When it comes time to purchase new tires and there is a huge sale going on at the local tire store, it might seem like perfect timing. A key point to keep in mind is the quality of these tires. You will need to know what cheap tires are low quality tires and which ones arent in order to make a wise decision on which ones to purchase. The following provides some information on what to look for in low quality tires, so as to avoid such features.
A key component of tires is the rubber that they are produced from, which comes in hard or soft compounds. The hard compound is what most very cheap tires are made of. This type of rubber will last a long time, but it doesn’t stick to the road very well. Lack of traction can be extremely dangerous. It’s bad enough to be driving on dry roads and have a set of tires that won’t grip the road, but even worse if there happens to be moisture on the pavement as well.
Soft compound tires stick to the road well, but wear out extremely fast. Most racing tires are composed of this sort of rubber. They are generally expensive, due to the traction factor, so they wouldn’t be found in the cheap tire pile anyway. Tires made of low-grade rubber are more prone to cracking when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. All tires crack eventually, but low-grade rubber will cause this to happen much sooner.
Bias and radial are two types of construction found in tires. Radial tires have better traction on corners or when turning in general, this is because the tread goes up the sides of the tires and not just on the part in direct contact with the pavement. Many very cheap tires are bias-ply tires, which only has tread where it touches the pavement. Due to the lack of tread on the sides of the tires, they are basically useless when turning corners because of their lack of recovery, so the car will continue to slide.
The tread on a tire is important for traction on the roads. Low quality tires will often have a tread pattern that isn’t conducive to shedding water. This means that it will most likely hydroplane, since the water is being channeled in a straight line across the tire. Tread patterns that push water towards the outside of a tire will allow for more grip on a wet surface. Some manufacturers call this channel a “rain groove”.
Shoddy manufacturing is always an issue to consider, especially if you’ve never heard of the brand. Poor craftsmanship can lead to things like air leaks from the stem valves or even cheap rims that break down before the tire is barely worn. Cupping is also common in low quality tires. This occurs when actual chunks of the tire are chipped out, causing rapid deterioration of the tire. These details will help you understand what can make cheap tires low quality tires as well.