The tires on your vehicle and all the other ones on the road have come a long way. Here's some information on the history of tires and how they are being made today.
While the concept of the wheel dates back to ancient times, it wasn't until the mid-1800s when Robert William Thomson invented the first vulcanized rubber tire. The cost of making and buying it was too high, so no one was interested in picking up on the invention. It wasn't until the late 1800s when André Michelin and his brother Edouard thought of putting pneumatic tires on an automobile. Though their ideas were good, the tires were not durable. It wasn't until 1911 that someone found a way to maintain the air inside the tire and made it work for automobiles. Since then, technology has enabled the advancements of tires to go beyond what was imaginable in the early 1900s.
Tires are supposed to be made of strong, flexible rubber to provide proper traction on the road. In essence, it serves as a cushion for the wheels on our vehicles. They are the only parts that make contact with the road and allow effective steering, braking, and accelerating.
The primary materials used in tire production are natural and man-made rubber. The raw rubber is made by combining liquid latex with acids that cause the rubber to harden. When tires are engineered, the manufacturer must consider the body's design, sidewalls, and tread. Many tires are designed to cater to drivers' needs and lifestyles; for instance, a race car driver may need different tires than the average driver. After the tires are constructed, they are heavily tested for safety and reliability before hitting the market.
Your car's tires are considered the most important safety component. Without healthy tires, your automobile will not be able to attain comfort, performance, efficiency, reliability, and safety.
If you're looking for tire services in Fairbanks, AK, look no further than the professionals at University Chevron. We do everything from tire rotations, alignments, replacements, to air pressure checks.