Tires are an essential component of your car. Without them, you can’t drive a car, this we all know. If you own a car, you have to have a basic knowledge about the tires, for example, where to buy them, how to do tire replacement, etc. However, do you know that there are a few interesting facts about car tires? If you don’t know the facts, check out today’s article because we have shared a handful of them.
1. Car Tires Are Naturally White
The rubber’s original color is white; think of rubber erasers. So what makes them black? It’s the addition of carbon to the tires that makes them black. Carbon adds strength and durability to the tires. However, carbon isn’t used now and is replaced by silica for the majority of tire productions. Yet, the color remains people’s favorite for aesthetic reasons. Not only that, but also it can camouflage a dirty looking tire with it’s a darker hue.
2. The Origin of the Name “Tire”
If you ever asked where did the name tire come from, let me tell you. The word tire originated from “attire.” Attire means dress or clothing, so technically a tire is a kind of clothing for the wheels and hence the name derived. Another fun fact is, it’s spelled as “tire” in the US but spelled “tyre” in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
3. Tires Are Recyclable
Tires can be recycled into more hundred products. Since rubber materials don’t degrade naturally, recycling is the best way to utilize the rubber and save the environment. Common uses for recycled tires are for roading, mats, artificial turf, etc. The tires that are battered and damaged to the core are taken up for recycling purposes. These tires go through a recycling process where the steel frames and other invalid objects are removed first. Then the tires are shredded into smaller pieces and used for other product creation. Feel proud that your used tire is going to be used for manufacturing good stuff.
4. You Can Find Out the Manufacturing Date of Tires
Do you find out when your tire manufacture was? Easy, look at the tire’s sidewall; you will find a strip of codes engraved onto the sidewall. Those are called dot codes. The last code contains four-digit numbers; the first two digits indicate the manufacturing week, and the last two digits indicate the year. This way of identifying the tire’s manufactured time is convenient if you suspect a tire is second-hand or old.
5. Some Tires Can Work Without Air
Tires like these are called run-flat tires. These tires have thicker sidewalls that let them move without having any air in the tires. However, that certainly doesn’t mean you don’t need to insert air into the tires. These tires can only work for a limited time without air. The run-flat tires were designed to prevent any roadside accidents and injuries due to tire punctures. Once your tire gets punctured, this tire allows you to keep driving to the safest place before you halt your car.
That was the list for today! In case you are asking yourself how to find tires for my car or what tires will fit my car, there are a few things to do. You can check the VIN code or try a tire finder app or search using “find tires near me”.
