ITC Recommends Imposing Tariffs on Chinese Tires:

ITC Recommends Imposing Tariffs on Chinese Tires
Yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously voted to recommend that President Barack Obama impose tariffs on Chinese imports for a period of three years.
Yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously voted to recommend that President Barack Obama impose tariffs on Chinese imports for a period of three years to redress the unfair trade practices that Chinese manufacturers have used to severely hurt the U.S. industry.
Earlier this month, the ITC ruled that the import of Chinese tires is adversely affecting the domestic industry, after a complaint was filed by the United Steelworkers Union.
The USW complaint alleged that China, through currency manipulation, illegal subsidies and other illegal trade practices, has damaged the domestic tire industry by dumping vast amounts of low-priced tires into the American market.
According to the USW, from 2004 to 2008, Chinese tire imports increased 215 percent by volume and 295 percent by value. Over that same time, domestic production has fallen 25 percent.
By 2008, Chinese tire manufacturers imported 46 million tires worth approximately $1.7 billion.

Nitrogen Inflation

Nitrogen Inflation - Few facts:

Nitrogen has become a bit of a trendy issue — and a way to generate some extra income in certain quarters. I'm not saying there are no benefits — but they are minimal and outweighed by the cost.

Compressed air, which has worked perfectly well for more than a century, is made up of 78 per cent nitrogen, 21 per cent oxygen and a trace amount of other gases — notice that it is already almost 80 per cent nitrogen.

In some cases — most in fact — moisture in the form of water vapour is also present.

Proponents of nitrogen say it eliminates the moisture and that, because nitrogen molecules are bigger than oxygen molecules, which escape over time through the sidewall, nitrogen-filled tires will maintain their pressure longer.

Nitrogen proponents like to wave the safety flag, saying that because tires retain their pressure longer they are safer. They claim longer wear because a tire low on pressure wears prematurely.

They will now also jump on the "save fuel" bandwagon for the same reason — a properly inflated tire will help fuel mileage.

No argument from me on any of these points, but if you check your tires regularly — even once a month — you'll catch any loss of pressure and refill, for nothing.

Tire manufacturers say that while nitrogen will do no harm, they don't see any need to use it.

Consumer Reports magazine, after a year-long evaluation of 31 different all-season tires, reports that nitrogen reduced the loss in pressure an average of 1.3 psi during the 12 months in comparison with compressed air.

"All tires lost air pressure, regardless of the inflation medium, so consumers should check their tire's pressure routinely," it says.

Nitrogen is used in the aircraft industry because of the severe and instantaneous changes in temperature a tire undergoes when coming from the extreme cold at 35,000 feet to hundreds of degrees when it screeches to a stop on the runway.

Race teams use nitrogen in tires because they commonly monitor and change pressure in units of less than 0.5 psi to change handling — and replace the tires after only a few hundred kilometres, at the most.

Good news for Indian Tyre Industry:

Anticipating new truck and bus launches, most of which will be fitted with radial tyres, manufacturers in India are starting to install capacity to meet the demand.
According to Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA), an estimated Rs2,615 crore will be invested by 2011, which will cumulatively create an extra capacity of 3.77 million truck and bus radials. The expansion comes at a time when the recovery in sales of truck and bus is only just beginning to pick up.
Sales of such commercial vehicles had shrunk by 22% to 384,122 units in the fiscal ended March, compared with the previous fiscal.

Michelin is OE Tyres Partner for All Honda’s in India:

Michelin tyres have been chosen as the original equipment (O/E) partner for the newly launched Honda Jazz in India.
The selection of the Michelin 175/65 R15 84T Energy XM1 tyres means that the tyres manufacturer has become the O/E partner for all models of Honda produced in India.

Negetive things about Run Flat Tyres(RFT)?

Any new technology will have negatives and RFT is no longer an exception.

See below what I have for you. I have got this from internet.

• They are difficult to find on the replacement market. Few dealers stock them•
• They are expensive.
• “Most models” cannot be repaired.
• They ride rough.
• They tend to generate pattern noise as they wear.
• “Long tread wear does not seem to be a characteristic of these tires.”
• The special mounting/demounting equipment may not be found at all tire shops.

Advantages are many which all of us know !!

Cheers !!

Tire Care Tips - Continuation to the earlier one

• 1. Get Pressure Right - Low tire pressure decreases fuel economy. Tires may lose up to 1 pound per square inch (psi) per month. The specific inflation pressure number can be found on the vehicle placard located on the driver's side doorpost, glove box door, fuel door or in the owner's manual. For accurate pressure, check tires when cool and don't forget the spare. Custom tires and wheels may change standard air pressure requirements, so if you customize have a pro check them out before you go.
• 2. Don't Overload Vehicle - Overloading decreases fuel economy due to increased wind drag and cargo weight. Handing, control and braking are also negatively impacted.
• 3. Rotate Before You Go - Regular rotation helps achieve uniform tire wear and improve road performance. Tires rotated every 6,000 - 8,000 miles have longer life and help maximize your tire investment. It makes sense to get a tire inspection when you rotate.
• 4. Straighten Up - Proper tire alignment provides safe, predictable vehicle control as well as a ride that is smooth, comfortable and free of pulling or vibration. Proper alignment helps tires wear evenly and last longer.
• 5. Bald Isn't Beautiful - Lack of tread affects the tire's ability to grip the road. Make sure tires don't have uneven wear, high or low areas or unusually smooth areas that can increase the risk of road accidents.

Tyre Maintenance Tips

I have got some important information on tyre maintenance tips while surfing on the net.

See them below.

1. Practice changing the tyres in your own drive or near your house as you will feel more comfortable as opposed to having to do it on a cold wintry night on your own.2. Even if you check the tyres everyday before you set off on a journey, you never know what you’ll come across on the road that could puncture the tyres so always be prepared and know how to change your car tyres.3. Try and check the tyres once a week to ensure that the tread depth meets the legal minimum requirement of 1.6mm.4. Ensure that your car tyres are correctly inflated by investing in a digital tyre pressure gauge. You can also use the one in your local petrol station.5. Make sure you check your cars handbook to know what pressure to pump your tyres to.
Other things to note about your tyres include:1. Make sure there are no cuts or holes in your tyre as this could prove quite dangerous when driving. Your car could potentially swerve to one side and you could potentially lose control of your vehicle.2. Also, it is always better to check the tyre pressures and the general appearance of the tyre to make sure they meet the legal requirements.3. This is an important check because if they don’t meet the legal requirements then you could potentially face a fine of up to £2500 plus 3 penalty points per tyre (yes it is per tyre), so if you want to keep your driving license, then make sure you look after your tyres.