From Color to Spares to Pressure and More
Want to learn more about tires? Read these crazy tire facts for a little bit of trivia.
Tire rubber is white
The actual rubber used for car tires is milky white, not black. Manufacturers add carbon black to the rubber as a stabilizing chemical compound which makes them black. But you’re thinking why bother with this process? Because adding black to the rubber increases the durability and strength of the tire.
Water in your tires causes pressure changes.
Between summer and winter, you could see as much as 7PSI or more in tire pressure difference. This is because of water vapor dangling in the air in your tires which reacts to temperature changes. Try filling your tires with nitrogen. You’ll find no fluctuation because nitrogen doesn’t have any water vapor in it, so the pressure remains steady.
Walnut shells are used to make winter tires.
This will “cracks” you up, right? Walnut shells are used in winter tire manufacturing to improve traction on slick roads.
That shell of a walnut is one of the hardest natural substances in the world, making it great for gripping icy roads. Instead of “walnut” it’s better known in the manufacturing world as Microbit Technology. That sounds much more professional!
Tread life nightmare
The National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel racing teams have to install new tires after every four to six passes around the track. In layman's terms, this is a mere two to three miles on a quarter-mile track.
Sipes are the lines in your tread
Sipes are the small slots that are cut or molded into a tire tread surface. These slots increase traction in snow, ice, mud, and wet roads. The name of the concept of siping a tire comes from a man named John Sipe, who received a patent in 1923. He worked in a slaughterhouse and realized small cuts in the heels of his shoes prevented him from slipping on bloody floors.
Airless tires?
Manufacturers have been working hard on manufacturing puncture-resistant tires. Imagine tires never going flat! Bridgestone and Michelin have both introduced airless tires that will never go flat. Price - $500 - $1,000. Are you willing to pay the price for them?
Some tires cost more than your car!
A set of Bugatti Veyron Super Sport tires can cost $42,000! Yes, you read that right. Why so much? They can hold up while doing over 250 MPH.
These tires are made with an extremely expensive heat- and friction-resistant compound.
Lego is the largest manufacturer of tires.
If we’re talking miniature tire facts, the world's highest-producing tire manufacturer is Lego. The company manufactures 308 million Lego wheels every year, far exceeding Bridgestone who has been the world’s largest tire manufacturer of “real” tires.
Tire recycling
Of the approximate 290 million tires discarded in the U.S. each year, as much as 80% are recycled, some repurposed as an industrial fuel source, in asphalt or as a gravel substitute. Other uses - they can be shredded and used as garden mulch and wastewater filters.
Flat tire? Oh no! No spare!
In order to meet stricter emission standards, many car manufacturers have stopped putting spare tires in their cars to lighten the load. Maybe you can carry a patch kit.
Call Hoopers Tire Outlet for all your new and used tire needs or visit us at Hoopers Tire Outlet.