Wikicars - User contributions [en]

Talk:Dodge Viper/index.php

2009-09-30T15:52:45Z

71.107.146.200: spam

Saab 9-3

2009-09-30T15:49:20Z

71.107.146.200: removed spam/crap

{| border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:250px; background:#fff; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"
| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#996; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" | [[Image:Saab 9 3 main01.jpg|300px]]
|- style="color:#fff; background:#996; font-size:larger;"
! colspan=2 | '''Saab 9-3'''
|-
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#ddb;" | [[Saab]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| aka
| "Sport Combi"
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Production
| 1990-Present
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Class
| Sport Luxury
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Body Style
| 4-Door Sedan 2-Door Convertible 4-Door Station Wagon
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Length
| 182.4 in. - 183.2 in.
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Width
| 69.0 in. - 69.4 in.
|- style="vertical-align:top;
| Height
| 56.4 in. - 60.6 in
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Wheelbase
| 105.0 in.
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Weight
| 4,170 lbs. - 4,570 lbs.
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Transmission
| 5-spd Sentronic 6-spd Manual 6-spd Sentronic
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Engine
| 2.0L I4 2.8L [[V6]]
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Power
| 2.0L I4 210 [[HP]] 2.8L [[V6]] 250 [[HP]]
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| Similar
| [[Mercury Milan]] [[Lincoln MKZ]] [[Toyota Camry Solara]] [[BMW 3 Series]]
|- style="vertical-align:top; background:#f0f0f0;"
| Platforn
| GM Epsilon Platform
|}

The '''Saab 9-3''' is a compact executive car produced by the automaker [[Saab]] in Trollhättan, Sweden, although the convertible (cabriolet) version is made under license in Austria. It shares platforms with the [[Opel Vectra]] and the [[Cadillac BLS]], although is only similar enough to the Cadillac BLS in order to be made on the same assembly line in Sweden.

The car is badged as a 93, although Saab consistently advertises it as the 9-3. The name is pronounced "nine three". The 9-3 was introduced in 1998 and was replaced by a newly developed 9-3 in the 2003 model year. The Saab 93, pronounced "ninety three" was a car produced by Saab from 1955 to 1960.

See Wikicars' comprehensive '''[[Wikicars:Model Review Template|<MODEL> Review]]'''.

===Recent Changes===
*At the 2009 [[Geneva Motor Show]], Saab unveiled the '''9-3X''' crossover. [http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090211.003/new-saab-9-3x-revealed-with-video][http://jalopnik.com/5151184/2010-saab-9+3x-bows-a-tad-bit-earlier-than-its-geneva-reveal-mountain-dew-not-included]

<gallery>
Image:Thumb1280x1280 3271553964 9018c3387a o.jpg
Image:Thumb1280x1280 3271554942 d385c13a43 o.jpg
Image:Thumb1280x1280 3271555880 cbe9e7c275 o.jpg
Image:2010-saab-9-3x.jpg
</gallery>

* For the 2009 [[LA Auto Show]], Saab issued a special edition variant of the 9-3 Convertible to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the [[Saab 900]] Convertible's debut at the 1983 [[Frankfurt Motor Show]]. [http://jalopnik.com/5084135/saab-9+3-20t-special-edition-convertible-to-drop-top-at-la-auto-show]

<gallery>
Image:Thumb1280x1280 3024240995 aeebf757cf o.jpg
</gallery>

*For 2010, the 9-3 Cabriolet receives sporting credentials thanks to Hirsch Performance. The '''9-3 Cabriolet Hirsch Edition''', available only for the German market, squeezes 300 hp and 400Nm of torque from its 2.8 litre V6. It has also been fitted with lowered sport suspension to make full use of it as well as bigger 345mm brakes to stop and keep all that new found power under control when necessary. [http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/10/2009-saab-9-3-cabriolet-hirsch-edition.html]

<gallery>
Image:Saab-9-3-Cabrio-Hirsch-0.jpg
</gallery>

*For 2008, Saab revives the 9-3 Convertible "Yellow Edition" for the third time. It is based on the 210 hp 2.0T. It is painted in Lynx Yellow livery and features 17-inch alloys, rear spoiler, premium audio system, XM radio and OnStar. The collectible will MSRP for $42,830, including destination charges. [http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080424.012/2008-saab-9-3-convertible-yellow-edition-returns-us]

<gallery>
Image:Saab Yellow Edition.jpg
</gallery>

===Styles and Major Options===
Certain [[automobile|vehicles]] come in different trim levels or body styles. Features and major options should be mentioned here.

===Pricing===
''Add more fields as necessary.''

{| border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0em 1em; width:collapse; background:#fff; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:85%; line-height:2.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#000000; background:#cccccc; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |'''MODEL Trims'''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Trim1
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Trim2
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Trim3
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Trim4
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#fff; background:#811b33; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |''MSRP''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $Price1
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $Price2
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $Price3
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $Price4
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#fff; background:#811b33; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |''Invoice''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $Price1
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $Price2
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $Price3
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $Price4
|}

===Gas Mileage===
''Add more fields as necessary.''

As seen on the [http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm FuelEconomy.gov] website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:

{| border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0em 1em; width:collapse; background:#fff; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:85%; line-height:2.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#000000; background:#cccccc; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |'''Trim'''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Trim1
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Trim2
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Trim3
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Trim4
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#000000; background:#cccccc; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |'''MPG'''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | c/h
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;"| c/h
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | c/h
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;"| c/h
|}

===Engine===
[[Image:Saab diesel engine 26 05 04.jpg|right|200px]]
* 2003-2004 - 2.2 L [[Diesel|Isuzu diesel]] [[Straight-4|I4]], 125 hp
* 2005-present - 1.9 L [[Diesel|Fiat diesel]] [[Straight-4|I4]], 120 hp ECE (88 kW)
* 2005-present - 1.9 L [[Diesel|Fiat diesel]] [[Straight-4|I4]], 150 hp ECE (110 kW)
* 2004-present - 1.8 L ''Ecotec'' [[Straight-4|I4]] 122 hp ECE (90 kW)
* 2003-present - 2.0 L ''Ecotec'' [[Straight-4|I4]], low-pressure [[turbo]], 150 hp ECE (110 kW)
* 2003-2005 - 2.0 L ''Ecotec'' [[Straight-4|I4]], low-pressure [[turbo]], 175 hp ECE (129 kW)
* 2003-present - 2.0 L ''Ecotec'' [[Straight-4|I4]], high-output [[turbo]], 210 hp ECE (154 kW)
* 2006-present - 2.8 L ''HFV6'' [[V6]], low-pressure [[turbo]], 230 hp ECE (169 kW)
* 2006-present - 2.8 L ''HFV6'' [[V6]], [[turbo]], 250 hp ECE (184 kW)
{{-}}

===Safety===
[[Image:Saab 93 06 12 05.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Saab 9-3 undergoing IIHS side-impact testing.]]
In 2008, the entire Saab 9-3 lineup was awarded the Top Safety Pick Award by the IIHS for the mid-sized category.[http://www.motorauthority.com/news/safety/saab-9-3-wins-iihs-top-safety-pick-award/]
{{-}}

===Photos===

<gallery>
Image:9-3 Interior.jpg|2007 Saab 9-3 Interior
Image:9-3 Sedan.jpg|2007 Saab 9-3 Sedan
Image:My-2007-9-3-aero-ip.jpg
Image:Saab front.jpg
</gallery>

Add ''Photos'' of the [[automobile|vehicle]] here.

'''''Please make sure not to use copyrighted photos.'''''

===Colors===
List the colors that the particular <MODEL> is offered in.

===Main Competitors===
Create links to other <MAKE> <MODEL> pages in this section.

==Hybrid Models==

:''See [[Saab 9-3 BioPower]]

==Unique Attributes==
If there are any features of this [[automobile|vehicle]] that sets it apart from other [[automobile|vehicles]] in its class, then mention those ''unique attributes'' here.

==Interior==
This section should include information on the interior's ''design'', ''build quality'', ''ergonomics'', ''space (head and legroom, front and rear)'', ''features'', ''stowage compartments'' and ''overall comfortability'' and ''livability''. Add pictures wherever applicable and '''''keep information in a third-person point of view'''''.

==Resale Values==
''Add more fields as necessary.''

{| border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0em 1em; width:collapse; background:#fff; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:85%; line-height:2.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#000000; background:#9e9784; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |'''<MODEL> Year'''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Year X
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Year X-2
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | Year X-3
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | Year X-4
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="text-align:left; background:#f0f0f0;"
|- style="color:#000000; background:#9e9784; font-size:larger; font-style:bold; text-align:left;"
! colspan=4 |'''Resale Value'''
|-
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#ddb;" | $
! style="text-align:left; font-weight:large; background:#f4f4da;" | $
|}

==Criticisms==
Please make sure to '''''keep critiques in a third-person point of view'''''. If using criticisms from a reputable automotive source, then '''''please make sure to cite the quote'''''.

==Generations==
Fill in as many as appropriate. Add more if necessary and pictures wherever applicable.

'''''Please make sure NOT to use copyrighted pictures'''''.

==Current Generation: (2008–present)==
The 9-3 will be replaced by a new model based on GM's Epsilon 2 platform, shared with the 2008 [[Saab 9-5|9-5]]. This vehicle will be built in Rüsselsheim, Germany rather than Sweden.

<gallery>
Image:Saab93sedanteaser.jpg
Image:2008 saab93range004.jpg
Image:Saab side.jpg
Image:Saab 9 3 main02.jpg
Image:1202204.jpg
Image:1202222.jpg
Image:1202208.jpg
Image:1202206.jpg
Image:Saab xwd main01.jpg
Image:Saab xwd 02.jpg
Image:Saab xwd 03.jpg
Image:JAN 04 img 05.jpg
</gallery>

===Second Generation (2003-2008)===
[[Image:Saab9-3aerolead34.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Second generation Saab 9-3]]
The second-generation model was launched at the Detroit Auto Show in early 2003. All variants feature either a 1.8t or 2.0t (both 2L engines, but with different turbo pressure) [[straight-4]] gasoline engine derived from [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]]' ''Ecotec'' family, or a [[turbocharger|turbocharged]] 2.8 L ''High-Feature'' [[V6]] (starting in 2006). There are two different versions of the [[turbocharged]] I4, with the amount of turbo boost determining the power output.

Power in the 9-3 is delivered through the [[front-wheel drive|front wheels only]]. It is available as a four-door [[sedan]], a wagon (introduced 2004, known as the Sport Combi), and a two-door [[convertible]]. It is the safest car in its class, including innovations such as Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR II) to reduce whiplash and ReAxs, passive rear wheel steering to reduce understeering and passive toe-in under heavy braking. Out of these models, the convertible (manufactured by Magna Steyr in Austria beginning in 2003) is the best known, and is the best-selling in its class in many markets.

The 9-3 and the [[Opel Vectra]] were the first of [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]]'s global '''Epsilon''' platform, which has now been lengthened to accommodate three new cousins, the [[Chevrolet Malibu|Chevrolet Malibu/Malibu Maxx]] and the [[Pontiac G6]].

A special "20 Years Edition Aero Convertible" for the American market was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006 to celebrate 20 years since the introduction of the [[Saab 900|900 convertible]].

===First Generation/Origins (1999–2003)===
[[Image:01saab9-3.jpg|right|thumb||2000 9-3|250px]]
The original 9-3 was a rebadged, improved last-generation [[Saab 900 (NG)|Saab 900]]. Launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year, it featured slightly sleeker styling with some models sporting a black rear [[spoiler]] and removed Saab's trademark centrally-mounted "snow flap". It was available as a three or five-door [[hatchback]], and as a two-door [[convertible]]. This was the last small Saab to use the company's ''H engine''.

====Viggen====
A high-powered, no longer in production version of the 9-3 was the Viggen, named after the Saab Viggen aircraft. It came with a turbocharged 2.3 L engine giving 168kW (225hp) in MY1999 and 172kW (230hp) in MY2000+. 0-100 km/h is done in 6.4 seconds and the top speed is 249 km/h.

====Engines====
* 2.0 L ''B204'' [[Straight-4|I4]], 138 hp ECE (1998-1999)
* 2.0 L ''B204'' [[Straight-4|I4]], turbo, 185 hp ECE (136 kW) (1998-1999)
* 2.0 L ''B205'' [[Straight-4|I4]], turbo, 185 hp ECE (136 kW) (2000-2002)
* 2.0 L ''B205E (non-US)'' [[Straight-4|I4]], LPT(light pressure turbo), 150 hp ECE (110 kW) (2000-2002)
* 2.0 L ''B205R'' [[Straight-4|I4]], turbo, 205 hp ECE (151 kW) (1999-2003)
* 2.3 L ''B235R'' [[Straight-4|I4]], turbo, 230 hp ECE (169 kW) (1999-2002)

A total of 326,370 were made.

==Worldwide==
If the [[automobile|vehicle]] is sold in other markets worldwide, then this is the section to mention that information. Also, mention if the <MODEL> goes by another name in these other markets.

==Design quirks and oddities==
Refer to any pop-culture tidbits about the [[Automobile|vehicle]] in this section.

==Awards==
'''2004'''
*Best Pick in side-impact crash tests, American IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), USA. The Sport Sedan repeats the "Best Pick" rating from last year's IIHS frontal offset crash test and is now the first car with standard safety equipment to receive a double "Best Pick" honour.
*Received highest rating, "Good" in the IIHS & Thatcham studies into the safety of car seats and head restraints, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety USA, Thatcham, Great Britain.
*Awarded Compact Executive Car of the Year, Auto Trader, Great Britain
*Voted Top Small Executive Car, Top Gear Magazine's New Car Buyer's Guide, Great Britain
*Awarded one of "10 best Cars of the Year", Hong Kong Car and Driver, Hong Kong
*Awarded Best European Intermediate/middle sedan, Car Plus Award, Hong Kong
*Recommended buy, US Consumer Reports magazine, USA
*Awarded maximum five star rating in EuroNCAP collision test, Saab 9-3 Convertible, EuroNCAP
*Named UK's Most Secure Open-Top Car, British Insurance Car Security Awards, Great Britain
*Prestigious Sporting Open Top award, The Institute of Vehicle Engineers (IVehE), Great Britain

'''2002'''
*Awarded maximum five star rating in EuroNCAP collision test, Saab 9-3 Sports Sedan, EuroNCAP
*Best Family Sedan, Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, PBS's MotorWeek television, USA
*Prestige Car of the Year, Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, Brisbane Courier Mail, Australia
*Best Buy, Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, Expressen, Sweden
*Best New Car, Saab 9-3 Arc Sport Sedan ($30,000 - $40,000 range), Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, USA

'''1999'''
*Among the Top Ten Cars of 1999. Fortune Magazine, USA

'''1998'''
*One of the Top Ten Cars - Fortune Magazine, USA
*Among Top Ten Family Cars - Consumer's Review, USA

==See Also==
{{Saab}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.saabo.com/media/saab_pictures/saab_93/saab_93.php Saab 9-3 Gallery]
* [http://autoindex.org/maker.plt?no=139 Magna Steyr]
* [http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/bb/9-3/ Saab 9-3 Owners Bulletin Board]
* [http://forum.zercustoms.com/viewtopic.php?t=47 2006 Saab Aero X Concept]
* [http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080424.012/2008-saab-9-3-convertible-yellow-edition-returns-us 2008 Saab 9-3 Convertible Yellow Edition Returns (US)]
* [http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/09/saabs-9-3-swedish-touring-car.html Saab’s 9-3 Swedish Touring Car Championship Racer]
* [http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/10/2009-saab-9-3-cabriolet-hirsch-edition.html 2009 Saab 9-3 Cabriolet Hirsch Edition with 300HP]
* [http://www.leftlanenews.com/saab-unveils-25th-anniversary-9-3-convertible.html Saab unveils 25th anniversary 9-3 convertible]
* [http://www.motorauthority.com/2010-saab-9-3x-revealed-ahead-of-geneva-motor-show-debut.html Saab 9-3X revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show debut]
* [http://jalopnik.com/5151184/2010-saab-9+3x-bows-a-tad-bit-earlier-than-its-geneva-reveal-mountain-dew-not-included 2010 Saab 9-3X Bows A Tad Bit Earlier Than Its Geneva Reveal. Mountain Dew Not Included]

[[Category:Pages with the First Anniversary Infobox Upgrade]]
[[Category:Current Models]]
[[Category:Saab Vehicles|9-3]]
[[Category:Cars of Sweden]]
[[Category:Front Wheel Drive Vehicles]]
[[Category:Luxury Vehicles]]
[[Category:Mid-Size Cars]]
[[Category:Coupes]]
[[Category:Hatchbacks]]
[[Category:Sedans]]
[[Category:Station Wagons]]
[[Category:1990s Automobiles]]
[[Category:2000s Automobiles]]

Digital Audio Media

2009-09-30T15:34:56Z

71.107.146.200: spammer

Slick tire

2009-09-30T15:09:44Z

71.107.146.200: fixed bad kumho link

[[Image:Alain Prost F1 RE40 p1040464.jpg|thumb|250px|Tire on [[Alain Prost]]'s 1983 Formula One racecar]]

A '''slick tire''' (also known as a "racing slick") is a type of [[tire]] that has no [[tread]] pattern, used mostly in [[auto racing]]. By eliminating any grooves cut into the tread, such tires provide the largest possible [[contact patch]] to the road, and maximize [[traction (engineering)|traction]] for any given tire dimension. Such tires are used on all four wheels for [[road racing|road]] or [[oval racing|oval track]] racing, where steering and braking require maximum traction from each wheel, but are typically used on only the driven (powered) wheels in [[drag racing]], where the only concern is maximum traction to put power to the ground.

Slick tires are not suitable for use on common road vehicles, which must be able to operate in all weather conditions. They are used in auto racing where competitors can choose different tires based on the weather conditions and can often change tires during a race.
Slick tires provide far more traction than treaded tires on dry roads, but typically have less traction than treaded tires under wet conditions. Wet roads severely diminish the traction because of [[hydroplaning]] due to water trapped between the tire contact area and the road surface. Treaded tires are designed to remove water from the contact area, thereby maintaining traction even in wet conditions.

Since there is no tread pattern, slick tire tread does not deform too much under load. The reduced [[deformation]] allows the tire to be constructed of softer compounds without excessive overheating and blistering. The softer rubber gives greater adhesion to the road surface, but it also has a lower [[treadwear rating]]; ''i.e.'' it wears out much more quickly than the harder rubber tires used for driving on the streets. It is not uncommon for drivers in some autosports to wear out multiple sets of tires during a single day's driving.

In [[Formula One]] slick tires are no longer allowed, yet dry weather tires are still often referred to as 'slicks' as they have no appreciable tread pattern (having only [[circumferential]] grooves intended to reduce total traction) and similar behaviour in wet weather. They will be re-introduced into the sport in 2008.
==Drag racing slicks==
Drag racing slicks are typically very large, to deal with the enormous power delivery. For "closed wheel" cars, often the car must be modified merely to account for the size of the slick, raising the body on the rear springs for the height of narrower slicks, and/or replacing the rear wheel housings with very wide "tubs" and narrowing the [[rear axle]] to allow room for the wider varieties of tires. Open wheel dragsters are freed from any such constraint, and can go to enormous tire sizes. Some utilize very low pressures to maximize the tread contact area, producing the typical sidewall appearance which leads to their being termed "wrinklewall" slicks. [[Inner tube]]s are typically used, to ensure that the air does not suddenly leak catastrophically as the tire deforms under the stress of launching.

"Wrinklewall" slicks are now specifically designed for the special requirements of drag racing, being constructed in such a way as to allow the sidewall to be twisted by the torque applied at launch, softening the initial start and thus reducing the chances of breaking traction. As speed builds, the [[centrifugal force]] generated by the tire's rotation "unwraps" the sidewall, returning the stored energy to the car's acceleration. Additionally, it causes the tires to expand [[radially]], increasing their diameter and effectively creating a taller [[gear ratio]], allowing a higher top speed with the same [[transmission]] gearing.

===Cheater slicks===
Since completely slick tires are outlawed on most roads due to their inability to handle wet pavement, the "cheater slick" became a popular item in the [[hot rod]] world in the [[1950s]] and [[1960s]]; a typical slick type tire, but engraved with the absolute minimal amount of tread grooves required to satisfy legal requirements. Since then, however, tire development has progressed greatly, so that today's hot rod street cars typically use wide treaded tires which perform better than the slicks of the past; while the cheater slicks available today, both for nostalgic appearance of street cars and for competition use in classes where [[United States Department of Transportation|DOT]] approved street tires are required, have followed their own line of development, diverging from true slick tire construction to become a distinct tire design in themselves.

==R compound tires==
The development in cheater slick technology has affected the development of tires for racing series other than drag racing as well. When other forms of auto racing similarly instituted classes which require DOT approved street tires, some manufacturers similarly began to market tires which superficially resembled their high performance street tires, but with the least tread permissible and with very soft, sticky rubber, intended specifically for competition because the soft tread would wear too quickly for street use. These became known, loosely, as '''R compound tires'''. With additional years of progress, this class of tire has in its turn followed its own line of development, to the point where they have little in common with true street tires of the same brand. Ironically, this has led to new classes of racing which require not only DOT approval, but also a minimum [[Tire#Automobile_tires|treadwear rating]], in an effort to eliminate the R compound tires from competition and require "true" street tires.

==References==
*[http://www.nhra.com/dragster/1999/issue07/racing_technology.html Racing Technology; Street-legal slicks]
*[http://members.rennlist.com/944sandmore/traktire.htm R-compound "street" tires]

[[Category:Tires]]
[[Category:Vehicle modification]]

==External links==
*[http://www.kumhotire.com/ Kumho Tires]

Tires

2009-09-30T15:02:29Z

71.107.146.200: fixed typos, cleaned 404s from links, corrected epa.gov link (site moved), added tire calc link, improved description on some links

A '''tyre''' or '''tire''' is a device covering the circumference of a [[wheel]]. It is an essential part of most ground vehicles and is used to dampen the oscillations caused by irregularities in the road surface, to protect the [[wheel]] from wear and tear as well as to provide a high-friction bond between the car and the road to improve acceleration and handling. Today most tires, especially those fitted to motor vehicles, are manufactured from synthetic rubber, however other materials such as steel may be used.
[[Image:FirestoneTire.jpeg|thumb|Firestone tire]]

==History==
[[Image:Tire_repair_shop.JPG|thumb|300px|left|A tire repair shop in Vologda, Russia. The text painted says "Tire mounting" (''Shinomontazh'')]]
For most of history wheels had very little in the way of shock absorption and journeys were very bumpy and uncomfortable.
The modern tire came about in stages in the 19th century.

In 1844, Charles Goodyear invented vulcanization, the process that would later be used to produce cured rubber tires.

John Boyd Dunlop, a Scottish veterinary surgeon working in Belfast, Ireland, is mainly recognized as the father of the modern tire, although he was not the first to come up with the idea. In 1845 the first pneumatic (inflatable) tire was patented by fellow Scotsman, the engineer Robert William Thomson, born in Stonehaven, Scotland, as the '''Aerial Wheel'''. This invention consisted of a canvas inner tube surrounded by a leather outer tire. The tire gave a good ride, but there were so many manufacturing and fitting problems that the idea had to be abandoned. John Dunlop re-invented the tire for his ten year old son's tricycle in 1887 and was awarded a patent for his tire in 1888 (rescinded 1890). Dunlop's tire had a modified leather hosepipe as an inner tube and rubber treads. It wasn't long before rubber inner tubes were invented.

Because neither bicycles nor [[automobile]]s had been invented when Thomson produced his tire, that tire was only applied to horse drawn carriages. By Dunlop's time, the bicycle had been fully developed (see [[Land Rover]]) and it proved a far more suitable application for pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires were first installed on aircraft in 1906.

Dunlop partnered with William Harvey du Cros to form a company which later became the ''Dunlop Rubber Company'' to produce his invention. The invention quickly caught on for bicycles and was later adapted for use on [[automobile|car]]s. Dunlop is now a subsidiary of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

The radial tire was invented by Michelin, a French company, in 1946, but did not see wide use in the United States, the largest market at that time, until the 1970s. This type of tire uses parallel carcass plies for the sidewalls and crossed belts for the crown of the tire. All modern car tires are now radial. In 2005, Michelin was reported to be attempting to develop a tire and wheel combination, the Tweel, which does not use air.

== Etymology ==
According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', quoted in ''Fowler's Modern English Usage'', the word is a shortening of ''attire'', and the British spelling ''tyre'' is a recent divergence from historical tradition. Fowler also notes that the altered spelling ''tyre'' originally met with resistance from conservative British institutions such as ''The Times'' newspaper.

== Nomenclature ==
The outer perimeter of the tire, often called the crown, has various designs of jagged shaped grooves in it, known as the '''tread'''. These grooves are especially useful during weather with rain (or snow). The water from the rain is compressed into the grooves by the vehicle's weight, providing better traction in the tire-to-road contact. Without such grooves, a layer or film of water would form between the wet road and the tire's surface, which would cause [[hydroplaning]], substantially reducing traction. However, if the road is dry, treads actually reduce grip since they reduce the contact area, hence why 'slicks' are used in [[motor racing]]. Traction is especially important to achieve good [[brake|braking]] or high-speed cornering. The depth of these grooves essentially constitutes the [[tread]] depth. Varying due to wear during the lifetime of the car. When the tread on the outer perimeter of the tire wears away, reducing the tread depth, the tire should be replaced. The ''sidewalls'' are the sections of the tire which are between the crown and the inner circular edges of the tire contacting the rim. To avoid tearing at these inner edges, particularly when the tire is being mounted, there are a number of concentric steel wires buried inside the rubber at both inner edges of the tire. This inner rim is called the ''bead''.

Some air-filled tires, especially those used with [[spoked wheels]] such as on bicycles, or on vehicles travelling on rough roads, have an '''inner tube'''; this was also formerly the case of [[automobile]] tires. This is a fully sealed rubber tube with a valve to control flow of air in and out. Others, including modern radial tires, use a seal between the metal wheel and the tire to maintain the internal air pressure (''tubeless tire''). This method, however, tends to fail desperately if the vehicle is used on rough roads as a small bend on the rim (metal wheel) will result in deflation. The inner tubes are usually made of halobutyl rubber, because of its suitable mechanical properties and excellent impermeability for air.

Pneumatic tires generally have reinforcing threads in them; based on the orientation of the threads, they are classified as [[bias-ply]]/[[cross ply]] or [[radial tire|radial]]. Tires with radial yarns (known as '''radial tires''') are standard for almost all modern [[automobile|automobiles]].

==Tire types==
===Wagon tires===
The earliest tires were hoops of metal placed around wagon wheels. The tire was heated in a forge, placed on the wheel and quenched, causing the metal to shrink, which drew the rim against the [[spoke]]s and provided stiffness to the wheel. This work was done by a [[wheelwright]], a craftsman who specialized in making wagon wheels.

===Pneumatic tires===
Air-filled tires are known as pneumatic tires, and these are the type in almost universal use today. Pneumatic tires are made of a flexible elastomer material such as rubber with reinforcing threads/wires inside the elastomer material. The air compresses as the wheel goes over a bump and acts as a shock absorber. Tires are inflated through a valve, typically a Schrader valve on [[automobile]]s and most bicycle tires, or a Presta valve on high performance bicycles. Attempts have been made to make various types of solid tire but none has so far met with much success. The air in conventional pneumatic tires acts as a near constant rate spring because the decrease in the tire's volume as the tire compresses over a bump is minimal. "''Airless''" tires usually employ a type of foam or sponge like construction which consists of a large number of small air filled cells. As a result compression is localised within the tire and the effective spring rate rises sharply as the tire compresses. The result is a tire which is less forgiving, particularly with regards to sharp transient bumps and provides poor ride and handling characteristics. The "''steering feel''" of such tires is also different from that of pneumatic tires, as their solidity does not allow the amount of torsion that exists in the carcass of a pneumatic tire under [[steering]] forces, and the resultant sensory feedback through the steering apparatus; as a result they feel as if they are pivoting on bearings at the contact point. They are more popular for bicycles than for [[automobile]]s, which have tires which are much more robust and immune to puncture.

The common motor vehicle tire is mounted around a steel or aluminum alloy [[wheel]] at service stations or repair shops for vehicles using a special tire mounting apparatus while the wheel is off the vehicle. After mounting, the tire is inflated (pressurized) with air through the valve stem to manufacturer's specified pressure, which is more than atmospheric pressure. The [[wheel]] and tire assembly are then attached to the vehicle through a number of holes in the wheel using '''lug nuts'''. Because tires are often not made with perfectly even mass all around the tire, a special '''tire-balancing''' apparatus at a repair shop spins the wheel with the tire to determine where small weights should be attached to the outer edge of the rim to balance out the wheel. Such tire balancing with these kind of weights avoids vibration when the vehicle is driven at higher speeds.

With the introduction of radial tires, however, it was found that some vibrations could not be cured by adding balance weights. This was because the structure and manufacture of a radial tire lends itself to the problems of variation in stiffnes around the tire. These variations are measured as ''Radial Force Variation'' and ''Lateral Force Variation'', which are measured on a ''Force Variation Machine'' at the end of the manufacturing process. Tires outside the specified limits for RFV and LFV are rejected.
This is known in general throughout the industry as "''Tire Uniformity''."

===[[Automobile]] and [[Trucks|truck]] tires===
[[Automobile]] tires have numerous rating systems.

New automotive tires now also have ratings for traction, treadwear, and temperature resistance (collectively known as [http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48 UTQG] ratings); as well as speed and load [http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35 ratings].

Some tread designs are unidirectional and the tire has a rotation direction indicated by an arrow showing which way the tire should rotate when the vehicle is moving forwards. It is important not to put a 'clockwise' tire on the left hand side of the car or a 'counter-clockwise' tire on the right side. [[Tire rotation]] moves tires between the different wheels of the vehicle as front and back [[axle]]s carry different loads and thus the tires wear differently.

'''Tire tread gauges''' are small rulers designed to be inserted into tire treads to measure the remaining tread depth. Local legislation may specify minimum tread depths, typically between 1/8" (3.2 mm) and 1/32" (0.8 mm). '''Wearbars''' may be designed into the tire tread to indicate when it is time to replace the tire. Essentially, part of the tire tread is shallower than the rest and will show when the tire is worn down to that level.

There is currently an attempt to reinforce the tire with nanomaterial. This is likely to increase the tire life, but may turn out to be a bad idea if the worn out part of nanocarbon deposited on the roads is washed off and ends up in the food chain.

====Types of [[automobile]] tires====
* Performance (and racing) tires
** Performance tires tend to be designed for use at higher speeds. They often have a softer rubber compound for improved traction, especially on high speed cornering. The trade off of this softer rubber is a lower treadwear rating.
** Performance street tires sometimes sacrifice wet weather handling by having shallower water channels to provide more actual rubber treat surface area for dry weather performance; the ability to provide both high levels of performance on both wet and dry pavement varies widely between manufacturer and even tire models of the same manufacturer, and is a highly active area for research and development, as well as marketing.
** The ultimate variant of performance tire has no tread pattern at all and is called a slick tire. Slick tires are not legal for use on public roads in most jurisdictions due to their extremely poor wet weather characteristics, but cheater slicks which circumvent the literal wording of the law, if not the intent, are available.
** R compound tires, similar to cheater slicks, are technically approved by the DOT as street legal, but are in fact designed for racing, with minimal tread and ultrasoft rubber. They can typically be distinguished by very low treadwear rating.
** The highest performance tires actually designed to be driven on the street are often called summer or three-season tires, since they are optimized for ultimate warm weather wet and dry performance at the expense of snow and ice traction; they therefore must be replaced with winter or all-season tires, if the vehicle is to be driven much in the winter.
[[Image:Bicycle_winter_tire.jpg|thumb|right|Bicycle winter tire.]]
* Winter (snow and ice) tires
** Winter tires are designed to provide improved performance under winter conditions compared to tires made for use in summer. The rubber compound used in the tread of the tire is usually softer than that used in tires for summer conditions, so providing better grip on ice and snow, but wearing more quickly at higher temperatures. Winter tires often have fine grooves and siping in the tread patterns that are designed to grip any unevenness on ice. Winter tires are usually removed for storage in the spring, because the rubber compound becomes too soft in warm weather resulting in a reduced tire life.
** According to [[California Vehicle Code]] Section 558, "A 'Snow-tread tire' is a tire which has a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern".
** Dedicated winter tires will bear the "Mountain/Snowflake Pictograph" if designated as a winter/snow tire by the American Society for Testing & Materials. Winter tires will typically also carry the designation MS, M/S, M+S, M&S, or the words MUD AND SNOW (but see All-season tires, below)
** Many winter tires are designed to be studded for additional traction on icy roads. The studs also roughen the ice, so providing better friction between the ice and the soft rubber in winter tires. Use of studs is regulated in most countries, and even prohibited in some countries due to the increased road wear caused by studs.
** Other winter tires rely on factors other than studding for traction on ice, ''e.g.'' highly porous or hydrophilic rubber which adheres to the wet film on the ice surface.
**Some jurisdictions may from time to time require snow tires or traction aids (''e.g.'' tire chains) on vehicles driven in certain areas during extreme conditions.
* All-season tires
** These are an attempt to make a tire that will be a compromise between a tire developed for use on dry and wet roads during summer, and a tire developed for use under winter conditions, when there is snow and ice on the road. However, the type of rubber and the tread pattern best suited for use under summer conditions cannot, for technical reasons, give good performance on snow and ice. The all-season tire is therefore a compromise, and is neither an excellent summer tire, nor an excellent winter tire. They have, however, become almost ubiquitous as original and replacement equipment on automobiles marketed in the United States, due to their convenience and their adequate performance in most situations.
** All-Season tires are also marked for mud and snow (''e.g.'' M+S, M&S, etc.) the same as winter tires. However, due to the compromise with performance during summer, winter performance is usually not comparable with a winter tire.
* [[Run flat tires]]
* [[All-terrain tyre|All-terrain tires]]
** All-terrain tires are typically used on [[SUVs]] and light [[trucks]]. These tires often have stiffer sidewalls for greater resistance against puncture when traveling off-road, the tread pattern offers wider spacing than all-season tires to evacuate mud from the tread.
** Within the all-terrain category, many of the tires available are designed primarily for on-road use, particularly all-terrain tires that are originally sold with the vehicle.
* [[Mud-terrain tyre|Mud tires]]
** Mud terrain tires are characterized by large, chunky tread patterns designed to bite into muddy surfaces and provide grip. The large open design also allows mud to clear more quickly from between the lugs.
** Mud terrain tires also tend to be wider than other tires, to spread the weight of the vehicle over a greater contact patch to prevent the vehicle from sinking too deep into the mud.
** Depending on the composition and tread pattern, many mud terrain tires are not well suited to on-road use. They can be noisy at highway speeds, and due to the open tread design, they have less of a contact area with the road, limiting traction. The large lugs on mud tires tend to tear and chip on roads, because they are made from hard rubber compounds that do not bend easily.
** Mud tires are also marked for mud and snow (''e.g.'' M+S, M&S, etc.) the same as winter tires.

===Railway tires===
[[Image:Train_tire.jpg|thumb|300px|Steel tire on a steam locomotive's driving wheel is heated with gas flames to expand and loosen it so it may be removed and replaced.]]

The steel wheels of railway cars are fitted with tires which are themselves usually made of steel.

(Some trains, mostly certain types of metros and people movers, have rubber tires, including some lines of the Paris Métro, the Mexico City Metro, the Caracas Metro, the Montreal Metro, and the Santiago Metro).

As efficient as the rolling of a steel wheel on a steel rail is, wear still takes place - on acceleration, on braking, and on cornering. As well as the simple wearing away of the wheel surface, a wheel that wears begins to deviate from the correct profile. The shape of a train wheel is designed and specified precisely for the best possible riding and cornering characteristics, and too much wear can alter that. Wear can also take place unevenly if wheels lock up under heavy braking, causing flat spots.

Another different form of damage to a train's wheels takes place if violent wheelslip occurs. The friction so caused can heat the wheel (and rail) enough to cause permanent heat damage.

Replacing a whole wheel because of a worn contact surface proves expensive, so the concept of fitting steel tires to train wheels came about. The tire is a hoop of steel that is fitted around the steel or iron wheel. No obvious form of fastening is generally used to attach it. As with wagon wheels, the tire is held by an interference fit - it is made slightly smaller than the wheel on which it is supposed to fit. To fit a tire, it is heated up until it is glowing hot. Railroad workshops generally have special equipment to do so. As the tire heats, it expands, making it big enough to fit around the wheel. After placing it on the wheel, the tire is cooled, and it shrink fits onto the wheel. When cold, friction between the tire and the wheel is such that the tire will not budge even under quite extreme forces.

Removing a tire is done in reverse - the tire is heated while on the wheel until it loosens.

Tires are reasonably thick, up to about an inch thick or more, giving plenty of room to wear. If a tire wears out of shape, or gets flat-spotted, but has a reasonable amount of metal left, it can be turned on a wheel lathe to refinish it, reshaping it to the correct profile.

== Tire manufacturing & maintenance==
See: [[Tire manufacturing]].

===Some tire manufacturing companies ===
*[[Bridgestone]]
**[[Firestone]]
*[[Continental AG|Continental]]
*[[Cooper Tire & Rubber Company|Cooper]]
*[[Dunlop Tires|Dunlop]]
*[[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]]
*[[Kelly Springfield Tire and Rubber Company]]
*[[Kumho]]
*[[Michelin]]
*[[MRF Tyres]]
**[[Goodrich Corporation|B.F. Goodrich]]
**[[Uniroyal]]
**[[Pirelli]]
*[[Nokian Tyres]]
*[[Toyo Tire & Rubber Company|Toyo]]
*[[Yokohama Rubber Company|Yokohama]]

=== Maintenance of [[automobile]] tires ===
Friction from moving contact with the road causes the tread on the outer perimeter of the tire to eventually wear away. When the tire tread becomes too shallow, the tire is considered worn out and should be replaced. The same tire rims can usually be used throughout the lifetime of the car. Uneven or accelerated tire wear can be caused by bad wheel alignment. More wear on a tire facing the outside or the inside of a car is often a sign of bad wheel alignment. When the tread is worn away completely and especially when the wear on the outer rubber exposes the reinforcing threads inside them, the tire is said to be ''bald''. A bald tire should be replaced as soon as possible. Sometimes tires with worn tread are ''recapped'', i. e. a new layer of rubber with grooves is bonded onto the outer perimeter of a worn tire. Because this bonding may occasionally come loose on the tire, new tires are superior to recapped tires.

Sometimes a pneumatic tire gets a hole or a leak through which the air inside leaks out resulting in a '''flat tire''', a condition which must be fixed before the car can be driven further safely. A leak may be slow in a few cases, such as is sometimes observed when the seal between the rim and tire edge is not perfect. Many leaks in flat tires, though, are caused by nails, screws, caltrops, broken glass or other sharp objects puncturing the rubber tire wall. If the hole is small and not elongated, the tire can often be repaired by using plugs from a tire repair kit. A leak in a tire can often be found by submerging the tire, pressurized with air, under water to see where air bubbles come out. If submerging a tire underwater is not possible, the leak can be searched for by covering the pressurized tire surface with a soapy solution to see where leaking air forms soap bubbles. A puncturing object, such as a nail or a screw, can be pulled out using pliers. Then a plug coated with a semi-liquid form of rubber can be inserted into the hole with a special tool. The rubber covering the plug solidifies rather quickly, after which the protruding ends of the plug can be cut off, the tire can be refilled with air to the appropriate pressure, and the repaired wheel replaced on the vehicle. Patches covering a hole have been glued or rubber-cemented to the interior surface of a tire also, particularly if a hole is too elongated for a simple plug. Tire repair with such patches requires the tire to be taken off the rim and then remounted after the patch is applied. Sometimes a more serious rupture of the tire material occurs resulting in a ''blowout''. The damaged tire typically must be replaced after that. A leaking valve stem may occasionally be the cause of a leak, necessitating valve stem replacement. This replacement means the tire will have to be taken off the rim and remounted after the valve replacement. Occasionally, other types of damage require replacement of a tire.

Vehicles typically carry a '''spare tire''', already mounted on a rim, to be used in case a flat tire or blowout occurs. These days, most spare tires (sometimes called "doughnuts") for cars are smaller than normal tires (to save on trunk space, gas mileage, and cost) and should not be driven very far before replacement with a full-size tire. Years ago, full-size or conventional spare tires were used. A few modern vehicle models may use conventional spare tires also. Jacks and tire irons for emergency replacement of a flat tire with a spare tire are included when buying a new car. Not included, but sometimes available separately, are hand or foot pumps for filling a tire with air by the vehicle owner. Cans of pressurized "gas" can sometimes be bought separately for convenient emergency refill of a tire.

Alternatively, many modern cars and trucks are equipped with [[run flat tires]] that may be driven with a puncture - or perhaps are even self-repairing for moderate sized holes.

Front tires, especially on front wheel drive vehicles, have a tendency to wear out more quickly than rear tires. Routine maintenance including [[tire rotation]], exchanging the front and rear tires with each other, is often done periodically to even out tire wear. There are simple hand-held [[tire-pressure gauge]]s which can be temporarily attached to the valve stem to check a tire's interior air pressure. Because of slow leaks or changes in weather or other conditions, tire pressure may occasionally have to be adjusted, usually by refilling through the valve stem with some pressurized air which is often available at service stations.

==Other use and recycling==
Used tires, with too much wear to be safe on vehicles or unrepairable punctures, are among the largest and most problematic sources of waste, due to the large volume produced and their durability. Municipal trash haulers will usually not accept them. Most heavily populated areas contain specific dumps where huge piles of literally millions of discarded tires are kept, often in a constant state of legal antagonism with the municipal authorities. Although tires themselves are not considered hazardous waste, these dumps sometimes catch fire and may burn for months before they can finally be extinguished, creating enormous volumes of toxic air pollution, oil, and heavy metals. Some such fires have become Superfund cleanup sites.

Ironically, those same characteristics which make waste tires such a problem also make them one of the most re-used waste materials, as the rubber is very resilient and can be resued in other products; it also yields much energy when burned under controlled conditions.

Retreadded or recapped tires used to be very common, particularly in the trucking industry; the rubber tread of a tire would wear off long before the carcass, consisting of the fabric plies, sidewalls, and beads, was no longer usable, and therefore good carcasses were simply overlaid with another tread and returned to service. Since the tread is attached in the same way as with a new carcass, such a tire is as reliable as a new one; in fact usually more so, since each individual used carcass is inspected, which is not the case when constructing new tires. With the advances in tire technology leading to longer tread life and the changes in the relative economics of raw materials and labor, this is no longer economically advantageous for automobile tires.

While salvaged tires make cheap toys which can be used variously for pets, animals in captivity or human children, ''e.g.'' the ubiquitous "tire swing", they can also be deliberately torn apart to re-use the rubber.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, every year Americans discard approximately 290 million automobile and truck used tires. Since 1989, when only 10 percent of scrap tires were recycled or reused, the United States significantly increased its tire reclamation efforts to slightly more than 80 percent. In 2003, tire reclamation looked like this:
* 130 million were used as fuel
* 56 million were recycled or used in civil engineering projects
* 27.5 million were recycled into other products or projects; for example, rubber lumber, stall mats for horses, roof pads, sports mats, shower tiles, truck bed mats, and commercial flooring
* 12 million were ground up and used in rubber-modified asphalt for roads and athletic tracks
* 9 million were sent to other countries, where they are used to make retreads
In addition to the 290 million scrap tires, 16.5 million used tires in the US are given new temporary life as retreads.

Because of safety issues, new tires must be manufactured primarily from virgin rubber, however, with recycled rubber making up only 5 to 15 percent of the finished product.

Furthermore tire strips are used as a severe instrument for punitive flagellation, which leaves dark bruises.

Mulches made from old tires have become available on the market for individual or industrial agricultural or horticultural use, either as loose pieces mimicking shredded wood, or in sheets of such pieces loosely adhered, for use as walkways, edging, tree rings, stepping stones. Both types of product are also marketed as excellent ground material for playgrounds, being longer lasting and more forgiving that the usual materials used, ''e.g.'' sand, gravel, or shredded wood or bark. Although the materials are extremely resistant to environmental breakdown and essentially last forever, the possibility of whether toxic agents, especially heavy metals, do leach out and possibly contaminate soil, particularly where food crops are grown, is currently under investigation.

==Photos==
<gallery>
Image:107975706c3761 02 runflat.jpg|Run-Flat Tire
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Slick tire]]
* [[All-terrain tyre|All-terrain tire]]
* [[Mud-terrain tyre|Mud-terrain tire]]
* [[Run-flat tire]]
* [[Whitewall tire]]
* [[Tweel]], a similar technology to the Run-flat tire but created by the [[Michelin]] corporation and a different design.
* [[DUKW]] "The DUKW was the first vehicle which allowed the driver to inflate and deflate the tires from inside the cab, fully inflated for hard surfaces like roads and less inflated for softer surfaces - especially beach sand."
* [[Tire load sensitivity]]
* [[Wheel]]
** [[Custom wheels]]
** [[Magnetic levitation]]

==Sources and References - External Links==
*[http://www.tiresociety.org/ The Tire Society]
*[http://dmoz.org/Shopping/Vehicles/Parts_and_Accessories/Wheels_and_Tires/ DMOZ Wheels and Tires]
*[http://www.rma.org/scrap_tires/scrap_tire_markets/scrap_tire_characteristics/ Rubber Manufacturers Association tire composition]
*[http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/used-tires.htm Used Tires: Reuse, Recycle, Retread]
*[http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html The Wheel and Tyre Bible]
*[http://www.mearns.org.uk/stonehaven/thomson.htm Robert William Thomson - Pneumatic Tire Inventor]
*[http://www.stausaonline.com/tire-manufacturing/process.html Bias Ply Tire Manufacturing Process]
*[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/chcontrl.htm Caltrans' Tire Chain Policies]
*[http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/tires/ Management of Scrap Tires]
*[http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tirecalc.php Tire Size Calculator]

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