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2 Background on Passenger Tires
Pages 17-35

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From page 17...
... Plies oriented mainly from side to side are "radial," while plies oriented diagonally are "bias." In the area where the tread is applied, the plies in the radial casing are usually covered by a relatively stiff steel belt or a steel belt covered by a circumferential nylon cap ply. The steel belt is made by using fine wire twisted into cables as cords.
From page 18...
... Most steel-belted radial passenger tires weigh more than 20 pounds, and they can exceed 50 pounds. The steel typically makes up about 15 percent of the total weight, the cord material another 5 percent, and the rubber compound in the carcass and tread about 80 percent (Modern Tire Dealer 2006, 51)
From page 19...
... All cars are equipped with passenger tires, which usually contain the prefix "P" before their metric size designation molded into the tire sidewall. Even though they are classified as light trucks by the federal government, most SUVs, pickups, and vans used as passenger vehicles are equipped with passenger tires.
From page 20...
... motor vehicle fleet. The number of passenger vehicles in the fleet rose by 21 percent from 1990 to 2002.
From page 21...
... The gains in tire wear life were accompanied by gains in operational performance, as understanding grew about the tire's central role in vehicle steering, handling, and braking. Aided by improvements in tire molds and rubber compounding, tire makers introduced better gripping and more durable tread patterns during this period.
From page 22...
... This major research and development effort was highly successful and resulted in the annual production of hundreds of thousands of tons of synthetic rubber by 1944.3 Having gained experience with synthetics on military tires, tire companies adapted them to passenger tires after the war. When used in tread, synthetic rubber was found to have elasticity characteristics helpful in improving traction.
From page 23...
... By the beginning of the 1980s, radial tires had become the standard construction type for both OE and replacement tires. Radials accounted for about 60 percent of passenger tire shipments in 1980, 97 percent by the end of the 1980s, and 99 percent in 2005 (Modern Tire Dealer 2006, 51)
From page 24...
... The ratings help motorists maintain vehicle speed capability when they replace speed-rated OE tires. Figure 2-2 displays the information molded in the passenger tire sidewall, including the size designation that usually follows the tire's FIGURE 2-2 Passenger tire sidewall information and major dimensions.
From page 25...
... With regard to possible future trends in the replacement market, tires with specially reinforced sidewalls, known as run-flat tires, have grown in popularity in the OE segment. Although they accounted for less than TABLE 2-2 Passenger Tire Size Popularity, 2005 Percentage of Percentage of Total OE Tires Replacement Total Replacement OE Tire Size Shipped Tire Size Tires Shipped P215/60/R16 6.0 P232/60/R16 6.4 P205/65/R15 5.2 P235/75/R15 6.0 P265/70/R17 5.0 P205/65/R15 4.7 P245/65/R17 4.6 P215/70/R15 4.0 P235/70/R16 4.3 P205/70/R15 3.7 P195/60/R15 3.5 P195/65/R15 3.4 P245/70/R17 3.2 P185/65/R14 3.1 P205/60/R16 3.0 P195/60/R15 2.7 P225/60/R17 2.8 P195/70/R14 2.7 P265/65/R17 2.6 P205/55/R16 2.4 Total, top 10 40.2 Total, top 10 39.1 SOURCE: Modern Tire Dealer 2006, 45.
From page 26...
... . Potentially adding to the competitive mix in the replacement market is the growing number of passenger tires produced by companies based in China, Taiwan, India, and other industrializing countries (Modern Tire Dealer 2006, 51)
From page 27...
... It sells tires under its own brand name and under associate brands such as Starfire, Dean, and Mastercraft. In addition, most tire makers supply replacement tires to retailers selling under private labels, such as the Sears Guardsman, Wal-Mart Douglas, and Pep Boys Futura.
From page 28...
... For example, OE tire designs are influenced by federal standards for passenger vehicle brake systems and motor vehicle fuel economy. Replacement Market The logistics of tire manufacturing, inventorying, and distribution in the replacement market are focused on serving the complete market.
From page 29...
... . Typically, the tires bought in the replacement market are balanced and mounted by the tire dealer, who adds about $50 to the cost of purchasing a set of four tires (Modern Tire Dealer 2006, 55)
From page 30...
... The following subsections describe those standards for passenger tire safety and consumer information that are required by the federal government.6 Federal Safety Regulations for Passenger Tires Between 1966 and 1970, Congress passed several acts defining and expanding the federal government's role in regulating motor vehicle safety and creating the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the U.S.
From page 31...
... Tire and Rim Association, the European Tire and Rim Technical Organization, and the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association.8 NHTSA requires tire makers to print sizing information on the tire sidewalls. Tires in compliance with the federal safety standards are marked with the "DOT" symbol (for U.S.
From page 32...
... Neither NHTSA nor tire manufacturers are willing to associate expected mileage levels with particular grades because of the variability in wear that can occur on the basis of vehicle operating conditions, road conditions, tire maintenance, and individual driving patterns. Traction Grade UTQG traction grades are based on a tire's measured coefficient of friction when it is tested on wet asphalt and concrete surfaces.
From page 33...
... According to NHTSA website data, 27 percent of the 2,371 rated passenger tire lines have an A grade, 59 percent a B grade, and 11 percent a C grade.11 SUMMARY Most vehicles used for personal and family transportation, including the growing number of vehicles designated as light trucks and multipurpose passenger vehicles (i.e., vans, SUVs) , are equipped with tires 10www.safercar.gov/Tires/pages/Tires2.cfm.
From page 34...
... All passenger tires must pass federal tests for structural integrity, which are aimed at preventing rapid loss of pressure, unseating, and loss of structural form that could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle. In consumer-oriented regulations separate from its safety requirements, the federal government also requires passenger tires to be graded for traction, tread wear, and temperature resistance.
From page 35...
... 2006. Modern Tire Dealer's Facts Issue.


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