June 24, 2011
A Quick Look At Wheels And Tires
Wheels and tires are such an integral part of our lives that it is difficult to imagine our world without them. It is believed that the wheel was invented in Asia around 8,000 BC. A wheel, the oldest ever found and dating back to around 3,500 BC, was found in Mesopotamia. John Dunlop, in 1887, invented the pneumatic tire which he fitted to his son’s tricycle.
It seems that the development of the wheel resulted from early man noticing that heavy items could be shifted with less effort by placing a round log or logs under the item. Imagine for a moment what the world would have been like without these early innovators; no cars, trucks, trains, aircraft, bicycles or motorcycles. Transportation of both people and goods would be problematic.
The first wheels were made from solid wood. Later, perhaps in the interest of lightness and using less material, spokes were introduced. To strengthen these rather fragile constructions, iron rims were fitted to them. In any western movie you can see wheels of this sort being used on horse carts and on stage-coaches.
The first tire was made of solid rubber and gave a very bumpy ride. Today we still use these on heavy industrial equipment such as forklifts, but the development of the pneumatic tire revolutionized commercial vehicles.
The first tires were constructed without carbon and had a useful life of about 2,000 miles. They needed frequent attention to repair punctures and to re-seat them on their rims. Then, in the 1950’s, we went tubeless for the first time as the industry continued to flourish.
The tread pattern serves a vital purpose: In wet weather, the tread displace the water between the tire and the road, effectively allowing the tire to ride on a dry surface and to maintain traction. On a dry surface, however, a tire with no tread gives the greatest traction, hence their use in racing cars.
These is a tire for all conditions – hot or cold, snow, off road or industrial. Tire manufacture and research is a huge industry and manufacturers strive for a balance between quietness, grip, stability and a long tire life.
The old, solid metal wheels are no longer used on modern cars. Instead we have the much lighter and more attractive alloy wheels. Dealers who sell wheels and tires have a wide range of both to fit every car and budget. If you have a yen to upgrade your vehicle, drop in to your local supplier and take a look at the huge variety that is available.
Click here for more information on Cheap Tires and Rims and Wheels
Filed by neville1way at 2:18 pm under Uncategorized
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