Tires are the link between trucks and the road while being the most important and sensitive engineering element in any vehicle or truck. Contrary to what many truck drivers say that tires (tires) are only a consumer rubber component, tires are classified as complex engineering systems that are a key pillar in influencing the truck and its performance. The functionality of the tire governs both aspects of vehicle active safety, operational efficiency, as well as economical fuel consumption, driver comfort and truck stability on the road without problems or bumps. Therefore, choosing the right and optimal tire requires a comprehensive understanding of the function of tires and the factors affecting them and their performance, including friction dynamics, heat dissipation efficiency and resistance index Rotation. The ability of a vehicle to brake, turn and stability depends on the characteristics of the tread and the rubber compounds used in the manufacture of tires (tires). Any deterioration in these characteristics causes wear or aging and inevitably leads to a deterioration in the available friction coefficient, thus increasing stopping distance and reducing control, especially in difficult conditions such as rain or wet roads.
The purchasing decision regarding truck tires is between safety, performance and economic sustainability. Therefore, the purchase of tires should be considered a strategic investment decision that exceeds the initial cost of the product. Choosing a low-quality, poor or inappropriate tire for operating conditions leads to a rapid and unexpected deterioration in performance, as well as a clear increase in the risk of accidents, especially in difficult driving conditions and high ambient temperatures. In addition to safety-related dimensions, inappropriate or neglected tires impose significant operating costs in the long term, which has a significant impact Mainly in the high rates of fuel consumption, engineering studies have confirmed that low-resistance tires contribute significantly to the loss of engine kinetic energy, which has a positive impact on the volume of fuel consumption. Therefore, making a purchase decision based on accurate technical criteria ensures sustainable performance and safety during long trips, while achieving economic savings for the owner by reducing vehicle operating costs.
Thus, this article in your hands aims to provide consumers and professionals with scientifically supported selection bases, away from personal estimates and opinions, by analyzing five main themes in the form of consumer tips that form the backbone of a consumer's strategic purchasing decision.
Tires are not just circular rubber; they are the backbone of commercial transportation
Why should you change tires?
Replacing tires in a timely manner is a crucial preventive measure in the commercial road network. It is not only about complying with legal requirements, but also maintaining the friction coefficient necessary to ensure the vehicle's ability to brake safely and maintain its stability on the track under any of the different driving conditions, thus obtaining the best driving experience on commercial highways, which enhances the speed of completion of logistics work. To answer the question (Why should you change tires?) can be answered through the following paragraphs that summarize the signs that clearly indicate tire wear and expiration.
First: critical wear limits
The depth of the tire or the pattern of the tire is one of the most important factors that determine the life of tires, in addition to the ability of the tire to remove and disperse water efficiently, which prevents the occurrence of waterslide that is common in highways, while maintaining mechanical grip on wet roads. When the depth of the tread or the tire pattern decreases, these abilities are significantly reduced. Specialized organizations and international institutions recommend that the tire should be replaced when the depth of the tread is less than 1.6 mm as this limit is considered the official legal limit within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and throughout the world. However, difficult and changing areas and environments such as In Saudi Arabia, where rubber and its chemical compounds are affected by very high temperature changes, experts recommend replacing tires more carefully and conservatively when the tread depth is less than 2mm as a necessary precaution to ensure that the tire retains its dynamic properties, especially when holding on hot and semi-wet surfaces.
The depth of the tread is the most accurate apparent measure of tire wear
Second: rubber is chemically corroded by the effect of time (DOT Code)
Drivers often think that tires, as long as they are unused, mean that they are ready to work whenever they want. This is one of the most common concepts in the truck and commercial transport sector, because rubber is chemically aging by the process of oxidation or dry aging. This effect or phenomenon that corrodes the tire while it is in its stored state. This aging appears in the form of hardening of rubber compounds and loss of elasticity, which increases the possibility of internal and superficial cracks and tears. Therefore, it is often recommended to replace tires that are over 6 years old from the date of manufacture, even if they are still within the legal limits and in hot environments such as the Gulf climate Al-Arabi prefers to apply a maximum shelf life of no more than 4 years and a maximum of five years, as high temperatures and high humidity contribute significantly to the speed of the oxidation process and help in the aging of polymers under the influence of high temperatures. In addition, a professional driver should perform a periodic check of the DOT code in order to determine the age of tires with high accuracy by reading the manufacturing date code stamped on the side wall of the tires, which consists of several digits. The last four digits indicate the date of manufacture. The first two digits of the week (01 - 52) while the last two digits indicate the date of manufacture. The first two digits of the week indicate (01 - 52) while the last two digits indicate the date of manufacture. to the year of manufacture.
Third: negative effects on truck performance and efficiency
Old, worn or low air pressure tires contribute to increasing the resistance of the truck to movement, which negatively affects its efficiency and ability to move easily according to the standards set for it. Therefore, the negative effects of using tires (tires) can be said to be reduced to a major problem: rolling resistance. The rolling resistance increases in tires that have been subject to aging or significant wear or on which the truck is driven under low air pressure or is not in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturers. This resistance requires more power from the engine to move the vehicle and maintain its speed. Field experiments in the field of heavy transport have shown that the use of specially designed tires with low rolling resistance has made a significant difference in fuel consumption, with a reduction of 4.8% in controlled and specific test conditions. This confirms that tires with poor performance impose an invisible but significant operating cost in the long term. We must understand that a tire is not a consumer variable but an investment variable. Therefore, the decision to replace tires is not only a security measure that is made only when legal damage is found. It is an investment in the operational efficiency of the vehicle. Therefore, savings are made through the use of high tires Efficiency in terms of fuel consumption, reduced engine load and truck stability on the road, especially in commercial vehicles or logistics fleets. This means that a large part of the cost of low-resistance and highly efficient tires can be recovered through a lower level of fuel consumption over the life of tires. Therefore, early replacement of high-quality tires such as Saudi Darbek tires contributes to improving the vehicle's economic sustainability index.
Fourth: the phenomenon of uneven wear
Non-tire wear is a vital mechanical indication of a deep defect in the driving system and road handling, which requires immediate examination of tires, which wear locally in the event of a greater concentration on the inside of the tread. This indicates alignment problems such as excessive negative cambra angles or inappropriate air pressure. In addition to this type of wear, there is another type of wear (Cupping or Wavy Wear). The presence of this type of wear, which is in the form of cups or repeated ripples around the circumference of the tires, indicates a serious defect in the suspension system such as problems In shock absorbers or damage It is part of the vital parts of the truck suspension system, or the result of the truck's total imbalance on the tires. This has several reasons to be discussed in its place. What is important is to address the root mechanical cause of tire wear before replacing tires with new ones to ensure that the problem does not recur again and damage new tires. In conclusion, a comprehensive assessment of tire age should be made by considering two complementary criteria: mechanical age (represented by the degree of wear) and chemical age (represented by aging). In high temperature areas such as Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf, the chemical age Or aging is of greater importance, as the tire may fail internally due to the hardening and wear of rubber materials under high heat, even if the depth of the tread is still at a normal level.
Darbek tires.. Resists corrosion and aging and maintains safety
What are the top 5 tips before buying tires?
First tip: accurate conformity to engineering specifications
Full compliance with the engineering specifications set by the vehicle manufacturer is the first and most important step in the tire purchase process. Compliance includes maintaining the safety of the truck's suspension system, helping the speedometer operate with high accuracy, as well as the truck's ability to carry weights and move within the approved speeds on local and international roads smoothly and comfortably. To fully understand this advice, we can divide it into 3 stages as follows:
Stage 1: Analysis and Understanding Symbols
The sidewall of tires contains an integrated map of symbols that are the keys to understanding the nature of the tire, its type, how it is manufactured and its quality. At the beginning, you will find a triple number that expresses the width of the tire such as (205). This number is the size of the tire width in mm. The higher the tire is the more contact the asphalt, followed by a two-digit aspect ratio such as (55) representing the height of the tire side as a percentage of its width. The lower percentage indicates a shorter sidewall, which reduces tire deformation during sharp turns while increasing steering response, providing better control over the truck, in addition to the letter R, which indicates that These tires are radial where the layers travel radially across the tire and are the most common structure providing control and comfort in the truck. The number that follows the letter R represents the rim diameter in inches.
Stage two: speed and load indicators
The load index (LI) is a numeric code that usually consists of two digits and represents the maximum that a single tire can safely withstand, at the maximum permissible inflation pressure. This indicator is extremely important. Failure to choose a tire with a load index that matches or exceeds the recommended by the tire manufacturer and the truck manufacturer, exposes the truck to the risk of overloading and structural failure of the tire, especially when traveling on long commercial trips. For example, a tire with a load index of 92 means that the maximum load it can carry is 630 kg. Next comes the speed code (SS), which is an alphabetic letter that represents the maximum approved speed that the tire can carry It is carried in a sustainable and safe manner. The speed symbol is directly related to the engineering ability of the tire to dissipate heat caused by friction and rotation. The higher the rating (for example T to Y), the higher the tire's ability to withstand thermal stress at high speeds. Driving at a speed exceeding the specified speed rating significantly increases the possibility of internal temperature rise and structural failure (tire explosion), which poses a serious risk. Next is a table showing the maximum speeds and their symbols.
Stage 3: The impact of non-conformity on the truck
The effect of violating these rules that match the tire to the truck, such as changing the size of the tire, whether in width or aspect ratio, in a way that does not comply with the official specifications of the manufacturer, leads to a change in the overall dynamic diameter of the wheel. This change directly affects the number of turns needed to cover a certain distance. When the driver installs new tires for the truck but they are smaller than the size recommended by the manufacturer and experts, the speedometer may show a higher speed than the actual speed of the truck, which poses a serious traffic hazard, in addition to disrupting the harmony of the readings of vehicle control systems such as the anti-lock braking system ( ABS) and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The engineering relationship between width to height and driving characteristics is not just a cosmetic option. It is a duty for all drivers. A lower ratio (a wider and lower tire) means stiffer and more durable sidewalls, which significantly improve the response of the steering system. Therefore, tire buyers should balance their priorities such as comfort, sports performance or high speed, especially when choosing this ratio.
Tip 2: Reading the Quality Card and Standardized Assessment (UTQG)
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQG), developed by the U.S. National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is a basic comparison tool that aims to provide consumers with objective measures of tire performance in three vital aspects: tread age, grip, and heat resistance. Standardized ratings are given by tire manufacturers themselves based on the results of their internal tests. They are required to be recorded on the sidewall of all passenger car tires sold in the United States of America. In Saudi Arabia, we dispense with the Saudi quality mark enjoyed by Darbek tires, By reading the quality label, you will be able to know the real quality of the tires away from the seller's words.
The third tip: take into account climatic conditions and fuel economy
The smart purchase of tires requires the selection of rubber compounds and a structural design that is ideally compatible with the operational environment (heat and energy efficiency) that the truck faces while working. In areas with high temperatures in most months of the year, the choice should be directed towards tires that are characterized by rubber compounds designed to resist thermal stress and softening under high temperatures. In a climate such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is preferable to choose summer tires or all-season tires that are designed to withstand higher temperatures than their counterparts. The absolute priority should be for tires that carry It has a thermal rating with the symbol A in the UTQG system, because it ensures the ability of tires to dissipate and disperse heat efficiently and prevent premature aging of rubber.
Tip 4: Ensure accurate installation (alignment and geometric alignment)
The correct purchase decision for tires is complete only by ensuring that the installation process is accompanied by accurate mechanical services, namely the correct alignment (Balancing) and alignment (Alignment). These processes ensure an equal distribution of strength and endurance, and are the real key to extending the life of tires and achieving the highest levels of safety. Therefore, the installation of new tires should be performed in specialized centers that ensure compliance with the necessary engineering steps, such as checking the wheels and valves because the cleanliness of the rims is completely important to ensure the perfect tire installation. It is recommended to install a new valve leg every time the tire is replaced to prevent moisture and dirt from entering To the inside of the tire, by using specialized tools to fit the tires tightly to the wheel and fix them correctly, it is guaranteed that the internal structure of the tires or the rims are not damaged during the driving process.
Tip 5: Managing the life cycle of a tire (preventive maintenance)
In order to achieve optimal performance and ensure that the tire reaches its maximum life, strict preventive maintenance programs must be applied, including driving habits and periodic technical procedures. In order to manage the life span of a tire, it is necessary to take into account the appropriate pressure of the tires, as it is the only factor that has the most impact on determining the life, efficiency and safety of the tire. This prevents the tire from failing to perform its mission because low pressure makes the tires become excessively deformed during rotation, which increases internal heat generation and rolling resistance. This is a major cause of increased risk of tire explosion during trips. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the methodology of periodic tire inspection By using an accurate pressure gauge to check the pressure, it is preferable to check the tires in a cold state before they are exposed to the sun or walk on them for at least three hours.
What do you know about Darbek Tire Company in Saudi Arabia?
Darbek Tire Company is one of the first leaders in the manufacture of tires for trucks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as it holds the Saudi Quality Certificate, which is the standard of quality certificates in Saudi Arabia, due to the fact that Darbek tires are intended for the Saudi environment, with their ability to deal with high and different pressures and temperatures throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is characterized by its diverse terrain and climate, making Darbek Tire Company the preferred choice for many truck drivers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
