Archive for December, 2009

Choose the right tyre for your vehicle

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Choosing the right tyre for your vehicle is not an easy task. You should consider various key factors like price brand, comfort, performance, appearance and safety. Being the only part of the vehicle that is in contact with the road surface, tyre acts as the most important component of a vehicle. It is a general rule that you should always go for the tyre size that is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. An ideal fitment for optimum performance is always to have identical tyres. This rule becomes even more important at higher speed.

A set of right tyre for your vehicle is required because of its age, deterioration or you want to improve the vehicle’s performance. Tyres are the vital part of a vehicle, yet many of us take them for granted that we can move from one place to another place safely. Tyres are the only contact between your car and the road. Thus, like your vehicle, they too require your attention and regular maintenance.

You should know what type of tires is the best for your car when it comes to replacement time. Before selecting the tyre, you actually need to research first that the new tyre is suitable for the vehicle you wish to fit them to. Weather, such as frequent rain, heavy winter, snow, extreme heat, etc. can affect the type of tyre that you need to use.

Selecting a right tyre is based upon various key factors. Some of them are given below -

  • Car Tyre Size:- You should always choose the same size tyre as the ones that the vehicle was manufactured with. Changing car tyre size can improve a vehicle’s handling and performance but consult a car tyre specialist before doing this.
  • Driving Habits:- Driving style is another key factor that affects your decision of selecting tyres.  Driving on lanes where the road is muddy or slippery or if you constantly have to brake and accelerate, then your car will require tyres that can provide extra grip.
  • Price:- It is true that “you get what you pay for”, even in this case. But if you don’t use your car frequently, don’t buy the expensive tyres as economy tires will be more than suitable.
  • Car Tyre Type :- Wide variety of car tires are there in the market to serve different purposes. The most popular types of car tyres are standard/all season tires, performance tires, winter tires, all terrain tires, run flat tires, etc.

Check out the wide range of CEAT tyres specially designed to provide excellent grip and on road performance. Find the right tyre for your vehicle. CEAT is one of the leading manufacturer, exporter and wholesale supplier of best quality tires. Get information and tips to improve handling performance and keep your car running smoothly. You can also contact the tyre expert for fitment details, especially if you are in doubt.

Wheel & Tire Maintenance tips for your LCV

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Wheels and tyres of your LCV can affect not only the way you can handle but also the overall performance and fuel economy of your vehicle. A regularly maintained set of tires will help give you a more comfortable ride and a longer tread life. It protects the inner wheel from all the wear and tear and providing a high friction bonding between the road surface and the vehicle, thus improving the vehicle’s acceleration and handling.

Remember, tyres are the only contact between your vehicle and road surface. So, like your vehicle, proper maintenance is required by the tyres also. Tire care is an important safety function for your vehicle which is often neglected. You can check out the tire care and maintenance section of CEAT tyres and implement those tips in your life to increase the life of your LCV tire. The significance of properly maintaining your tires cannot be exaggerated.

Tire Pressure Check

One of the most important aspects of tire maintenance is proper inflation of your LCV tyres. Many people wash their tyres monthly while only 14% correctly checks tire pressure. Always check the tire air pressure of all the tyres, including the spare one, to make sure it is up to standards especially if you are carrying extra weight. For accuracy, tire pressure check should be done with a tire gauge.

Rotate your LCV Tires

Instead of tire pressure check, regular rotation of tyres can help in preventing premature wear. Rotation of tyres should be done every 5,000 miles following the schedule in the vehicle’s owner’s manual or as required by the tyre manufacturer’s warranty.

In addition to tire pressure check and rotation of tyres, following are some helpful tips to ensure your safety and keep your tire from unnecessary wear.

  • Regularly look for signs of tread wear or damage.
  • Check your tires frequently for any cuts, snags, punctures, any other injury, or irregular tire wear.
  • Ensure that the tires are balanced when they are mounted on the wheels.
  • Clean your tires with soap and water and a soft bristle brush

Important Driving tips

The wheels and tires of LCVs also get affected by your driving style. High speed of a vehicle generates excessive heat which increases the rate of tyre wear and reduces its durability and performance and grip. Fast starts and panic stops, fast turn on curves and around corners, and driving on the edge of the pavement, curbs or other obstructions can result in premature wear. Take special care when braking, accelerating, and cornering, etc., to help increase the life of the tire. To find out more details on tyres, subscribe to CEAT Tyres and equip yourself with the basics of tyre care.

Radial Tyres- A technology for better grip & comfort

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

It is an un-denying fact that tyres are the driving force for any vehicle. A vehicle running on the road cannot be imagined without tyres. They are the inseparable part of a vehicle that reduces the friction between the wheels and road surface. Initially, tyres were manufactured only from rubber. But with an urge to get higher speed and better performance, people introduced other materials along with rubber to make more rigid and durable structure. As a result, one can choose tyres from a wide variety of a number of materials. Radial tire is the best example of such tyre. Because of the various advantages, radial tyres have now become the standard design for essentially all automotive tires.

Radial tyres are the modified form of tyres which is designed specially to minimize tread wear and improves flexibility of the sidewall for better handling. The unique feature of radial tyre is that it  separates the functions of the sidewall and crown of the tyre, allowing greater vertical flexibility whilst ensuring that there is still as much surface in contact with the road as possible. These tyres are reinforced with some cord that provides the extra strength. The network of these cords is known as the carcass. Now-a-days, all tyre manufacturers are heading towards radial tyres due to their exceeding popularity.

Construction of Radial Tire

A radial tire is constructed differently from the traditional diagonal bias-ply tires. These tires are made with polyester cords that run perpendicular from bead to bead, up over the face of the tire and down each sidewall. The radial cords in the sidewall allow it to act like a spring, giving flexibility and ride comfort. Over this polyester wrap, there is a belt that runs below the tread on the circumference. This gives a squared look to the tyre. Previously, belts used to be made of rubber-coated fibers but now-a-days they are fabricated from steel fibers. This steel belt helps stabilize the tread, reducing wear. The rigid steel belts reinforce the tread region, giving high mileage and performance. An average steel belt radial tyre gets about 100,000 miles of wear.

Radial tires have different characteristics of springiness and a different degree of slip while steering. Because of the various advantages, radial tyres have now become the standard design for essentially all automotive tires.

Major Advantages of Radial tyres

In order to get maximum life and performance, maintenance of radial tyre is very important. Radial tire is recognized worldwide for its ability to deliver numerous benefits like –

  • Provide better value for money
  • Resistance to cuts, punctures and tears
  • Shorter braking distance
  • Improved handling, precise steering, great stability and firm grip
  • Excellent Traction
  • Smooth ride and operator control
  • Extra strength and durability
  • Greater wear resistant and long tire life

CEAT is one of India’s leading manufacturer, exporter and wholesale supplier providing best Radial tires in the industry. Browse through the web pages of CEAT and get yourself updated with latest tire tips and tyre range for all types of automobiles.

Tips to prevent serious tire failure

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

The tires are much like our feet, the most neglected part of a human body. We hardly care for our feet unless they show signs of damage. But feet play the most important role in moving from one place to another. Similarly, tyres are one of the most critical safety components of a vehicle. They happen to be one of the most important components of a car and can cause serious accidents if we fail to maintain them. After all, a vehicle keeps on running because of them. They are the only part of a vehicle that remains in contact with the road. Since, the rubber of car tyres meets the road and affects traction, handling, steering, stability and braking, a sudden tire failure can have serious consequences. This can be unpredictable if it occurs at highway speeds.

Statistics say, more than 40% of road accidents are caused due to improper maintenance of car tyres. The world is facing 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries due to blowouts and tire failure. Surprised??? Yes, many people are not aware that the number is so high. And that is not all. Improper tire maintenance can also lead to even more such mishaps.

In order to avoid any serious accident, tires should be maintained properly. Well maintained set of tyres not only prevent the chances of accidents and other mishaps but also give you much better performance. Here are some easy tips to prevent serious tire failure.

  • Every morning before starting your car, take a walk around it with a visual check of your tires. This regular check up could pay you handsomely.
  • A tire gauge in your glove box can give you exact air pressure which can help save money on gas and make your tires last longer as well.
  • Neither too much nor too little of air is good for the car tyres. In both the condition, unnatural amount of heat and strees is generated. So, a smart option is to check the tire pressure at least once in a fortnight.
  • Before starting a long journey, you must check the tires and tire pressure. Every auto repair shop has someone to check the pressure for a meager amount, so you do not need to get your hands dirty.

These are some of the primary tips which when followed regularly, will keep you and your family safe. But, God forbid, if in case your car have a blowout, the most important thing is to stay calm and not hit the brakes right off. Generally, people tend to do so which ultimately puts you in a more dangerous situation due to car veer off. You should slowly take the car to road side where you can replace the tire.

Thinking about your car tyre??? Yes, you should. Go and take your car to the near auto station and ensure that they are properly installed, maintained, aligned and inspected. Today, many tires are capable of going 80,000 miles or more if they are properly maintained. Subscribe to CEAT for more information on tire maintenance. CEAT Tyres is a globally reputed name for its quality and high performance tyres.