Tires
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From size to speed and load ratings to specific automaker stampings to batch numbers, Engineering Explained describes what all those tire markings mean.
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Here's the difference between tires filled with nitrogen and compressed airYou may have noticed in the past few years, tire shops and mechanics will advertise nitrogen tire fills rather than traditional compressed air. While some may advertise somewhat true benefits, this video explains what exactly are the benefits of filling your tires with nitrogen instead of...
Sean Szymkowski -
Watch an F1 tire be sliced open in the name of curiosityEver wondered what the inside of a Formula 1 tire looked like? One YouTuber has managed to find out, though only after a lot of painstaking grinding and cutting.
Sean Szymkowski -
2020 Ford Explorer fights punctures with self-sealing tiresThe 2020 Ford Explorer will do its darnedest to make sure a tire puncture won't immediately put a driver on the side of the road with self-sealing tires from Michelin. Michelin's self-sealing tires aren't new—they were developed for the Chevrolet Bolt EV—but the 2020 Explorer marks the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Goodyear creates concept tires that can act as propellers for flying carsIf the future does, in fact, include flying cars as a new sort of transportation method, it's best to have equipment that can handle both roads and flight. Goodyear is aiming to solve this problem with a new concept tire it debuted at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show this week. It's called...
Sean Szymkowski -
Michelin wants to replace oil with wood in tiresWooden tires don't have the best ring to them, but Michelin firmly believes they'll be a reality in 2020. The French tire maker told Motoring in a report published this month of its plans to introduce wood into tires, and it's all about moving away from oil. Cyrille Roget, Michelin's worldwide...
Sean Szymkowski -
Supercars have become hypercars, and with that moniker upgrade we've seen a move to insane performance figures. The idea of a sub-2.0 seconds for the 0-60 mph run is being discussed while the other end of the speed spectrum has production vehicles knocking on the door of 280 mph and beyond. This is a fascinating time for engine builders and aerodynamics engineers...and a stressful one for those tasked with the development of ultra high performance tires. Michelin is one of the major tire manufacturers sitting at the forefront of the beyond. That would be the space occupied by a handful of...
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The Michelin Tweel airless tire is now available for UTVsThe Tweel (a portmanteau of tire and wheel) has been a concept in the tire industry for some time now. If you're not familiar with that term, it refers to an airless tire. Michelin has been developing its Tweel for over 10 years and first launched a commercial version six years ago for skid steer...
Jeff Glucker -
Goodyear developing tires for needs of electric carsTires are a critical component of the driving experience, and electric cars bring their own challenges. Battery-electric vehicles weigh more, produce greater torque than traditional vehicles from a stop, and usually require low rolling resistance. Goodyear has a future tire solution in development...
Sean Szymkowski -
Pirelli Cyber Car tire will soon talk to your carWhile Goodyear envisions a future tire that cleans as it rolls, Pirelli's latest tire is set to arrive this year. It's called Cyber Car and it's a tire that connects the rubber with the car and provides loads of information and data. With the latest Pirelli innovation, the tire can relay...
Sean Szymkowski -
Goodyear Oxygene concept tire cleans the air as it rollsThe concept of tires hasn't changed radically for decades: they're round, they roll, they hold up your car. Companies have managed to manufacture better quality compounds and produce tires that grip, stop, and handle superbly, but Goodyear has a totally different idea for the future of the tire...
Sean Szymkowski -
Get a grip: 2018 BMW M5 rides on specially engineered Pirelli P Zero tiresBMW announced on Tuesday it had smashed the record for the longest-sustained drift of 232.5 miles with the 2018 M5, but a tailored set of rubber helped get the job done with BMW driving instructor Johan Schwartz behind the wheel. The new M5 runs a set of specially engineered Pirelli P Zero 20-inch...
Sean Szymkowski -
For those who reside in snowy and icy climates, winter tires are often the go-to patches of rubber to ensure optimal performance. However, the U.S. has plenty of areas that dip below freezing but don't necessarily see precipitation. Even areas that get snow don't have it all the time. And yet, winter tires go on once and stay on all season. That begs the question: How do winter tires perform when it's cold, yet dry? Let's allow Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained answer that question. In a new video, Jason tests his personal Honda S2000 with his regular summer tires and a set of winter...
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Toyota eyes airless tires for future electric carsMany companies have shown airless tire concepts—Polaris is the only company to actually commercialize them—but the technology is yet to reach any sort of mass adoption in the automotive sector. If Toyota has its way, future electric cars from the company will run airless tires to help...
Sean Szymkowski -
Pirelli releases reborn and modernized tires for 1950s to 1970s European sports carsTires, though often overlooked, can make or break a car. Much of a car's character can be found in the patches of rubber that we sometimes take for granted. It's why selecting tires for vintage sports cars can be so painstakingly difficult, and sometimes nearly impossible. Pirelli aims to ease that...
Sean Szymkowski -
Continental looks to improve safety with its latest tire conceptsIt's always amazing to see what tire manufacturers are dreaming up for the future. Most of the time, it's a concept based in the distant future when nano bots are able to repair your self-healing tires as your autonomous pod whisks you to an AI-controlled beachfront home. This time, however...
Jeff Glucker -
Say goodbye to flat tires thanks to a self-healing rubber from HarvardIt's a situation drivers are all too familiar with: cruising along the road when suddenly a tire goes flat. Curse words, struggles, and inconvenience ensue. Researchers at Harvard University have developed a potential solution that could put flat tires, and the baggage that comes with them, in the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Bugatti Chiron can't go over 300 MPH because no tire can handle itThe Bugatti Chiron had big shoes to fill when it arrived to replace the beloved Veyron. So far, it's showed it has the credentials to be a proper follow-up act. However, no one has been able to fully experience the true speeds the 1,480-horsepower hypercar is capable of. That's because no tire is...
Sean Szymkowski -
There's a balance to be found when you're on the hunt for a set of wheels and tires for your vehicle. Do you prioritize comfort over performance? Are you looking to increase the handling capability and feel of your car? Perhaps you want to wind up somewhere in the middle of the two ends of the spectrum. To help you understand how different size wheels and tires affect these parameters, we have a video showing a test of three separate sizes and the results are pretty clear. Using a Volkswagen Golf GTI as a test vehicle, the appropriately named Tyre Reviews sets out to find the differences...
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Infiniti's Q60 Project Black S will wear special-made Pirelli tiresSitting at each corner of a production-bound Infiniti Q60 Black S will be Pirelli rubber. Both Infiniti and Pirelli used the previous weekend's 2017 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix as a stage to announce the new partnership. If you'll recall, the Project Black S began life as a pretty wild concept...
Sean Szymkowski -
Do wider tires actually have more grip?Tires are an absolutely essential part of any car, truck, or SUV. Compounds can create unique handling experiences suited for any type of vehicle, and they can even make a car much more fun to drive. It's also a common saying that wider tires provide more grip. In the interest of science, Jason...
Sean Szymkowski -
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon's drag radials are too wide for production lineA proper set of tires can be the difference between victory and loss, whether it's on a road course or at the dragstrip. Thankfully, the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon boasts some pretty wide drag radials—315/40/18s, thank you very much—from the factory. After all, they need to handle...
Sean Szymkowski -
The story behind Bridgestone’s decision to develop new tires for the Jaguar XJ220There’s a company based in the United Kingdom by the name of Don Law Racing that specializes in replacement parts for the Jaguar XJ220. Late last year, the company teamed up with Bridgestone to develop a new set of tires for the car using all the advancements that have been made in tire...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
What happens when you run winter tires in the summer?By this point, as we enter the middle of May, most drivers who use soft-compound winter tires have likely switched them out for a set of all-season rubber, or even some higher-performance summer-only tires. However, what happens if you keep those winter tires on your car and run them in warm...
Sean Szymkowski