Vans, minibuses and other vehicles with the maximum permissible weight of up to 3.5 t are fitted with tyres for commercial vehicles. These tyres can withstand heavy loads, they effectively absorb vibrations, minimize noises, and contribute to driving smoothness and safety.
Features of tyres for commercial vehicles
Marking of tyres generally contains one of the following symbols:
- C or "Commercial". It is used in Europe, and is specified after the size.
- LT means "Light Truck". It is used in America and Asia, and is specified before the size.
Models for light commercial vehicles, as a rule, have two values contained in the maximum load index:
- for single installation;
- for paired installation on an axle.
These are conventional units equal to a certain value in kilograms: 111 - 1,090 kg, 100 - 800 kg 90 - 600 kg, and so on. When choosing tyres, be sure to consider the speed index, since the tyres can withstand the indicated load only within the certain speed limits.
Manufacturers also specify the ply rating — PR. It describes compliance of the bearing capacity of the tyre carcass to the reference tyre based on a cotton cord, and may differ from the actual number of plies. While tyres for passenger cars are usually marked 4PR, tyres for commercial vehicles usually bear the 6PR or 8PR marking.
The design of the tyres includes additional plies, which adds the following advantages:
- Stiffness and increased weight. This improves the tyre’s grip. The tyres are heavier than their counterparts for passenger cars.
- Durability. The tyres are less prone to deformation during transportation of cargo.
The tread is characterized by few sipes and considerable depth. The latter may be 9 mm or more.
To improve the wear resistance of the tyres, the material composition often contains silica, which, in addition, ensures excellent grip on wet roads. Moreover, a well-balanced amount of silicon dioxide and technical carbon helps reduce rolling resistance, and, thereby, improve fuel efficiency.
Also, the catalogue of tyres for commercial vehicles contains tyres that differ from each other in the profile width-to-height ratio and can be:
- Low profile. Such tyres improve vehicle roadholding ability and steerability, as well as the driving smoothness.
- Full-profile. They facilitate vehicle operation on bumpy road surfaces, and reduce fuel consumption.
6 symptoms of the need for tyres replacement
- Deteriorated steerability. As a rule, this phenomenon can be noticed during rain or snow.
- The tread depth has reduced to the critical value. For summer tyres, it is 1.6 mm, and for winter tyres - 4 mm. You can measure it with a vernier caliper.
- The tread wear indicator becomes visible. It is provided by many manufacturers. If the tyre is worn out, a colored ply or a bar appears.
- Cracks appeared on the sides of tyres for commercial vehicles due to normal wear or long time off-road use. Replacement must be made as soon as possible, otherwise, the tyres may burst.
- The tyres have been deformed. For example, an impact may result in bulges.
- Expired service life. Most tyres lose their properties after 5 years from the date of manufacture, even if they had not been in use. The date of manufacture is indicated as four digits on the sidewall. The first two digits show the week, and the following two - the year of manufacture.
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If you need to buy tyres for commercial vehicles, become a customer of our online store. We promptly process all online orders, and delivery takes minimum time. In addition, Autodoc.co.uk offers affordable prices and often holds promotions. Here you can buy the best components at a low price, to prevent the vehicle from being out of service, reduce maintenance costs, and increase the profitability of your business.
