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Choosing Your Tyres

Buyrite Tyres is your local COMMERCIAL TYRE specialist with the national and international contacts to keep your vehicles moving, - therefore earning!
One of the transport industries highest overheads can be the cost of tyres. Buyrite Tyres is dedicated to showing you how to keep these costs to a minimum. Remember that the true cost of a commercial tyre is pence per 1000km, not what it costs to buy.
Consider the following factors. How many of them have you taken into account when buying your tyres?

• Weather
• Topography
• Vehicle Condition
• Suspension System
• Engine Performance
• Journey Tyres
• Braking Efficiency
• Driver Style

The largest single influence on tyre wear is the driver. A smooth driving style will promote best tyre performance, whereas aggressive driving will wear tyres more quickly and more unevenly. High brake and clutch wear are also indicators of driving style. These three factors will give a clear indication of driver or application characteristics.
Industry Research has shown that commercial use can be divided into four main categories.

Long Distance, Medium Distance, On Road Urban and Off Road Urban

Each is quite different and creates very distinct demands on the tyres. Modern technology has enabled the major manufacturers to develop tyres uniquely suited to the particular role required of the tyre. If used and maintained correctly the modern tyre will return a higher mileage and enjoy a much longer working life.
Having chosen a tyre, which is a "horse for the course", maintaining it at peak performance is an essential part of Buyrite's service to the commercial user.
The three most common maintenance issues leading to reduce tyre service life are incorrect tyre inflation pressure, incorrect axle loading and wheel and axle alignment.

Tyre inflation Pressure

It is the air within the tyre that carries the load of the vehicle, not the tyre itself. As a load carrier the tyre is merely a container for the air.
Tyre pressures should be checked regularly (every two weeks) and adjusted to the correct pressure when the tyre is cold. Do not set tyre pressures when the tyre is hot - as the tyre cools, the inflation pressure will reduce.
For best tyre performance tyre pressures should be set according to the actual wheel loading, but if in doubt consult the vehicle handbook or the tyre or vehicle manufacturer.
Incorrect tyre inflation pressure will:

• Reduce tyre life (Under and Over-inflation)
• Impair vehicle handling (Under and Over-inflation)
• Impair brake efficiency (Under and Over-inflation)
• Reduce tyre to road adhesion (Under and Over-inflation)
• Result in tyre overload (Under-inflation)
• Reduce tyre safety margins (Under and Over-inflation)
• Increase fuel consumption (Under-inflation)
• Reduce tyre resistance to damage and punctures
• Increase wear on suspension components

Incorrect inflation pressure will increase tyre-running costs:

• 20% under-inflation reduces tyre life by 25% and increases tyre rolling resistance by 10% to 12% which can cause the vehicle to use up to 3% more fuel.
• 20% over-inflation reduces tyre life by 10%

Tyre Loading

Overloading of tyres cause similar symptoms and problems as under-inflation. As it is the air inside the tyre that carries the load, under-inflating the tyre reduces its load carrying capacity.
It is advisable to measure the actual axle loading a vehicle operates at when fully laden and adjust the tyre pressures to suit these loads.

• A 5% overload will reduce tyre life by up to 10% and increase fuel consumption by 1%

Wheel/Axle Alignment

Correct wheel and axle alignment will result in the best combination of vehicle handling, fuel consumption and evenness of tyre wear. Any misalignment will negatively effect all three of these factors but will be most visible in terms of uneven tyre wear.
Excessive "Toe-in" will cause the tyre's outside tread shoulder to wear more rapidly than the inside tread shoulder. On British roads, due to road camber, this will have a great effect on the near-side tyre.
Excessive "Toe-out" will have the opposite effect i.e. more rapid wear on the inside tread shoulder and in Britain the off-side tyre will be most affected.

• 1 degree of misalignment will increase a tyre's rolling resistance by 15% and reduce tyre life by 10% at least.
• It will also increase fuel consumption by up to 5%

Early identification and rectification of the cause of uneven wear is important to prevent further damage. Damage already caused to the tyre cannot be rectified.

Regrooving Tyres

Commercial tyres may be regrooved in accordance with manufacturer's specifications to extend the life of the tyre.