Tyres come with several features. These features are important to define the behaviour of a tyre in different weather and road conditions. Some features of tyres make them effective in certain driving conditions. Moreover, tyres come with some universal features that are important in every driving condition.
In this blog, we are going to talk about rolling resistance. This trait of Car Tyres Warrington is extremely crucial to determining the overall performance and efficiency of a car tyre. Interestingly, fuel efficiency of a vehicle has a link with rolling resistance as well. When your tyres move on roads, different factors resist their movement. The combined impact of these factors is called rolling resistance.
Tyres touch the road surface directly. They have to move on roads smoothly but irregularities on roads are also important for proper movement of car tyres. It means an appropriate level of rolling resistance is necessary for the movement of tyres. Tyres face wear and tear because of their movement on open roads. However, eliminating the frictional force is not a good idea because of poor performance of car tyres.
The level of rolling resistance depends on several factors.
Let us have a look at these factors.
Tread rubber material:
Tyre rubber material has a direct link with the level of rolling resistance. Tyre makers use special ingredients in the low rolling resistance tyres. As a result, they handle heat effectively and serve your needs for a long time with proper fuel efficiency.
The basic construction of tyres:
The basic design and construction of a tyre are also important to consider when we have to look at rolling resistance. The inner structure along with the tread pattern is optimized to reduce the level of rolling resistance.
Air pressure:
Tyre with low air pressure increases rolling resistance because of improper shape and a large area of contact. As a result, the car engine has to burn more fuel to move your tyres smoothly on roads.
Size of car tyres:
Wider tyres run on roads with a larger contact area. As a result, they generally have more heat because of high rolling resistance. So, the size and width of tyres are also important if you are going to buy fuel-efficient tyres.
The load on the vehicle:
Tyres run on the road with a higher level of rolling resistance because of heavy load. You can keep the level of rolling resistance at the optimum level by considering the loading limit of the vehicle.
Road conditions:
Rough and irregular road surfaces increase the level of rolling resistance. On the other hand, smooth roads lead to lower rolling resistance. You cannot control the road conditions. Therefore, tyre makers try other ways like tread design, air pressure, and rubber material to handle rolling resistance effectively. Reducing the speed of the vehicle on harsh roads is also a good idea to handle rolling resistance.
Wheel alignment:
If your wheels are running on roads with proper alignment, they will not increase the level of rolling resistance unnecessarily. On the other hand, wrong alignment and defects in the suspension components will decrease the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
How does rolling resistance affect your tyres and vehicle?
Tyres have to carry the weight of the vehicle. Therefore, they undergo deformation while rolling on the road. This deformation leads to a loss of energy.
Tyre material absorbs the energy during deformation and releases it as heat to increase the level of rolling resistance.
Rolling resistance has influenced the level of fuel efficiency directly. Tyres with higher rolling resistance increase the pressure on the car engine. As a result, the engine has to burn more fuel to disturb the fuel economy of the vehicle.
As you see, rolling resistance is responsible for normal wear and tear in tyres. Moreover, it will disturb the fuel efficiency of your car at the same time.
You cannot eliminate the rolling resistance but some tips can help you to achieve this goal.
Have a look!
Proper air pressure:
If you want to maintain proper rolling resistance in tyres, you have to check air pressure at regular intervals. Low air pressure in tyres is not a good sign because of high rolling resistance.
Buy low rolling resistance tyres:
Manufacturers make low-rolling resistance tyres with the help of special tyre material; tread design, and internal structure. You have to buy these tyres to keep rolling resistance at the optimum level.
Proper tyre maintenance:
Good maintenance of car tyres will keep them healthy for a long time. Moreover, proper maintenance reduces the level of deformation in tyres to improve fuel efficiency. Properly maintained tyres run on roads smoothly and keep the car engine in comfortable condition. As a result, the car engine does not consume the fuel unnecessarily.
Conclusion
Tyres have to move on even uneven roads because they cannot control road conditions. Therefore, they have to face rolling resistance in any condition because of their movement at the same time. However, it is possible to change inner construction of car tyres to reduce the level of rolling resistance. Moreover, proper maintenance and driving style plays a vital role in reducing rolling resistance.
