Tuesday, September 18, 2007

How Do You Decide On the Proper Tires To Equip Your Hybrid Car?


Choosing a tire for your hybrid car does not have to be very difficult, thanks to a ground-breaking improvement in tire design. This new innovation called low-rolling resistance tires, is becoming extremely popular amongst consumers, tire makers and even legislators. They are called low-rolling resistance tires because of how easily they roll on the road.


How are Low-Rolling Resistance Tires Different than Other Tires?


Low-rolling resistance tires are different than other tires because they use less energy. This energy is defined as heat. The heat that tires use is located in three different areas of the tire. These areas are:


Between the tire and the road.
Between the tire and the rim.
Between the tire and the sidewall.


In designing these tires, the manufacturers first focused on the design of the tread. Different manufacturers use different treads. Next, they selected light, strong materials and reduced the sidewall. Reducing the sidewall also reduces the flexing of the tire.


What are the Benefits of Using Low-Rolling Resistance Tires?


The design of low-rolling resistance tires offers many benefits. Some of these benefits are:


They have increased durability
They maintain traction and handling.
They can run up to 50 miles with no air pressure, ensuring that you can get home or to a service station without having to stop and change the tire.
They increase your gas mileage. Since the tires are custom fitted for each car, the car runs smoothly and uses gas more efficiently.


What are the Drawbacks of using these Tires?


There are very few drawbacks to using these tires. They do cost about $40 more than other tires, but they save you money at the gas pump. Thanks to their design, they can save up to 6% of your gas usage. Over time, this adds up to a lot of savings. There have been some complaints about the way they handle on the road. This could be due to excessive speed by the driver, since low-rolling resistance tires have a great tread. Cautious drivers have found no handling problems.


Reviews


These tires have gotten such great reviews that even legislators are getting involved. California passed legislation that replacement tires be as efficient as the tires on new cars. The tires on new cars are mostly the low-rolling resistance tires. Other states are considering such legislation as well.


Check out the low-rolling resistance tire when replacing the tires on your hybrid car. Since these are the types of tires that were probably already on your car, you will already be used to how they handle. Even though they are more expensive than other tires, the gas saving design and other great benefits make them well worth the expense.








Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well other Auto Parts and Accessories at http://www.shop4autoparts.com

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