You have arrived on this post because, as an ecofriendly car enthusiast, you also want the most bang for your buck.
The easiest area of a car that provides the greatest influence on combatting these issues is its tyres. As well as being a place for huge customisation potential, these bad-boys are also the means for you to save substantial cash on your car’s economic value.
You can seriously optimise the performance of your tyres through simple care and attention. LMR applies its expertise to give you all the advice you need to have your wheels deliver at the best of their ability!
Verifying Your Tyres
Much of the important information you need should be embellished on the tyre itself, as per European law. The tyre label should tell you:
- The tyre’s expected class of fuel efficiency
- The grip offered when braking or when the roads are wet
- Transmitted noise
By checking this information, you can dig out the tyres that have the best fuel economic value.
Rolling Resistance
To avoid the technicalities, we’ll give you the nutshell. Rolling resistance is the force against the forward motion. Rolling resistance is influenced by aerodynamic forces, mass, vehicle construction and the state of the tread, micro-slip and pressure level.
Again, the label information comes in handy; find tyres that show a class ‘A’, as these are the best out of the seven grades in the market. It is a grading system that measures rolling resistance against burning.
In this sense, your tyres are an investment. The grades, of course, reflect on the size and model of your car. Less resistance means better acceleration, higher speed performance, so, lower fuel consumption. Ultimately, with a greater range costing substantially less, your vehicle is cheaper to run.
The Size Of Your Tyre
The advice given regarding the size and type of your tyre is reflective of the season. This is to ensure they are performing to the best of their ability according to the expected conditions.
Low-profile tyres create greater rigidity, and this is good for rolling resistance. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that by reducing the dimensions of wider tyres offers a 1.5% reduction to aerodynamic resistance. Keep this in mind on your next tyre shop.
Size matters, when it comes to rolling resistance. Keeping a summer set and winter set is also a good call for those looking to get the most out of their tyres.
Wear And Tear To Your Tyres
It is inevitable that your tyres are going to wear down and eventually be ineffective, becoming unsafe (obviously you will catch them before they reach this point). The friction applied to your tyres will scrape away at the thread.
Ironically, the lesser grip decreases rolling resistance, but it also means you’re more likely to slip- and this just won’t go well. Instead, finding the optimum point of grip and rolling resistance is advised to the benefit of fuel economy, road-laws and safety.
In the meantime, make sure you are topping up the air pressure in your tyres, preferably on a monthly basis. Less pressure means they will deform and bend with ease, which does not enhance rolling resistance. The tiniest difference in pressure can affect rolling resistance by up to 30%.
Structure Of Your Tyres
The structure and design of the tread not only then affects rolling resistance, but also emitted exhaust fumes (with a nod towards the desired greener future). Put it this way lads, you’ll be getting 20% better rolling resistance when you purchase radial tyres over diagonal, so well worth checking.
Mass And Your Wheels
The all-round weight of your vehicle is undoubtedly influenced by the accompaniment of the tyres. As such, the weight of your tyres plays a part in fuel efficiency.
Alloys are renowned for providing weight reduction properties, so considering this alternative wheel is a very clever decision. A reduced weight resistance impacts rolling resistance positively, as less energy is necessary to move the wheels.
LMR own a very attractive collection of alloy wheels here that match economy with aesthetics. If you want any more advice on how to get your car performing better, from the tyres you use to the belly of the beast, LMR is very happy to supply you with expertise reaped from our automotive passion. Contact us here!