Why do we not get the same tyre mileage we are accustomed to on our new vehicles?

In years gone it was not a rare occurrence for a vehicle to travel more than 50,000 km on a set of tyres, those were the same days when it was a normal practice for us to inflate our tyres at 2 bar all round. How times have changed and let’s not forget technological advancements, why then do we not see the same life span increase in tyres that we see in the development of the motor vehicles they are fitted to?

The answer could be described as an “oxymoron” if you will, a bitter-sweet victory for motoring! Vehicles have advanced technologically, and with this advancement came increased performance and a higher level of safety requirement for vehicles. Let us not forget changed driving habits, we simply do not drive the motor vehicles of today like the vehicles of ten years ago: vehicles accelerate faster, require shorted braking distances, all on a road infrastructure that does not receive the maintenance it should. So when the components that is responsible for keeping your vehicle on the road is expected to perform under these conditions, wear is inevitable, at the cost of life span. Especially when you expect your tyres to stop your vehicle safely in any given circumstance.

The laws of physics require that there be a slip if force is to be transmitted to the road, regardless of whether the force involved is circumferential, as in the case of acceleration and braking, or lateral, which occurs during cornering. Slip means that the vehicle’s speed is greater, or less than, the wheel’s circumferential speed, or the distance the vehicle covers is longer or shorter than the rolling circumference of the tyre. A greater degree of slip is evident on ramps in parking garages, next time you park your car, take notice of the amount of rubber found on these ramps. (This can be explained easier)
An increase in tread wear is related to the amount of slip. Twice as much slip translates into four times as much wear. In the case of gentle, brisk acceleration on a dry road surface, slip values of up to 2% are attained. Values as high as 20% are possible if the car is driven to its limit. Depending on a driver’s driving style, whether economical or high performance, comparable tyres can yield mileage of anywhere between 5,000 and 40,000 km.
Tyre maintenance also plays a crucial role in tyre life. Consider your vehicles engine, the manufacturer informs you that it needs to be serviced every 15,000 km’s; failure to do this will result in reduced engine life. The same principal applies to your tyres. Tyre maintenance would involve a pressure check at least once a month, wheel alignment every 10,000 to 15,000 km’s and tyre rotation depending on the drive axle of the vehicle and if the vehicle has mixed fitment.

So when your tyres are up for replacement again, try to remember how the vehicle was driven over the life of the tyres and what the road conditions are like on the roads most often travelled. And if you where almost involved in an accident, think past the braking system fitted to your vehicle and remember that the braking system would not have worked as effectively without the tyres fitted to the vehicle that the vehicle manufacturer tested to perform best with the overall safety package of the vehicle.