not last long because they are made of softer compounds.
They are also expensive but sometimes you find them as used tyre places. Watch out for these, they do not work well in the rain. Depending on the type of slick tyres they last for a very short period of time. Formula 1 fans will notice how formula 1 cars always change tyres after a drive, that’s because the tyres are so soft they last about 300km of high speed driving.
Run flat tyres
These tyres are mostly found on luxurious cars and are expensive to buy or replace. They are meant to withstand the effects of deflation when the tyre is punctured. With run flats you can drive for up to 80km with a puncture. Some special models offered by BMW for example do not come with a spare wheel. They come with run flat tyres.
Summer/winter tyres
This issue of winter tyres does not affect us directly since we never have weather conditions that require us to use snow tyres.
You will not find new winter tyres being sold here but it affects us indirectly as we buy many used cars from Japan.
Some of these come with winter tyres. The issue of the use of winter or snow tyres is a very debatable one but by design they are meant to be used below 7 degrees Celsius.
My intelligence tells me that if you use a tire outside its intended limits it will not perform as well as it should.
Ultimately it puts you and other road users a risk.
It’s always important to get the correct tyre for the right application or to suit your driving conditions and maintain good safety standards.
Feedback — Whatsapp +263 772 33 9938 Facebook: Motoring with Lovert
Twiiter: @lovert116
Online Reporter