Graham Hill, Car Finance Expert, Exposes Rows Amongst Tyre Makers Over Tread Depth

Wednesday, 7. April 2010

Rows are a brewing when it comes to tyres amongst the manufacturers. All is harmony when it comes to trying to improve fuel efficiency, noise and safety but the rows are growing over minimum tread depth. Continental is fighting to increase the minimum from the current 1.6mm to 3mm, which it claims would result in a marked reduction in traffic accidents. But the claims are being challenged by Michelin and Goodyear Dunlop. They argue that if tyres had to be changed earlier costs of motoring would increase and there would be an environmental cost as more tyres would have to be produced as well as more tyres being disposed of. Peter Snelling of Michelin has also disputed the suggestion that tyres with 3mm tread are any safer than cars with 1.6mm of tread. He pointed out that there was no data to suggest that tyres are safer with 3mm of tread, although he also said that he would like the law more strenuously enforced as there is data to show that when tread drops to 1mm that the stopping distances, especially in the wet, are much greater. Goodyear Dunlop found that 4 in 10 tyres changed at their centres were illegal. In fact Goodyear claimed that using latest technology and compounds tyres now retain their wet weather performance throughout their life with no deterioration. Tyres can now run on a harder compound when new and as the tyre reaches 15,000 miles the compound softens allowing the tyre to maintain grip and adhesion. At the same time the OptiGrip tyre tread pattern changes allowing it to evacuate (I thought the word was displace) the same level of water as when they are new. On the other hand Goodyear says that it is changing it’s tyres with performance and safety at the top of their agenda. The whole of their development has been geared towards a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm aiming to maintain the same level of grip and safety down to that level. So the row will continue. Personally with so many tyres being changed when under the 1.6mm limit I think that problem needs to be addressed first. By Graham Hill