NAME: _____________________________________GRADE and SECTION: ______________________

TLE 10 – AUTOMOTIVE SERVICING

MODULE 1: CHECK TIRE
FOURTH QUARTER (WEEK 1-2)
What’s In
The vast majority of vehicles today come with all-season tires, which are designed to provide
acceptable all-around capability throughout the year and in all weather conditions. That means a
reasonable ride and respectable handling, quiet running, good wet-weather grip, and some capability in
snow. Given their all-season designation, most car owners leave them on in winter and expect that their
tires will deliver all the traction they need on snowy, icy roads. But most 3 all-season tires are marginal
in snow; dedicated winter tires, also known as snow tires, provide far better traction when the snow
falls. There are now two main sub-categories of all-season tires: highperformance all-seasons and grand
touring all-seasons. High-performance allseason tires provide sharper handling than "standard" all-
season tires. They grip the road more confidently and feel more sporty to drive—usually at the expense
of some winter-weather traction. These tires are intended for sportier cars and more-aggressive drivers.
Grand touring all-season tires have the lower-profile look of high-performance all-season tires but ride
better at the price of some handling ability. Recently, a subset of grand touring all-season tires has
emerged that we call “all-weather” tires. These tires feature snow traction that almost comparable to
that of pure winter tires while offering similar performance in other areas as conventional all-season
tires. They are designated by a snowflake-within-amountain symbol on the tire's sidewall. This term is a
misnomer, as this type of tire should rightly be called "threeseason" rubber. Summer tires are designed
specifically to deliver dry- and wetweather traction in moderate or warm weather. They sharpen
steering response, increase cornering traction by an order of magnitude, and stop your vehicle in much
less distance. But they do so at a cost: most summer tires only work well at temperatures of about 40
degrees Fahrenheit and above. As outside temps fall toward freezing, the tires can feel skittish and
behave inconsistently; they lose a large portion of their grip to the point that they act like they are on a
wet or even icy road. More than one driver of a powerful car, unaware of the temperature sensitivity of
its summer tires, has lost control and crashed on a cold day.

What is It
Tires are put under tremendous strains when a car is being driven. There are only four relatively
small areas of tire tread in contact with the road. They carry the car's total weight, and transmit to the
road the power that drives and accelerates it over the many changes of surface and gradient
encountered. They must also transmit the forces generated by braking and cornering. Because they are
in constant contact with surfaces that are frequently abrasive, damaged and even broken, tires are more
liable to wear and physical damage than any other car component. For safety's sake, keep a regular
check on them - and on the wheels that carry them. Make it at least once a fortnight, and also before
any long or high-speed journeys. Badly worn or damaged tires are both illegal and potentially lethal:
they can cost you your license - or even your life. It is better to look over the tires and wheels while they
are on the car than not to inspect them at all. But for a thorough examination of the inside walls, the
wheels should be taken off about once a year. Inspecting tire treads and sidewalls The tread is the
obvious place to start looking for tire damage. Begin by inspecting carefully the whole circumference for
abnormal wear and flaws in the pattern. Abnormal widening of the grooves, or the spaces between
tread blocks, usually means that the tires are ageing. If a series of cracks is evident, replace the tire -
even though there may still be 1-3 mm of tread left. Pay special attention to the small slots and cuts -
known as 'sipes'. Look for embedded fragments of sharp flint and stones, or the nails and tacks that are
the usual cause of punctures and can cause internal damage. That sort of debris can be priced out with
a screwdriver blade. But removing it may leave the tire with a slow puncture. Check for loss of pressure,
and if it occurs have a tire-repair shop take the tire off the rim, inspect it, and make a permanent repair.
Look also for 'flats' in the tread, worn perhaps by severe emergency braking - when the tire of a locked
wheel slides on the road, wearing off the rubber and generating a lot of heat. Abnormally severe wear at
the tread shoulders or uneven tread wear are warning signs that should never be ignored. They could be
the result of more fundamental problems perhaps in the tracking or suspension and could soon lead to
failure at speed. Bulges in the sidewalls are signs of carcass damage. Long before cords are showing
through, these tires are unsafe at speed. Sometimes the damage may not be visible, so if you have
suspicions - perhaps after hitting a kern - but cannot see any exterior evidence, ask a professional tire
fitter to remove the suspect tire and examine it. Often, fractures are visible inside before they become
obvious outside. Any break in the carcass construction means replacing the tire. It cannot be repaired
safely. Checking the tread depth If the tread depth can be measured against the rim of a coin, it is down
to 1mm and the tire is dangerous. Tires with treads of less than 1 mm deep are illegal in Britain. The
treads must be at least 1 mm deep over 75 per cent of their tread width all-round the tire, and there
must be evidence of some tread on the rest. However, most experts think this is not enough, and that it
is unwise to drive on tires in such a worn state. Many other countries including most European and
North American states - demand that the minimum tread depth should be present across the full width
of the tread in contact with the road. European regulations are likely to come into force in Britain under
EEC regulations. A minimum of 1.5 mm is common, and 2 mm is strongly recommended in the interests
of safety. In practice, it is sensible to take a tread depth of 2 mm as the stage at which tires should be
renewed. As soon as tires begin to show signs of wear, make frequent checks. Even with new tires,
regular. checks can also reveal unusual wear patterns, which point to other problems. Fit a screwdriver
blade into the tire grooves, mark the depth with your thumb and measure the depth against a metric
rule. You can make a simple check on tire-tread depths with an implement such as a small screwdriver,
which has a narrow, straight blade that will fit into the grooves between treads or tread blocks; you also
need a millimeter rule or measure. Put the screwdriver blade into the groove at right-angles to the tread
surface, then use your thumbnail to mark the surface level on the blade. Taking care not to move your
thumb, measure off the depth on your ruler. Using a tire depth gauge Insert the probe of the gauge into
a groove in the tread and press down. Read the depth on the scale. Inexpensive tread-depth gauges are
also available, which make checking even easier, and more precise. Make sure that the probe is
extended fully, then insert the tip into the groove and press down. The tread depth can be read off on
the gauge scale. Check all round each tire. Move the car slightly to include the sections of tire on which
the car was standing. Some tires are made with built-in tread-depth warning markers usually bars
running across the inside of the grooves. When the tops of the bars become flush with the tread, the
tread depth is almost at its legal limit and the tire should be renewed. 8 Tire sizes and markings Most
new tires are radial-ply tires. All reputable new radials are marked with the size and speed rating, cross-
plies with the size only. Tires without such markings are best avoided. Generally, tires have two size
markings - the width of the tire and the diameter of the wheel rim. The size may be given in inches or
millimeters or a mixture of both; sizes solely in inches are on cross-ply tires. The most common tread
pattern in use on passenger tires is the symmetric tread pattern. In these types of patterns, the outer
and inner sides of the tread are symmetric—that is, they are mirror images of one another. The tread
blocks form continuous ribs around the tire. Is it safe to have different tread patterns? Mixing different
tread depths is generally permissible. The tire industry recommends fitting the new tires onto the rear
axle. This will provide greater grip to the rear axle and mitigate any potential oversteer condition or loss
of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces. Does tire tread pattern matter? The only contact a car has with
the road is the tire so tread patterns play a critical role on how well the tire performs in different road
conditions. ... The only contact a car has with the road is the tire so tread patterns play a critical role on
how well the tire performs in different road conditions.

What’s More
Does tire tread pattern matter? The only contact a car has with the road is the tire so tread
patterns play a critical role on how well the tire performs in different road conditions. ... The only
contact a car has with the road is the tire so tread patterns play a critical role on how well the tire
performs in different road conditions.

ACTIVITY 1: Question and Answer. Your score will be based on the Rubrics below. Please use separate
sheet of paper for your answer.

1. Is it safe to have different tread pattern?

2. How does tread depth affects the performance of a tire?

3. Why is it important to look for tire sizes and markings?

1 2 3 4 5
No evidence The student The student The student The student
of demonstrated demonstrates demonstrates connects and
attempting minimal or no partial mastery of the applies the
to answer understanding of understanding of standards that standatds in
the the standard. the standards that were explicitly complex
question was explicitly taught. ways.
taught.

ASSESSMENT: Direction: Read the statement below and choose the best answer by writing the letter
of the correct answer. Please use separate sheet of paper for your answer.

1. Which of the following tires provide sharper handling than "standard" all-season tires.
a. sporty b. race c. grand touring d. high performance
2. _________________ all-season tires have the lower-profile look of highperformance all-season tires
but ride better at the price of some handling ability.
a. tire b. tread c. grand touring d. high performance
3. Where is the obvious place to start looking for tire damage?
a. tire b. tread c. grand touring d. high performance
[Link] of the following tread pattern is commonly used in passenger tires?
a. tire b. tread c. systematic tread d. high performance
5. The only contact a car has with the road is the ________ so tread patterns play a critical role on how
well the tire performs in different road conditions.
a. tire b. tread c. grand touring d. systematic tread pattern