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As if by magic, after writing the earlier gadget of the week article, I immediately read about the car manufacturers up in arms because the EU has just added another item of safety technology to their growing list of compulsory fitments, you guessed it Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). They feel it is unnecessary and adds around £250 to the cost of the car (methinks they should pop down to Maplins). Whilst the manufacturers argue the toss over whether this addition will actually save Read more »

The Graham Hill gadget of the week is a tyre pressure warning system. I’ve reported on many occasions the importance of running tyres at the correct pressure. Not only is it a legal requirement punishable by points and a fine, tyres wear quicker, grip is reduced and fuel consumption can increase by up to 10%. We all know that we should check our tyres daily and at worst fortnightly (as suggested by tyre Read more »

Another report I mentioned earlier this year spoke about the likely move by drivers to winter or cold weather tyres following the severe weather last winter. Well the move has already started according to ATS Euromaster. No I don’t mean drivers are already fitting winter tyres in the middle of the summer. Orders are already being placed by ATS for winter tyres to the tune of £3 million. They already have forward Read more »

Another report I mentioned earlier this year spoke about the likely move by drivers to winter or cold weather tyres following the severe weather last winter. Well the move has already started according to ATS Euromaster. No I don’t mean drivers are already fitting winter tyres in the middle of the summer. Orders are already being placed by ATS for winter tyres to the tune of £3 million. They already have forward Read more »

New tyres must meet European standards for safety and a raft of other basic regulations covering grip, economy, speed etc. British standards cover re-treads and remoulds as well as puncture repairs so many motorists look to replace their current tyres with the cheapest they can find, believing that all tyres that are sold meet basic standards and that the standards mean that whilst the cheepo tyres might not last quite Read more »

A Trading Standard team based in Birmingham have found that an incredible 90% of used tyres being sold by independent tyre dealers and fitted on cars don’t meet minimum legal standards. Among the tyres inspected officers found some with nails embedded in them as well as one tyre that was 17 years old. The investigation, run by the city council and overseen by Trading Standards boss, Chris Neville was a Read more »

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It’s gadget time again! Just as I was adjusting myself to touch screen technology in cars with the new touch screens able to control the sat nav, heating system, on board computer and stereo I’m told it is now old hat! The new technology about to be introduced is hover technology whereby you simply hover your finger over the key you would have previously touched on the screen and the screen senses it Read more »

Recent discussions regarding the use of winter tyres in the UK following our harsh winter has spurred on many to provide more advice suggesting that winter tyres may not be necessary if drivers simply treated tyres with a little more respect. Simple maintenance such as the regular checking of pressures would be a start. The National Tyre Distributors Association have followed up with the following points when replacing tyres:

• Tyre size markings across an axle must be identical.
•  Tyre construction across an axle must be the same
• The load index must be equal or be higher than the manufacturer approved tyre for the vehicle
• It is recommended that the speed rating is either equal or greater than the original approved tyre.
• Mud and snow – winter tyres should ideally be fitted in complete sets and should not be mixed with other tyre types across an axle.
• It is recommended that when fitting two new tyres, they are fitted to the rear axle unless rear tyres are a different size to the fronts or the vehicle manufacturer’s handbook states otherwise.
• There may be special dimensional requirements preventing the mixing of tyres such as 4WD vehicles. 

I know I have provided this information before but do you know what the markings mean on a tyre? Lets take a tyre that reads 195/65 R 15 91 H. Here’s what the markings mean: 

195 : The width of the tyre in mm, also called the section width.
65 : The aspect ratio is the ratio between the sidewall height (side of the tyre) and the width of the tyre. It is expressed as a percentage.
R : The type of construction (R for radial).
15 : The internal diameter of the rim in inches.
91 : A tyre’s load rating is identified by a number and corresponds to the maximum load the tyre can withstand at maximum pressure.
H : Speed rating (also known as Performance Index). Indicates the maximum speed at which the tyre can bear a load corresponding to its load rating 

For more information on the tyre markings visit any of the major tyre fitter websites. By Graham Hill

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Daft gadget of the week award – Tyrepal. That’s probably a little unfair because this new device monitors the tyre pressures and tyre temperatures and therefore could prevent an accident and even save a life. You fit four sensors on your tyre valves to replace the valve caps and a small screen that looks a bit like a sat nav monitors each wheel and warns of any dangers, all done wirelessly. The device, according to Read more »