FAQs
How to read the date of production of a tire?
Every tyre has a batch number stamped on the sidewall along the bead area of the tyre as seen in the below image. The first 2 digits (35) indicate the week of production and the last 2 digits indicate the year of production. This means that the subject tyre is manufactured in the 35 week of 2007.
What does the price of a tire include?
Prices on website includes Installation, Balancing and Disposal of your old TYRES and VAT.
How long would it take to get my tires installed?
In most cases the installation can be arranged on the same day. However, to help you to plan better we have the option on the website for you to indicate your preferred date and time. The same will be reconfirmed by one of our customer support staff.
Can I install my tires today?
Yes!.
While our installer calendar shows a lag of one day for available appointments, most of the installations do happen on the same day.
Delay in installation is a function fo the Installer and the tires you select. For e.g if the product you have chosen is available in our Riyadh warehouse and you have also chosen an installer location in Riyadh, chances are that we will be able to help you install the same day. Otherwise installation will be the next day.
The best way to guarantee a same day installation is to identify the tire and installation option you want, and ask via chat facility on our main/home page.
What is wheel alignment, do I really need it?
Your vehicle requires wheel alignment only when your tyres have uneven wear or tracks to a side facing a problem. However, it is recommended that you get your vehicles wheel alignment checked at least once a year.
>Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these alignments is to maximize the tires life, fuel efficiency and ensure that the vehicle tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road.
Some of the symptoms of a vehicle that is out of alignment are,
Uneven or rapid tire wear
Wandering on a straight level road
Pulling or drifting away from a straight line
Spokes of the steering wheel off to one side while driving on a straight and level road.
Wheels of a car with loose or worn front end suspension parts cannot be aligned. The technician will first check for worn parts and inform you before beginning the alignment.
The best type of wheel alignment is a four wheel alignment. Many cars today have adjustable rear alignment settings, but even for cars without rear adjustments, a four wheel alignment can allow the technician to identify any rear tracking problems and compensate for them with adjustments to the front.
After the wheel alignment is done, you should drive the car on a straight and level road and check that the car goes straight the steering wheel is in the proper position with the spokes level. If you notice a problem, take the car back and have the technician drive it and fine-tune the alignment settings.
What is wheel balancing and why is it required?
Wheel Balancing allows the tires and wheels to spin without causing any vibrations. This is done by checking for any heavy spots on the wheel-tire combination and compensating for it by placing a measured lead weight on the opposite side of the wheel from where the heavy spot is. Out-of-balance tires will cause a car to vibrate at certain speeds, usually between 80 and 120 km/h. An off balance wheel shows the following symptoms,
Vibration in the steering wheel at certain highway speeds
Vibration in the seat or floorboard at certain highway speeds
Even a 10 or 20 grams imbalance on a front wheel is enough to cause a noticeable vibration in the steering wheel at about 100Km/h. Many people are pleasantly surprised at how smooth their car drives after balancing all four wheels. Sometimes when you hit a pothole while driving, the lead weight affixed to the wheel falls off, which will result in an unbalanced wheel.
Glossary of Tire related Terms
Alignment
Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these alignments is to maximize the tyres life, fuel efficiency and ensure that the vehicle tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road. Severe impacts (hitting potholes or curbs) and worn suspension parts are the leading causes of misalignment.
All Season Tires
Tires are designed to provide good traction in a wide variety of road conditions, including wet, dry and mud and snow. This design also limits the tire’s performance in extreme conditions, or when compared to tires built for a particular category.
Aspect Ratio
A term that describes a tire’s height-to-width proportion. If a tire’s sidewall height were 65% of its width, its aspect ratio would be 65. In the tire size expressed as 205/65-15, the number 65 is the aspect ratio.
Balance
The state in which a tire and wheel assembly spins with all its weight is distributed equally. Wheel Balancing allows the tires and wheels to spin without causing any vibrations. This is done by checking for any heavy spots on the wheel-tire combination and compensating for it by placing a measured lead weight on the opposite side of the wheel from where the heavy spot is.
Bar
This is a unit of measurement for air pressure within tires.
Bead
A round hoop of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by steel cords, is placed at the very inside of the tire’s diameter.
Bias Ply Tyre
A tire manufactured such that the plies are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. These criss-cross plies give the tire its strength, but generate heat during operation and limit the tire’s wear and performance.
Carcass
The tire body beneath the tread and sidewalls; also called the casing.
Contact Patch
The portion of the tread that is touching the road during operation.
Cord
The strands of material forming the plies or layers of tire. Cords may be made from fiberglass, rayon, nylon, polyester or steel.
DOT Markings
Each tire has a required Department of Transportation number imprinted on at least one of its sidewalls. That number begins with the letters “DOT” and may contain up to 12 additional numbers and letters. The first and last digits are the most important for the tire owner. The first two letters/numbers identify the manufacturer of the tires. The first two digits represent the week of production and the last two digits represent the last two digits of the year of production. So, 5114 as the last four numbers indicates that the tire was produced in the 51st week of the year 2014.
Footprint
The full portion of the tire that makes contact with the surface of the road.
Friction
The resistance of the tire tread as it moves on the road; this is the force that causes the tire to grip to the road.
Groove
The space between two adjacent tread ribs; also called tread grooves.
Hydroplaning
A skimming effect caused by tires losing contact with a surface covered by water. This results in loss of grip
Load Index
An assigned number ranging from 0 to 279 that corresponds to the load carrying capacity of the tire.
M+S, M/S or M & S
Indicates that a tire can reach particular standards for performance in mud and snow conditions.
Max. Inflation Pressure
The maximum air pressure to which a cold tire may be inflated; found stamped onto the tire’s sidewall.
OE and OEM
OE means “Original Equipment” and refers to the tires included with a new vehicle at the time of purchase. The vehicle’s manufacturer selects these tires to provide the optimal performance based on the performance characteristics of the vehicle. “OEM” stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer.”
Overall Diameter
The diameter of an inflated tire without any load.
Overall Width
The distance between a tire’s outside sidewalls, including lettering and designs.
P Metric
Uniform designation of tire sizes in metric measurements originally introduced by American tire manufacturers in 1977. Commonly called “P-metric series.” A typical P-metric tire size is P215/70R-15.
Placard
A small label typically located on the edge of the driver’s door or inside the glove compartment of a vehicle. A placard contains information on the vehicle such as the manufacturer’s recommended tyre inflation pressure.
Plus-Sizing
A practice allowing drivers to customize the appearance and performance of their vehicle by mounting lower profile tires on larger diameter wheels. One-inch greater wheel diameter is referred to as plus-one, two inches is plus-two… and so on. Using a lower profile tire with a greater diameter rim allows the overall diameter to remain about the same.
Ply
A rubber-coated layer of fabric containing cords that run parallel to each other; extends from bead to bead and goes between the inner-liner and belts of tread.
Ply Rating
This indicates the load carrying capacity of the tire in terms of its construction. A “C” indicates the tire has a 6-ply load carrying capacity. The tire is not actually built with 6 plies, but contains one or two plies of equivalent strength. A “D” is an 8-ply rating, and an “E” is a 10-ply rating. If there is no letter, the tire has a standard 4-ply rating.
PSI
Pounds per Square Inch. This is the standard unit of measurement for air pressure within tires.
Radial Ply
Tyre construction where the cords in the body run at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread.
Rim Width
Distance between the two opposite inside edges of the rim flanges.
Rolling Resistance
The force required to keep a tire moving at a constant speed. The lower the rolling resistance, the less energy needed to keep a tire moving.
Rotation
Moving tires from side to side or front to rear on a vehicle in a prescribed pattern to achieve uniform wear on all tires. Rotations should be performed regularly every 10,000 KMS
Shoulder
The part of a tire where the sidewall and tread meet. Certain tire design features shoulder blocks for better traction.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the bead.
Size
An expression that defines a particular tire in terms of its width, height, rim diameter, aspect ratio and construction type. 225/50-R17 expresses tire size using the metric system.
Speed Rating
Speed rating represents the maximum speed your tyre is capable of maintaining. It is always represented by a letter. Take a 195/65R15 87S tire- The Speed rating here is represents by the Letter S which translates to the tire’s ability to maintain speeds of up to 180 km/h.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
TPMS is an automated system that monitors the air pressure in a vehicle’s tires. When air pressure in one or more tires drops 25 percent or more below the correct pressure, a warning alerts the driver.
Traction
The friction between a tire and the road surface; the amount of grip provided.
Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact with the road. The tread type is distinguished by the design of its ribs and grooves
Tread Depth
The distance measured in the major tread groove nearest the centerline of the tyre from the base of the groove to the top of the tread.
Treadwear Indicator
Narrow bands, sometimes called “wear bars”, that appear across the tread when 2/32″ of tread remains.
Tread Width
The width of a tire’s tread.
UTQG (Uniform Tyre Quality Grading)
A tire information system that provides consumers with ratings for a tire’s traction (AA to C) and temperature (A to C)
Valve
A device mounted in the wheel that lets air in or out of the tire. Valves include caps to keep out dirt and moisture and a valve to prevent air from escaping.
What does UTQG mean?
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQG) rates tires on their treadwear, traction performance, and temperature resistance. All tires sold in the KSA must carry a smart RFID tag affixed to them which also displays these characteristics. These are also found on the sidewall of most passenger tires, with the exception of winter and light truck tires.
What does Treadwear grade represent?
Treadwear grade indicates how long your tires tread will last in relation to other tires. For instance, a tire with a grade of 300 will last twice as long as a tire with a grade of 150. However, actual tire performance can differ greatly for many reasons, including driving style, climate, inflation pressure and weight vehicle is carrying.
What does the Traction grade mean?
The traction grade rates the ability of your tire to stop on wet pavement. Traction performance is given as AA, A, B or C, which you will find on the sidewall of your tire. Tires with an AA grade stop faster on wet pavement than those with a B or C grade. So AA is the highest rated while C is the lowest rates. The traction tests do not test tires for cornering, acceleration, driving at high speed or driving on dry roads and cover straight line braking only.
What do temperature grades mean?
Temperature grades are an indication of a tire’s resistance to heat. Sustained high temperature (for example, driving long distances in the hot Arabian weather), can cause a tire to deteriorate, leading to an increased chance of a blowout or tread separation.
From highest to lowest, a tire’s resistance to heat is graded as “A”, “B”, or “C”. As per Gulf Standards Organization and EMSA, The temperature grade of a vehicles tire sold in the Gulf region must be “A” or “B”.
Fuel Efficiency and Rolling resistance
Every tire has a batch number stamped on the sidewall along the bead area of the tire as seen in the below image. The first 2 digits (35) indicate the week of production and the last 2 digits indicate the year of production. This means that the subject tire is manufactured in the 35 week of 2007.
Exterior noise of a tyre
A tire’s exterior noise grading is expressed in decibels (dB). To help you make an informed decision, PowerTire.sa makes the exterior noise rating of every tire, where possible, available to you.
Choosing a tire with a good noise rating will minimize the impact of your driving on the surrounding environment. Increase of noise of just a few decibels makes a significant impact. The quietest tires have a decibel rating of 68 or below. The loudest tires would have noise levels of 72dB and above.
These grades are neither applicable nor available for professional off-road tires, temporary-use spare tires, studded tires, tires used only for racing, tires whose speed rating is less than 80 km/h and tires whose nominal diameter is smaller than 254 mm or bigger than 635 mm.
Braking performance and wet grip
The wet grip provides you with information on a key safety aspect of a tire: its grip on wet roads. Tires with excellent grip in the wet have shorter braking distances on wet roads.
To help you make an informed decision, PowerTire.sa makes the wet grip rating of every tire, where possible, available to you.
A tire’s wet grip capacity is expressed in grades from A to G, with A the highest wet grip performance. These are measured by braking in a car travelling at only 80 km/h. The difference in braking distances between each grade is roughly 3m – the average length of a car. This makes the difference between A and G, 18meters, which is 6 car lengths! This distance could be the difference between being in a road accident or not.
These grades are neither applicable nor available for professional off-road tires, temporary-use spare tires, studded tires, tyres used only for racing, tires whose speed rating is less than 80 km/h and tires whose nominal diameter is smaller than 254 mm or bigger than 635 mm.
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