These wheel and tire knowledge will help you drive safely and efficiently

Wheels are an important part of the elastic suspension components of automobiles and are also the only parts that come into contact with the ground during driving. If they are not used and maintained properly, they will often have an adverse effect on driving. This article will provide you with relevant knowledge about wheels and tires to help you drive safely and efficiently.

The wheel assembly includes the tire and the wheel, and is composed of the outer tire, inner tube, lining, rim, spoke, retaining ring, valve and balance weight. The cord of the radial tire outer tire is made of steel wire, the inner tube is a ring-shaped rubber tube, and the valve is installed on the inner tube to inflate and deflate.

The wheel assembly consists of a rim and spokes, which are welded to the rim and fastened to the brake drum with hub bolts and nuts.

Before installation, the tire outer tread, cushion belt, inner tube, wheel and other parts should be thoroughly inspected to ensure the surface of each part is clean. Neutral soap solution or special lubricant can be used to apply to the contact parts such as the bottom of the tire bead and the rim seat. Lubricants such as grease that may affect the quality of the tire are not allowed.

When inflating the tire, the air should be inflated slowly and the air pressure should be increased gradually to avoid sudden increase in air pressure that may damage the tire and rim. The compressed air inflated into the tire must not contain impurities and grease.

When assembling a tire with an inner tube, a new inner tube and cushioning belt must be used. It is strictly forbidden to use refurbished products. When installing the inner tube into the outer tire, talcum powder should be applied to the inner wall of the outer tire and the surface of the inner tube (tires with special requirements do not need to be coated with talcum powder) to facilitate the expansion of the inner tube.

The base tape should smoothly cover between the inner tube and the inner wall of the tire bead. The inner tube valve must be properly placed in the rim's valve hole and aligned correctly, avoiding any bending or reverse twisting.

After correctly assembling the tire bead, rim, flange ring, lock ring, and other components, inflate the inner tube slowly according to the specified rated tire pressure. Gently tap these parts to ensure a tighter fit between the tire and the rim.

When disassembling or assembling tubeless tires, a bead remover or tire disassembler should be used. Violent disassembly or assembly is not allowed to avoid damaging the sealing layer of the tire lining and bead.

After the tire is inflated, check the valve stem, valve core, and the contact area between the rim and the tire for leaks.

When assembling tires, the "eight same" must be achieved on the same axle of the vehicle: ① same specifications; ② same structure; ③ same material; ④ same level; ⑤ same pattern; ⑥ same brand; ⑦ same air pressure; ⑧ same load.

▎Correct loading method of goods

In order to ensure even tire wear, tires (including spare tires) should be rotated regularly as required. The tire rotation methods for each type of vehicle are as follows.

▎Tire replacement method

▎Tire usage precautions

Avoid overloading and ultra-high pressure inflation

When the actual load of the vehicle exceeds the maximum allowable load of the wheel, the internal pressure of the tire will increase. When the internal pressure of the tire exceeds the sealing pressure of the tire valve, it will cause the tire to leak.

Do not brake arbitrarily on mountainous and hilly roads

After using the brakes for a long time, the brake drum will gradually generate high temperature. Therefore, trucks that often drive in mountainous and hilly areas need to control braking within a reasonable range to avoid increasing the probability of tire blowouts, thereby extending the service life of the tires.

Cooling with cold water is not advisable

Tires will heat up after long-term high-speed driving. If the heat is not dissipated in time, the tire temperature will rise. Excessive temperature rise (over 95°C) may cause tire delamination. At this time, suddenly pouring cold water may even cause the tire to burst. Therefore, special attention should be paid to reasonably control the speed and rotation speed, and avoid a sudden increase in tire temperature in a short period of time through driving behavior.