Note: When replacing a disc or tire, be sure to replace the rubber valve with nipple.
Tires and rims (on disc wheels) are important building blocks of a vehicle.
Mounting and repairing tires requires special tools and professional skills. These works should only be carried out by specialists.
For reasons of traffic safety, tires may only be changed in pairs and only on one axle. Less worn tires should always be placed on the front wheels.
All wheels should only be fitted with radial tires of the same design, the same size (with the same circumference) and preferably with the same tire tread pattern. In the presence of a tread pattern that determines the direction of rotation of the tires, arrows-indicators are applied on the side surface of the tire. In this case, the direction of tire rotation must be strictly observed. This ensures optimal tire performance, wet grip and reduces tire wear and noise. If the tire is damaged, as a temporary measure, you can briefly install a tire with the direction of rotation opposite to that specified.
On a four-wheel drive vehicle, in addition, all tires must be the same model from the same manufacturer. Otherwise, the viscous coupling, due to the resulting difference in the speed of rotation of the wheels of both axles, will undesirably increase the share of traction attributable to the rear axle. This may lead to breakage.
The different tread depths of the front and rear tires, for example as a result of wear, are not so important. However, it is recommended to install tires with a greater tread depth on the front wheels: if the front tires are worn more than the rear tires, their circumference is smaller and therefore they rotate faster. As a result, additional stresses appear in the transmission, and the tires wear out faster.
When choosing tires, you need to know their markings.
Pic. 13–2. Wheel: 1 - tire; 2 - valve; 3 - disk; 4 – wheel bolt M14x1.5x27.5, 120 Nm; 5 – lock cylinder; 6 - decorative cover; 7 - decorative overlay; 8 - weights
Pic. 13–3. Tire marking location
Radial tires (pic. 13–3) have a marking on the sidewall of the tire, for example:
195/70 R 15 89 H, Where
- 195 - tire profile width, mm;
- 70 - the ratio of the height of the tire profile to its width,%;
- R - the location of the carcass cord threads - the designation of the radial tire;
- 15 - diameter of the rim, in inches;
- 89 - index of permissible load capacity of the tire;
- H - speed index, km/h.
Speed index | Maximum speed, km/h |
Q | 160 |
S | 180 |
T | 190 |
H | 210 |
V | 240 |
W | 270 |
The release date is also printed on the sidewall of the tire (in some cases only on the inner surface of the tire).
- DOT CUL UM8–507 TUBELESS, Where
- DOT - manufacturer;
- CU - manufacturer's code;
- L2 - tire size;
- UM8 - tire type;
- 507 - date of manufacture (50th week 1997);
- TUBELESS - tubeless tire (TUBETYPE - chamber).
Wheels are also marked.
For example, the designation 6J x 16 is decrypted as follows:
- 6J - wheel width, in inches;
- J - height of the side edge of the disk;
- X - deep disk;
- 16 - the diameter of the disk, in inches.
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