PLAY YOUR PART IN TYRE SAFETY Tyre Presentation

PLAY YOUR PART IN TYRE SAFETY Tyre Presentation Number Two June 2003 Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY Key Points: • Tyres are Safety Critical components, which require simple but regular care and attention. • Tyres in good condition will hold your vehicle securely on the road, allowing it to stop, start and manoeuvre safely --worn out, under-inflated or unsuitable tyres will not. • They are your only contact or “footprint” with the road. A tyre with a big footprint will provide better grip on dry roads Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY Key Points: Tyres must be suitable for the purpose for which the vehicle will be used. e. g. : – Light buses, light trucks (Canters etc. ) are fitted by the vehicle manufacturer with on road or “city” type road tyres-if these vehicles will spend most of their working day on interior graded roads, then the tyres HAVE to be changed to tyres fit-for-purpose-ie suitable for both graded and blacktop roads. – The vehicle owner/user must discuss with the local vehicle dealer the operating environment of the vehicle - ensure that suitable tyres are fitted. Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY Key Points: Tyres NOT suitable for the purpose or road type on which the vehicle will be used will develop faults such as this peeling, detached sidewall. This tyre is designed for blacktop; the vehicle (light bus) was being used 20% of time on graded road. Check with the vehicle agent or tyre agent that the tyres fitted are suitable for use and road type Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY Be tyre SMART, play your PART Pressure: Under-inflation is a tyres worst enemy: Results in tyre stress, irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. Under-inflation is the leading cause of tyre failure. Check tyre pressures with a gauge when tyres are cold. Alignment: Vehicle pulling to one side or shaking? A bad jolt against the kerb, or in a pothole can damage tyres. Check the alignment at a tyre workshop Rotation: Assists in uniform tyre wear, rotate your tyres per vehicle user manual, usually around every 8, 000 kms. Remember to re-check correct pressure front and back. Tread: Measure it-Inspect it. Tread wear reduces the ability of the tyre to grip the road. Built in tread wear “ribs” in the tread groove indicate minimum safe tread depth. Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY Read your Tyre Side Wall: One Tyre Sizes are made up of a number of different numbers and letters. For example tyre size 205 R 80 16 82 T is made up of the following information: 205: This is the tyre section width in millimetres R: This denotes the tyre's construction type - in this case it's a radial 80: This is the aspect ratio in % (the height of the sidewall divided by the tyre's width) 16: This is the rim diameter in inches 82: This is the load index, in this case=475 kg T: This is the speed rating, in this case T= 190 kph. (R=170 Q + 160, P=150 kph etc) Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY READ YOUR TYRE SIDE-WALL: two Tyre Age : Tyres carry a three digit age code on the sidewall indicating the month and year of manufacture. For example 120 means the tyre was manufactured in December 2000. Some other manufacturers codes give the week number of manufacture and Year: 1700 17 th week of year 2000. There is also a code in mixed letters and numbers denoting the factory location. T or TL+: Tyre is Tubeless Do not fit tubes into tubeless tyres Csm 15 Jun 03 NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES

TYRE SAFETY Read Your Tyre Side-Wall: Three Temperature: The tyre temperature ratings are A, B or C. . (AA are for high speed sports cars). The rating is a measure of how well the tyre dissipates heat and how well it handles the build-up of heat. The temperature grade applies to a properly inflated tyre that is not overloaded. Under-inflation, overloading or excessive speed can lead to more heat build-up especially in the summer months. Excessive heat build-up can cause tyres to wear out faster, or could even lead to catastrophic tyre failure. “A” rated are best for Oman conditions, “C” tyres are not permitted in the GCC-- strictly for cooler climates-discard if you have them! NEGLECTING TYRES COSTS LIVES Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY TREAD FAILURES Tread failures, i. e. total separation of the tread from the rest of the tyre can cause catastrophic loss of control. Keep your tyres at the correct pressure-and do not drive for hours on end Csm 15 Jun 03 at excessive speeds.

TREAD FAILURE Consequences can be Death Complete tread separation at high speed, rear tyre deflated, wheel rim ran on road=total loss of control Csm 15 Jun 03 rollover, one fatality.

TREAD FAILURE Consequences can be Death Tread in process of separating from the inner tyre of a light bus Demonstrates the importance of carrying out daily checks, and again prior to starting journeys of over 2 hours duration. Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY OVERLOADING DO NOT OVERLOAD TYRES! !! Tyres have kg or lbs load ratings marked -giving maximum loading per tyre. Do NOT Csm 15 Jun 03 exceed these. 15 Tonnes Overload on 25 T capacity trailer.

TYRE SAFETY OVERLOADING Prime moverloaded on rear axle Two tyres blew: immobilised Truck. A following vehicle ran into rear One Dead Tyre overloading was one of the factors which contributed to this fatality. Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY EXCESSIVE WEAR Blow out due to excessive wear on the shoulder of the tyre—both front tyres showed evidence of excessive uneven wear on the tyre edge or “shoulder”. Blowout point Should have been changed prior to reaching this weakened condition. Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY Tanker was driven I Km on “Flat” Tyre. Tread Separated Driver Overreacted ROLLOVER Running on a deflated tyre, a significant contributory factor in this incident Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY FAST and HOT = OVERHEATING High speed journey from Muscat over 120 kph non stop -past Nizwa, front tyre blew. Rollover No seatbelts being worn TWO DEAD Csm 15 Jun 03 csm 51 MAR 2002

TYRE SAFETY (A Reminder from Tyre Safety Presentation number one) : DO NOT FIT TUBES INTO TUBELESS TYRES: • The rubbing of the inner tube against the tyre casing (designed to be tubeless, therefore tubeless tyres have rougher inside linings) creates additional heat increasing the likelihood of tyre failure. TUBELESS TYRES HAVE BETTER • HANDLING, • RIDE COMFORT • SAFETY CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT DIMINISH THESE ADVANTAGES BY FITTING TUBES TO TUBELESS TYRES. Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY DO NOT FIT TUBES INTO TUBELESS TYRES: • By inserting a tube into a tubeless tyre it is converted completely into a tube-type tyre and rim combination : ie. It will deflate very quickly when punctured, and you may lose control of the vehicle. • The running characteristics of the tubeless tyre can be adversely affected by inserting a tube, eg. Side wall flexibility. • Csm 15 Jun 03

TYRE SAFETY Presentation Two THE END Csm 15 Jun 03