All Tyre Articles

All Tyre Articles

Frightening to think about what is going to happen when the new idea “Smart Motorways” take off! Many people don’t yet know this, but the new idea is this; when you use the new Smart Motorway and your vehicle develops a fault that causes your vehicle to loose power and stops running.

Consequently, you the driver is then expected to slow down to a stop in whichever lane you are in. Accordingly, you will not be required to try and move over to the hard shoulder. So, it will not be there anymore, you simply stop in whichever lane your vehicle breaks down in.

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Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)-and summer tyres-can both give you Temperature Problems

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 TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring systems).

So, “Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems” have been around for quite a while now. it was developed to compliment  cars that were fitted with run flat tyres or cars that did not have a conventional type spar wheel and tyre.

When a run flat tyre loses pressure, there is no way of knowing so a special valve with a sender, was invented and when there is a loss of air pressure in the tyre the sensor in the tyre valve picks this up and sends a message to the cars computer which lights up a warning light in the cab and alerts the driver that something is wrong with one of his/hers tyres.

The idea is a simple one really, but it is not that long ago that a driver would not go anywhere without his spare wheel? How things have changed. Now most cars are fitted with in cab warning technologies and it is very common for us to see on a daily basis.

There is however one thing that has cropped up, those drivers may not know. This is that the Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems in susceptible to temperature changes. This is basic science, when the temperature rises then the air expands and when it cools down then the temperature lowers.

Monitoring Systems valves.

When the temperature drops on cold freezing night. Then so does the air pressure in your tyres. Pressures can drop as much as 10 psi on a really cold night. This can then trigger off your tyre pressure warning light in the car.

It may not happen to all cars! But it is worth noting that if this happens to you. So then you will know what has been happening on that cold dark winters night. In some cars the light will correct itself. Going back out as the air temperature rises. Subsequently, you could increase the air pressure in your tyres and this will stop this happening.

The second temperature related part is the way a summer tyre acts when they get cold too!

TPMS and summer tyres in the cold

This temperature issue is probably a little bit better known, but here goes. Summer car tyres and winter car tyres. Importantly, have different chemical compositions in their tyre compounds. The main difference is the addition of “silica” compounds. Into the mix that makes the winter tyres.

The different compounds are there to give different characteristics to the tyres in different weather conditions and heat and cold. Summer’s will get much stiffer and harder in cold weather, making the tyre more difficult to handle when braking and cornering. This change in character starts to come in when the temperature gets below 7 degrees.

Winter tyres remain flexible in the cold

The winter tyres with their different compounds will remain flexible and pliable in colder weather and this combined with a tread design that has been developed to dissipate water, slush and snow, makes the winters  the perfect fitment for your car from November to march here in the Northern hemisphere.

If you are looking for a set of tyres for your car at this time of year then I would strongly advise fitting winter tyres, they have been proven time and time again to be the safest option for your car and your family.

As an update then the Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) have increased to nearly all car makes and models. So, the importance of tyre pressure to save fuel and emissions cannot be under estimated! So, moving on a few years since I first wrote this post then a few things have happened! Firstly, as reputable tyre dealers then we have to keep a large stock of electronic valves to replace old ones that break or just need replacing.

Going forward we are finding that most problems are caused by seized up metal valve caps. So use plastic valve caps where possible. Importantly, when the warning light comes on please check out the tyre and the tyre pressures ?

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Michelin Zero Pressure Tyres-Run-Flat tyres will get you out of Trouble in an Emergency

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Michelin Zero Pressure Tyres

For high standard of equipment and In all fairness Michelin are not the only company to make a run-flat product. Most tyre companies including some budget tyre brands make a run-flat tyre.

Michelin’s call their tyre the ZP or Michelin Zero Pressure.

This of course refers to the fact that when the run-flat tyre deflates, it will carry on running with zero air in the tyre. This is exactly what the run-flat does. Because of the much stronger

side walls the tyre will not deviate from its course. The driver is warned about the deflation from inside the car by the TPMS system (tyre pressure monitoring system).

Let’s face it our roads are probably the busiest in Europe. Consequently, nobody enjoys having to change a wheel at the side of the road. In fact they now warn us to stay well away from the car. Preferably, at the top of the embankment. Importantly, while the recovery truck turns up! Because of the many accidents caused by broken down vehicles. Of course, being hit from behind by other vehicles who lose concentration and smash into them.

With the Michelin Zero Pressure run-flat technology fitted to your car. Then this will be avoided. These tyres will lose pressure from a nail or a screw penetration. But your car will keep a straight line and you will be able to drive home. Albeit at the reduced speed of 50 mph, but the tyre will let you travel 50 mile. Naturally, which should be enough to get you out of trouble and have the tyre changed

Michelin Zero Pressure Tyres-Can you mix run-flat tyres with normal radial tyres?

Michelin recommend that you should never mix a Michelin Zero Pressure run-flat tyres with a non-run-flat normal radial tyres. The only exception to this rule is if you were stranded in the middle of nowhere. With the only tyre depot for miles around could only get you a normal tyre. Subsequently, then this would be acceptable as a last resort, get you home step and the tyre must be changed back to a run-flat as soon as possible.

The Michelin Zero Pressure run-flats have completely different sidewalls; they are made of much thicker materials and are known as “Self-supporting tyres” or SST’s. They have two other identification markings on the sidewalls.
1: ZP allows you to drive at 50 mph for speeds up 50 mph (most of the M1 motorway at the moment)
2: ZP SR allows you to drive for 20 miles at 50 mph

Michelin Zero Pressure offer the same ride capabilities as a normal radial tyre

The first time I drove a BMW Mini that was equipped with run-flat tyres I thought I was in an old truck going down a cobble road. The ride was horrendous, and my staff, who regularly test drive cars say that this is a common thing, the ride is very hard, because the sidewalls are so thick and re-enforced. Michelin claim that their Zero pressure tyres are not the same and give just as good a ride as their normal radial tyre range.

Although I have not tried out as car fitted with Michelin Zero Pressure, this has got to be a step in the right direction and I will try out these tyres as soon as possible to quantify their claims.
However some fleet companies are now looking at the Michelin , because of the more comfortable ride and also improved fuel consumption. These tyres have been tested by fleet company Alphabet’s Operational Services Manager, Andy Williams,
He explained: “The comfort compromise everyone used to associate with run-flats has disappeared with the latest technology of tyres.

I have tried Michelin’s new Zero Pressure (ZP) range

Trust me, you can’t tell the difference from standard tyres. Yes, there have been critics of run-flat tyres in the past, but Michelin has answered all of them. It is high time fleet managers start to embrace the new technology as it has so much to offer.

The combination of a smooth ride and the increased safety is something they just can’t afford to ignore. The fact that a tyre keeps its shape when it loses pressure could be life-saving in the event of a tyre blow-out.”
As I have stated earlier this means that the fleet car user can now safely drive the vehicle to a tyre centre or garage and have the tyre replaced.

This will help to reduce down time caused in the past by the driver calling out the emergency services because they are not able to change the wheel themselves, or the car is stranded in a dangerous place.

For the private drivers who are fitted out with run-flat tyres it would be well worth trying out these new Michelin Zero Pressure, because of the better and less harsh ride, that is associated with the other run-flat makes of tyres.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.  We also sell Michelin Zero Pressure Online .

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Am I getting soft on Part Worn Tyres? 22% of British Drivers Now Using Them-should we be worried?

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Part Worn Tyres

 These are very alarming figures 22%, almost a quarter of the driving public are buying these part worn tyres

But I am now thinking differently about the problem. In my opinion the Part Worn Tyres market has increased due to the financial crisis and a lot of young families are having to make

huge economic changes in their household budgets, but they regard their car as sanctity, a necessity, they will keep it running at whatever cost, even if it means running the car without insurance or road tax.

This is also where part worn tyres come into it. If it means keeping the car running then they will pay say £20 for a part worn tyre, I do not think that they care about its condition, all I can say is that they must trust the person that they are buying from, as long as it gets them about and they can keep their car running.

It is the tyre industry that should make sure that the tyres that these people are using are in fact safe to use and come under the Part Worn Tyres law (Under The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994 (reg.7.) part of the Consumer Protection Act) that we have here in the UK and probably other countries too.

17% of drivers would also keep buying part worn tyres.

In my opinion the economic crisis has hit us all to the extent that we will probably never recover again. The retail market place has changed considerably over the past years, with consumers having to make huge cuts in their spending habits. This includes everybody, and I have to admit that includes my family. We are changing our shopping habits and the companies that are making changes to cope with the lack of consumer spending are becoming the winners.

Starting at the top of the chain, families are now shopping on a daily or twice weekly basis. Here in the UK the winners are becoming the smaller chains such as Lidl and Aldi, who are pushing the huge supermarket customers into second place, primarily because of the changing shopping habits of the consumers. We also having the cheaper clothing retailers who are doing well in this climate, stores such as Primark are sweeping the floor with much cheaper clothing than the high street stores, who are suffering from the general downsizing of the consumers.

In my opinion this is also the same problem that is affecting the tyre market at the moment.

Drivers at the lower end of the economic scale are forced to buy part worn tyres to keep their cars on the road. According to the recent survey 17% of these drivers would also consider a repeat purchase of part worn tyres, which could mean that these people are taken out of the new car tyre market altogether. There has always been a slice of the tyre market that have bought second hand tyres, but this time the increase is quiet significant and is effecting many of the smaller tyre retailers up and down the country.

Fighting back with cheap budget tyres

One of the knock on effects of this gap in the market place is the price deflation of the budget tyre brands. My own business has seen a Sharpe increase in the cheap new tyre market. The manufacturers that are suffering are the mid-range tyre market and the leading companies appear to be holding their own, we are still getting our customers asking for their favorite brands. These are usually the older drivers that are known as the “Silvers” and that include me?

These are the drivers that will stick to Michelin and Dunlop and can still afford to pay the price for them.

I am only forming my opinion on the facts that are affecting my tyre business here in Halifax Yorkshire UK. But asking about and traveling around has opened my eyes to the number of part worn tyre bucket shops that have opened up in the last few years has quadrupled. The increase in these operations has opened my eyes to the extent of our industry wide problem. We seem to be more at the battle front in the poorer northern towns, especially the ones with a large immigrant population, such as Halifax.

Part worn tyres are also affecting the large companies

This problem probably multiplies the more depots that you own , so the huge tyre companies such as kwik-Fit must be pulling their hair out, in fact This recent survey was financed by Kwik-Fit and its findings were released to the rest of the industry. Roger Griggs of Kwik-Fit said…

“This research highlights the problems that British drivers have experienced with part worn tyres. Many of the second hand tyres sold in the UK are brought in from Europe by the container-load, having been taken off cars across the Channel. Motorists considering a part worn tyre should perhaps ask why a tyre that is no longer good enough for a Dutch, German or Danish driver would be good enough for them.

‘We recognise that drivers are keen to keep their motoring costs low, and we work hard to provide products and services to help them do that. There comes a point where cutting costs can compromise safety and this is especially true with tyres. After all, these are the only thing connecting a car with the road, so we urge drivers to consider whether they really need to opt for the unknown quality of second hand tyres.”

My problem with part worn tyres is the number that are found failing due to the damage that was already present

Of course, when the tyres were fitted to the new customers car. This is due to the fact that tyres that are sold are not sold legally. Here in the UK we have a set of rules that states that part worn tyres should be tested for any faults or damage or objects in the tyres and the tyre s should be checked whilst under pressure. Then after the tyre is checked and found to OK, then a special patch should be stuck (vulcanized) to the tyre with the name of the company or tester displayed on the tyre.

I now know that the effect of part worn tyres on the businesses of reputable tyre retailers

Having forced them to start selling these part worn tyres themselves and in a way I cannot blame them. One guy that I know has set up a separate small depot specifically for selling these tyres. He has kept the two companies separate for obvious reasons, but at least he is now clawing some of the lost business back and he is also running the operation within the current part worn tyre laws.

I can now understand better the predicament that many people find themselves in. Forced by financial circumstances, to buy these second hand tyres. So, thinking that we have all been affected by this crisis and will be for some time to come.

Now believing that they is a place for part worn tyres, but they must be bought and sold within the law and we must get rid of these people who sell all the rubbish and dangerous tyres, by strengthening the current laws and more importantly, to clamp down on these dodgy tyre businesses that sell this rubbish through stronger law enforcement.

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Pirelli Run Flat Tyres Can We Repair Them?

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When the run flat tyre first came on to the market

Firstly, I was not so sure what to think? These tyres were developed together with the car manufacturers  Consequently, were designed to specifically fit the cars on which they were to be fitted for safety reasons.

So, the whole concept surrounding these tyres is based on safety. Both for their car and more importantly the driver. Another factor was that these cars could do without a spare wheel, thus reducing the weight of the car. This has contributed to the “green” credentials of the cars that they were fitted to.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) have to be used with run flat tyres

Pirelli Run Flat tyres were specifically developed to be based on the specifications of the cars on which they are to be fitted. This means that, Run Flat tyres may only be mounted on vehicles that are specifically made to have the Run Flat tyres. This was one of my first bones of contention, when my young apprentice tyre fitter snapped the TPMS valve where it was located on the inside of the wheel where the  normal tubeless valve would normally be fitted. (cost me £80 to replace)

New tyre fitting machine

I also had purchase one of the new style tyre fitting machines. Because of the difficulties that we encountered when trying to remove and re-fit the tyre from the wheel. The new type machines were equipped with special tyre hold down tools that held the tyre in place so that the fitter could use both hands when removing and fitting these difficult  tyres. After a while we were used to fitting these tyres and also learned about the TPMS systems that accompanied these tyres fitted to the car.

The Pirelli P7 Cinturato run flat tyres was also developed as a more environmentally product.

Because Pirelli had also taken the time to not only make the tyre into a run flat. But also make the tyre into a high performance design tyre. Of course, with lower fuel consumption and reduced road noise. They were also able to use a more eco-friendly compound to the tread area, giving this tyre more stability in the footprint area. The development of this tyre brought together many improvements making it a highly safe product that would complement medium and high powered vehicle such as the BMW range including the BMW Mini models.

When a loss of pressure arises in a run flat tyre then you must only continue at 50mph

The high volume of cars that are now fitted with the run flats. So, have helped me in thinking that these tyres have become a success story. At first I wasn’t sure I thought that they were just a passing fad that would go as quickly as the appeared. But I was wrong, because I have listened to some of the stories from my customers, of how they prevented them from having an accident and also of how they were able to carry on with their journey

The truth is that if your tyre suddenly loses pressure . Frighteningly, when you are doing 70 mph. Say on a busy motorway, then you will have a better chance of getting out of a sticky situation. Of course, than you would have with normal radial tyres.

Car remains stable after a blowout

Your car will remain stable and not deviate and possibly cause a crash. Even in busy traffic, as happened to a friend of mine recently. His tyre blew out and he hit the central reservation. So, causing the car to swerve and have an accident. Although he was badly injured he is now fully recovered.  But I am sure that of he had run flats fitted to his car.  Then the car would have kept the line and not crashed  into the barrier. Throwing it into the path of the traffic in the other lane.

Also if you do lose tyre pressure and it will tell you on your TPMS instrument. Located on the dash of your car. After this, then you must only drive at 50 mph. At 50 mph you can drive the car 50 miles. This is usually enough distance to enable the driver to reach the safety of a garage. Including the nearest tyre centre and have the tyre attended to.

Pirelli recommend that we should not repair run flat tyres

As the heading suggests Pirelli. Are one of the manufacturers that do not recommend that we repair run flat tyres. We at Pellon Tyres here in Halifax have been known to repair these tyres. But only if knew that there was a screw in the tyre and the tyre had not deflated. Including the fact that the TPMS light had not come on. We have since stopped this procedure altogether. Now and only fit a new tyre. Because we just do not know what damage was done, when the tyre was de-flatted.

This reminds me of a recent case in mind. One of our lady driver customers. Owning a very nice BMW, had noticed her TPMS light was warning her of a problem. Consequently, with her near side front tyre, which had a pressure loss. The BMW was fitted with Pirelli tyre as original equipment size 225/45×18 P7 Cinturato.

Heading for the M62

She was heading from the M62 motorway, back to Halifax when the incident happened and was not too sure what the light coming on meant. She carried on driving and then decided to pull in and give us a ring for advice. Because the car was fitted with a TPMS system we knew that the car would be on run flat tyres and so we recommended that she drove the car carefully to our depot in Halifax, a distance of about 5 miles well within the 50 mile recommended by Pirelli.

When she arrived, the inside of the side wall of the flat tyre was completely coming away and so we had to fit the lady a new tyre. The customer worked in a high up position for the local council, but because we had a tyre in stock she was able to attend her meeting. If she had normal radial tyres fitted then she would have been delayed until someone came out to change her wheel, so everybody was happy…more reading… Pirelli run-flats

Pirelli Runflat tyres

Pellon Tyres offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. Selling Pirelli Run Flat Tyres online from our website www.pellonautocentre.com by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size.

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AVON TYRES AROUND FOREVER- From the 1960,s to Today-Avon tyres are Still Supporting Motorsport

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AVON TYRES AROUND FOREVER

AVON TYRES AROUND FOREVER?

In my long career in the tyre industry, (too long), it is fair to say that there has been many changes that have taken place in the tyre industry, some were good and others bad. The large tyre manufacturers bought out the small niche manufacturer, for example Goodyear Tyres took over Kelly and Lee tyres and a few others on the way, Continental Tyres bought out

Semperit tyres and a few others, (the names of who slip my mind at the moment), and so on and so forth.

We also remember the fight to take over control of the tyre retail chains, starting off in the sixties and the seventies. Michelin took over British retailer ATS, Dunlop formed the National Tyres chain, by merging some acquisitions, including the very large retailer Marsham tyres. Pirelli formed the Central tyre group, and the list goes on and on.

I worked for a small tyre company in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, UK

But we were swallowed up into the National tyre group and became primarily Dunlop and India tyre retailers. This was the main aim, to sell the products of the mother company. To be true full, I really enjoyed what was going on, and it all became a learning curb to me for the future. Times in the sixties were great for me as a teenager; it really was the “swinging sixties”.

I clearly remember that the working man had more disposable income, and they were beginning to buy more cars, these cars needed puncture repairs and new tyres, things started to get busy. We had a very mixed type of business community, in the area where we were living, from large textile mills to farming on the outskirts of the towns. We also had all off the service industry that comes with a large populated area, such as hauliers, builders, bus companies and the smaller types of business like the solicitors and local banks and building societies all of who used cars and trucks and therefor had to buy tyres.

In the sixties we had to be “jack of all trades”.

Where as in today’s tyre market we generally stick to one thing, such as we in Halifax only service cars and other companies specialise in truck or earth mover tyres. We never knew what would come into us next; it could be a puncture repair on a tractor rear from a farmer to a small cart wheel from a mill basket on wheels. We also had a mix of different cars, from the rich mill owners with their Rolls Royce’s to a bus conductor with his Mini.

One of the things that stand out in my mind is that we used a large amount of inner tubes in those days and also wheel balancing was relatively new thing, most wheels were balanced with

a simple bubble balancer and wheel alignment was not a word in our vocabulary in the sixties. Radial tyres were replacing X ply’s and more and more cars were coming out on radial tubeless tyres.

Avon Tyres come into the story

Some of the cars that were coming in for tyres would include the new Rover 2000. I remember this car because apart from the fact that it was very different in style and size the car came out on 165×14 Pirelli Cinturato tyres, but I believe that it was my first introduction to Avon tyres, who also made 165×14 radial tyres for this model. The new Rover became very popular with the new “middle management” customers and in 1966 a TC version was released which made the car capable of over 100 mph.

Avon tyres were better known for their motor-cycle tyres, but started to push into the car tyre market. We were also witnessing new tyre sizes to fit the newer types of cars that were competing for the new wealth that was emanating from then new business confidence that was giving the UK a “buzz”. Cars like the E-Type Jaguar were getting more popular as second hand versions became available, from their start off at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961.

Jaguar cars were getting more popular amongst the wealthy mill owners who would by one for the wife and kids, but they came out mainly on Dunlop tyres who had formed a good relationship with the Jaguar company, although I do remember that Dunlop had balancing problems with some of the  tyres. It was in the 1980’s that Avon tyres were fitted to some Jaguars, the tyre that was used was the Avon tyres Turbo-Steel radial and was fitted to the XK model.

Bringing out many different tyre designs and patterns over the years, but one of the things that have impressed me is that they have always had a strong involvement in “motorsport”. This developed from the motor-cycle side of the business. But back in the sixties and seventies the car manufacturers started to race and rally sporty versions of their models. Such cars as Minis, MGB’s and Ford Cortina’s were developed into track and rally cars. Avon tyres are one of the few companies that have kept up the

tradition right up to the present day, and can offer tyres that are just as good and competitive as they were in the original racing days.

Avon tyres still make tyres from the 450×17 vintage car tyre to the textile radials that have a special cling rubber tread compound that is used in making the Avon textile radial. The Avon Historic All Weather tread patterned tyres are designed to give excellent road holding in all-weather applications while keeping the period look of the historic range of racing cars. It is FIA approved for different historic racing series throughout the world. The textile radial is a “V” rated tyre so is capable of speeds of up to 150mph, ideal for vintage racing.

AVON TYRES AROUND FOREVER-Avon tyres ACB9

This tyre was developed as a formula Ford 1600 tyre and is used for the pre 1974 historic car championships. The tyre is also used for the pre 1965 1000cc formula 3 races and small bore vintage cars such as the MG Midgets and Frog Eyed Sprites. It is a great attribute to Avon to continue making these tyres an all sorts of sizes for this different array of cars.

The list of tyres that Avon make goes on and on and I will be covering some of them in different articles. From my early youth to the present day I have always been a huge fan of the Avon Company and we still buy their tyres to this day. We were sad when Avon were taken over by Cooper tyres but the old name has survived, and we can look forward to many years of this excellent tyre product.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

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CAR TYRES-technical developments to create a Greener tyre.

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Man made car tyres develop and change over the years.

So the tyres that were made say thirty years ago would not be suitable for today’s cars. The tyre has developed into part of the evolution of greener cars, especially in recent times when vehicle emissions have become a very important part of new car development.

Tyre companies are trying all sorts of new techniques. To develop car tyres that will give a better “rolling resistance”. Better rolling resistance makes it easier for a car to move forward . Whilst at the same time enabling the car to give a smooth ride. Sticking to the road when cornering and in bad weather conditions.

Tyre companies are using new and much lighter materials.

Including new materials that go into the compounds. Ultimately, that make the materials that are used for the outer layers of the car tyres. Hence, for making the sidewalls and tread area. One of the main products used is still latex of course. But tyres companies are now trying other materials. So, to try lesson the use of petrol-chemicals derived from oil.

One of these leading the charge is Yokohama tyres. Yokohama are experimenting with many materials. Importantly, one of the more successful ones has been “orange peel oil”.  Another tyre company that are trying new materials are Goodyear tyres. Goodyear has teamed up with a biotechnology company called DuPont. The two companies are working together to produce molecules to try to match the molecules that are found in tyre compounds. Rubber is a molecule! So by replicating similar molecules from sugar molecules they will be able to manufacture a product. Of course, that could be used to make tyre with and replace the dependency of latex. The natural material that tyres are made of at the moment. For more reading… http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/news/making-tires-green.html

Continental tyres are also one of the Worlds car tyres development innovators.

Over the years they have formed what they call their “green kitchen” to enable them to develop more environmentally friendly compounds, by replacing the more dangerous chemicals used in tyre making with new more eco-friendly products, similar to what Goodyear and other tyre companies are experimenting with. More information…http://www.continental-corporation.com/www/csr_com_en/themes/news/reifenmischung_en.html 

Michelin Tyres UK are going down the same road. Michelin have always been at the front of car tyres development, ever since the invention of the “steel belted radial” and are now looking at all possible ways of future tyre development, including the use of old tyres…

“Terry Getty’s, Michelin’s research and development director stated that the tyre giant’s innovation strategy continues to focus on exploiting raw materials to the maximum. He further said that TREC is a perfect illustration of eco-design and will help them creating latest high-performance tyres using high-quality raw materials derived from old car tyres”.

 This includes Michelin’s latest tyre, which will not lose any grip all the way down to the tyre tread wear bars, due to the different compound depths within the tyres.

Now more important to switch your Michelin tyres round

Tyre rotation has become just as important as ever, because of the new developments and the need gain every bit of wear that you can out of your tyres. In my opinion there is also a need to match the tyres that are fitted to the car, especially if your car has the latest tyre specs that have been developed between the car and the tyre manufacturers.

We are pleasantly surprised though, how many of our customers do indeed practice this now. They are up to date with the fact that car tyres from different tyre manufacturers are now different and that they should be matched up for a better performance, that will give the car the same handling qualities when braking and cornering, in any type of weather conditions.

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Michelin Premium Tyres are Still Amongst the Best Including the Alpin Winter Tyre Range

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Michelin Premium Tyres one of the Best

Just the other day I was filling in a tyre complaint form. So, for a suspected faulty tyre, that was made by Continental . The tyre was from an SUV and had started to crack around the shoulder area. The cracks were very deep. Naturally, I recommended that we sent the tyre back to Continental. Importantly, to have a look and see what their opinion was. I always say “suspected fault”. Because we never know whether or not the problem was caused by a mechanical fault or not. Some faults are easy to detect! So, I have learned what to look for over the years. Of course, to determine if it’s a fault or not.

But in this case I was not sure. These SUV’s  are very big now and must come up against much flexing. Whilst carrying a large weight, perhaps causing flexing cracks in the shoulder area. So I decided to send them back. Faulty ones are not a very common site these days. Including the budget tyre brands. In fact after giving it much thought! I cannot remember seen a genuine faulty tyre for years now.

Bad Old Days

I am old enough to remember the bad old days when the tyre manufacturers were have a hell of a time with steel belted radials. The two companies with the biggest problems were Goodyear  and Firestone  and thousands were recalled or exchanged free of charge. The problem was that the steel wire that was used to make the steel belts in the tread area was not properly protected from oxidisation (rusting). When they were punctured the water would penetrate the steel belt and cause it to rust. The tyre then started to lift the treads , causing them to go out of shape. We also had them with bad balancing problems.

Michelin  coated their steel belts with an alloy made of brass, which was able to stand up to oxidisation and therefore they did not have any problems with out of shape tyres. The patent that Michelin had on the wire was eventually sold to the other tyre companies and the problems that they were having were eventually eradicated.

Michelin tyres warranty

This brings me onto the reason, that Michelin are perhaps still the best tyre product in the World. From the off the tyre manufacturer from France was streets ahead with the Michelin Premium Tyres X range . They were streets ahead of the other tyre makers and the X tyre became famous for its high mileage and reliability, the tyre would do twice the miles as its nearest rivals and the X was followed by other well-known tyre designs in their repertoire, we had the  ZX tyres, the  XZY and the XZL, XM and XC and many more that have escaped me. Michelin Premium Tyres also make an excellent winter tyre range, lead by the Alpin. This tyre was developed from the experiences of years involvement in motorsport especially auto  rallying.

Michelin Premium Tyres to me have always being the epitome of the best products you can buy. They can always guarantee you safety on the road through good handling an d steering qualities, while at the same time giving the car a smooth ride, whatever type or make the vehicle might be. Michelin tyres France always incorporated leading technology into their tyre products, making them a World leader.

When it comes to first rate premium products, Michelin tyres PLC have become a household name. These premium ones give much better handling, grip, endurance, driving comfort and accuracy. Michelin Premium Tyres quality has never been compromised on its tyre materials and design.

the Primacy 3, Michelin Pilot Sport 3 and the tyre developed for the SUVs, the Michelin Latitude Tour HP.

Michelin tyres leaders in greener tyres.

Because of mounting pressure from the Governments onto the Car manufacturers to make more fuel efficient models, then the car makers exerted pressure on the tyre companies to produce

with a much improved rolling resistance. Michelin Premium Tyres were quick to react and developed the more eco-friendly Fuel Saver tyre.

Because the tyres grip the road they consume a large portion of the cars fuel, because of this they brought out the Michelin Energy Saver tyre range. They reduced the rolling resistance of these tyres by incorporating a secret compound mix that reduced the carbon monoxide emissions from the car that they were fitted to. One of the ingredients used was known to be silicone has been used by other tyre companies. Another breakthrough has been the making of a different type of tread rubber, known as Durable Security Compound (DSC) this enables  Michelin Premium Tyres to retain the gripping characteristics of the tyre right down the tread ware indicating bars, yet another first for Michelin tyres energy saver tyres.

types of tyres-Michelin nokian apollo general and bridgestone runflat tyres

Runflat Tyres Gone Wrong-A look at the “Runflat Safety Tyres” and how they can go wrong

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Runflat Tyres Gone Wrong

Runflat Tyres Gone Wrong

Not many things surprise us but when a BMW  1 series pulled in the other day then we could not believe our eyes?

On a normal busy Thursday morning a customer pulled in to us with a problem(they usually do). His BMW car was making a nasty sounding noise. In fact the guy thought his engine was about to blow up.

The first thing we did was to check the cars levels. Including the water and the engine oil. To our surprise every thing looked fine. We were treading cautiously. So, just in case the engine was about to fail.

In fact everything looked fine so we decided to run the engine. Ryan listened and everything was in order. No warning lights or burning smells coming from the engine. In fact the engine was in good condition.

The next step was a road test.

Ryan took the car on our normal testing run and indeed he could hear a loudish noise. As a result he brought the BMW back to the garage and lifted it up on one of our ramps. He checked the obvious things that could make a noise. Such as the suspension and exhaust parts, everything was in order.

However to his surprise he noticed a massive piece of the tyre missing on the near side tyre on the inside. Where the sidewall meets the tyre tread. Was this the culprit?

As you can see in the image, the damage was substantial. The car was fitted with the original runflat tyre system. With a runflat tyre fitted to each wheel. The job of the runflat is to get you safely home or to the nearest tyre dealer to get the problem fixed. Consequently, runflat tyres have extra layers of rubber coated belt to give extra strength. For this reason the tyre is able to be driven on albeit at 50 MPH.

This eliminates the need for a spare and saves on the overall weight of the car. Thus helping to reduce the cars emissions. The frightening part of this story is the guy had been driving about Yorkshire for at least two days. So as the tyre slowly deteriorated, then the noise became louder from the flapping tread and the guy thought it was the engine.

When we told him we all had a laugh about it. However he was relieved because he only had to buy a new runflat tyre and not a new engine.

tpms for run flat tyres

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS for short)-What we do at Pellon Tyres in Halifax

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Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS for short)

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS for short)

So, TPMS, was first introduced as a safety feature and a way to help lower the cars emissions. So, wheat many drivers dont know is that when their tyres have low pressure. Hence the engine has to work harder to propel the car along. Thus creating more pollution than necessary.

Most modern cars now have this system fitted. In fact TPMS is fitted to cars as standard from 2014 onwards. So if the The wheel of your car is fitted with a sensor attached to the wheels valve. Although it looks like a regular old fashioned rubber valve, it is a piece of modern technology warning light comes on then it should not be ignored. The illuminated light means that your tyre pressures are low. Of course this could be caused by a puncture repair and needs immediate attention.

A sensor valve in each tyre monitors tyre pressures

This is how the system works. The wheel of your car is fitted with a sensor attached to the wheels valve. Although it looks like a regular old fashioned rubber valve, it is a piece of modern technology. The sensor knows what pressure your tyres should be set at. If pressure is lost then a signal is sent to the cars computer which illuminates the warning light on the dashboard.

If the rubber or metal valve is damaged then it can be simply replaced and a new one reattached to the sensor. Most car models would cost £19.90 for this service. Incidentally, this price also includes re programming the sensor to the cars computer. Of course this resets the warning light, which consequently goes out.

TPMS sensors should be serviced regularly to avoid sensors developing faults.

So each sensor has its own unique number allocated to it. Of course it is also  fitted with a tiny battery. battery failure is beginning to become one of the main problems. The sensor unit is sealed and when the battery fails then a new sensor is required. Like any other battery the more miles a car does then the more use the battery gets. Subsequently, this then leads to battery failure. Thus a new sensor will be needed.

Also like anything else on a car then corrosion can be an issue. The valves and sensors are open to the elements and will eventually be subject to corrosion. This will also be a problem in years to come. New sensors start out at about £69.90 fitted and the light reset. This depends on the type of sensor and whether or not a standard off the shelf replacement will fit your particular car. If the sensor has to come from the main agent then the cost would be much higher.

New vehicles fitted with TPMS and registered from 1st January 2012 so becomes part of the MOT

Drivers should be aware that if your car is presented for an MOT Test. Hence with the The wheel of your car is fitted with a sensor attached to the wheels valve. Although it looks like a regular old fashioned rubber valve, it is a piece of modern technology warning light illuminated then it is a test failure. Although yet another piece of technology, then I think that TPMS is a great safety feature. As a result the system is constantly checking the tyre pressures for you as you drive along. So, any reduction in your pressures ,perhaps due to a puncture will alert you to take evasive action and could save an accident and even lives.

Finally the TPMS system that we use at Pellon Tyres is the Apaseal system and replacement valves.

 

 

 

4 x 4 vehicle-general tyres

Bridgestone Dueler Sport Ecopia Tyres

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Bridgestone Dueler Sport Ecopia Tyres

Dueler Sport Ecopia Tyres

Importantly, the Dueler H/P Sport (Highway/Performance) has been designed for high powered luxury 4×4’s and SUV’s. Of course, Bridgestone tyres bring many tyres out to suit this vehicle range. So, always importantly, in their strive for perfection.  Successfully, while keeping up with changes to the modern car designs. Subsequently, this tyre is available in tyre sizes up to 27545Y20 and is a popular choice at Pellon tyres.

Pellon Tyres are located at Halifax in the foothills of the Pennines . So, these tyres are perfect for the owners of 4 x 4 s and SUV vehicles. Especially in winter! When you could be driving on slippery winter minor roads. Then straight onto the M62 motorway and doing high speeds.

High performance SUV tyre

The Bridgestone Dueler Sport Ecopia Tyres lives up to the high performance basics of your premium Sport Truck or SUV. The non-vent design and aggressive look of the sidewall fit the sleek lines of these vehicles. In fact, the Dueler H/P Sport is an Original Equipment choice in the category. Expect great wet performance with a power traction combination of UNI-T technology and high silica content that helps you drive with confidence in changing road conditions.