Tire, Wheel, and Wheel Bearing Fundamentals

by
Russell Krick
Publisher
The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Tinley Park, Illinois
Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Tires
Wheels
Valve stems and cores
Lug nuts, studs, and bolts
Wheel weights
Hub and wheel bearing assemblies
Tires perform two basic functions:

act as a soft cushion between the road
and the metal wheel
provide adequate traction (friction) with
the road surface
Tire Types
Pneumatic
filled with air
internal air pressure pushes out on the
inside of the tire to support the vehicle
Tubeless tire
does not use an inner tube
tire and wheel form an airtight unit
Tube-type tire
uses an inner tube to hold air pressure
Tubeless Tire
Parts of a Tire
Tire Rolling Resistance

Measurement of the amount of friction
produced as the tire operates on the
road surface
High rolling resistance increases fuel
consumption and wear
Rolling resistance is reduced by higher
inflation pressure, tire design, and a
lighter vehicle
Tire Construction
There are many design variations:
different numbers of plies may be used
plies may run at different angles
different materials may be used
Three types of tires used on

automobiles:
bias ply
belted bias tire
radial tire
Bias Ply Tire

Plies run on an angle from bead to
bead
The angle is reversed from ply to ply
Does not use belts
The body of the tire flexes easily
Provides a smooth ride
The plies and tread are weakest
reduces traction at high speeds
increases rolling resistance
Bias Ply Tire
Belted Bias Tire

Bias tire with belts added to increase
tread stiffness
The belts lie under the tread area only
Two stabilizer belts and two or more
plies improve tire performance
provides a smooth ride and good traction
reduces rolling resistance
Belted Bias Tire
Radial Ply Tire

Plies run straight across from bead to
bead
Stabilizer belts lie beneath the tread
The belts can be made of steel, flexten,
fiberglass, or other materials
Radial Ply Tire

Has a very flexible sidewall and a stiff
tread
provides a very stable footprint
improves safety, cornering, braking, and
wear
may produce a harsher ride at low speeds
Radial Ply Tire
Tire Sidewall Markings
Tire Size
Alpha-NumericUses letters and

numbers to denote tire size in inches
and its load-carrying capacity in pounds
Tire Size
P-MetricUses metric values and

international standards
Points of Measurement
Aspect Ratio
Height-to-width ratio of a tire.

Maximum Load Rating

Amount of weight the tire can carry at
the recommended inflation pressure
Printed on the sidewall
P-metric:
given in kilograms and pounds
Alpha-numeric:
indicated by a letter such as B, C, or D
Maximum Inflation
Pressure
Highest air pressure that should be
pumped into the tire
Many tires have a maximum
recommended pressure of 32 to 40 psi
(220 to 275 kPa)
Tread Plies
Number of plies and ply rating:
2-ply
2-ply with a 4-ply rating
4-ply
Greater number of plies usually

indicates a greater load-carrying
capacity
DOT Serial Number

Identifies the manufacturer, plant,
location, construction, and date of
manufacture
Stamped into the sidewall
Department of Transportation rating
means the tire has passed prescribed
safety tests
Tire Grades
Tread wear
given as a number, 100 to 500
higher number is more resistant to wear
Tire traction
given as an A, B, or C
A rating has the most traction
Tire temperature resistance

given as an A, B, or C
A rating resists temperature buildup best
Speed Rating
Maximum allowable sustained road
speed a tire can safely withstand
without failure
Ratings range from B to Z
B rating 31 mph or 50 km/h
Z rating 149 mph or 238 km/h
Wear Bars
When too much
tread has worn
away, solid rubber
bars will show up
across the tread
Compact Spare Tire
This is a high pressure spare, requiring

60 psi (415 kPa)
Self-Sealing Tires
A coating of sealing compound is
applied to the liner
If a nail punctures the tire, air pressure
will push the soft compound into the
hole to stop air leakage
Self-Sealing Tire
Action
A. A nail punctures
the tire
B. The nail is pulled
out
C. Sealing compound
flows into the hole
Retreads
Used tires that have had a new tread
vulcanized to the old carcass, or body
Large truck tires are often recapped
because of the high cost of new truck
tires
Run-Flat Tires
Have an extremely stiff sidewall
construction
Still usable with a loss of air pressure
Tire will retain most of its shape
because the sidewall is strong enough
to support the vehicle weight
Run-Flat Tires
Tire Inflation
Monitoring System
Often used with run-flat tires
Pressure sensors are mounted on
each wheel
If tire pressure is not correct, the
sensor produces a radio signal
The signal is received by a module that
turns on a dash warning light
Pressure Sensor
System Operation
Designed to support the tire while

withstanding loads from acceleration,
braking, and cornering
Made of steel, aluminum, or
magnesium
Wheel Assembly
Mag Wheels
Aluminum or magnesium wheels

are often called mags
Drop-Center Wheel
Allows for easier installation and
removal of the tire
The center of the wheel is smaller in
diameter than the rim
When installing a tire, it can fall into the
recess, then, the other side of the tire
bead can be forced over the rim
Drop-Center Wheel
Note the smaller diameter in the

center of the rim
Dimensions of a Wheel
Safety Rims
Small ridges on the rim hold the tire on the

wheel during a tire blowout or flat
Valve stem
pressed into a hole in the wheel of a
tubeless tire to allow inflation and
deflation
Valve core
spring-loaded air valve that is threaded
into the valve stem
Valve cap
protects the air valve and stem threads
from dirt, moisture, and damage
Valve Stem Assembly
A valve stem
snaps into the
hole in the wheel
The press fit

forms an
airtight seal
The valve core

screws into the
valve stem body
Lug nuts
hold the wheel and tire assembly on the
vehicle
Lug studs
special studs that accept the lug nuts
Lug bolts
used instead of nuts
screw into threaded holes in the hub or
axle flange
Lug Nut
and Stud
A stud is pressed
into the hub or
axle flange
If metric or left-hand
threads are used,
markings will
normally be present
Small lead weights

Attached to the wheel rim to balance
the wheel-and-tire assembly
Used to offset a heavy area of the
wheel and tire
Allow the wheel or hub to turn freely

Most wheel bearings are tapered roller
bearings or ball bearings
Tapered Roller Bearing
Lubricated with high-temperature grease

Ball Bearing
Balls allow parts to rotate with a minimum

amount of friction and wear
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Nondriving Wheels)
The spindle is stationary, providing a

mounting place for the wheel bearings,
hub, and wheel
The hub is partially filled with grease to
lubricate the bearings
The nut on the end of the spindle
allows adjustment of the bearing
preload
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Nondriving Wheels)
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Nondriving Wheels)
Used on the front of rear-wheel-drive cars

or the rear of front-wheel-drive cars
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Driving Wheels)
The axle shaft rotates inside a

stationary support
The drive shaft fits through the center
of the bearings
The hub is splined to the axle shaft
The ball bearings are lubricated by
thick, high-temperature grease
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Driving Wheels)
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Driving Wheels)
Commonly used on the front of frontwheel-drive vehicles

Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Four-Wheel Drive)
The front drive axle extends through a

stationary spindle
A special free-wheel, or locking hub
transfers power from the axle to the
hub-disc assembly when in four-wheeldrive
Hub and Wheel

Bearing
(Four-Wheel Drive)
Front axle, brakes, hub, and wheel

bearing assembly

Tire, Wheel, and Wheel Bearing Fundamentals

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Título original

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Tire, Wheel, and Wheel Bearing Fundamentals

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

by

The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Tires perform two basic functions:

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Tire Rolling Resistance

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Three types of tires used on

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Bias Ply Tire

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Bias Ply Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Belted Bias Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Belted Bias Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Radial Ply Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Radial Ply Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Radial Ply Tire

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Tire Sidewall Markings

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Alpha-NumericUses letters and

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

P-MetricUses metric values and

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Height-to-width ratio of a tire.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Maximum Load Rating

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Greater number of plies usually

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

DOT Serial Number

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Tire temperature resistance