Category Archives for "tyre regulations"

Understanding Original Equipment (OE) Tyres in Australia

What Are OE Tyres?

Original Equipment (OE) tyres are tyres specifically developed and approved by vehicle manufacturers to be fitted to their vehicles from the factory. These tyres are engineered to complement a vehicle’s specific characteristics, including weight distribution, suspension setup, performance capabilities, and intended use. In Australia, as in other markets, OE tyres play a crucial role in ensuring vehicles perform as designed while maintaining safety standards and warranty compliance.

How OE Tyre Systems Work

When a vehicle manufacturer develops a new model, they work closely with tyre manufacturers to create tyres that optimize the vehicle’s performance, handling, fuel efficiency, and comfort. This collaboration results in tyres that carry special markings or codes on their sidewalls, indicating they have been approved for specific vehicle models.

The Development Process

The OE tyre development process typically involves:

1. Collaborative Design: Vehicle manufacturers share detailed specifications with tyre companies, including vehicle weight, power output, intended market, and performance targets.
2. Rigorous Testing: Tyres undergo extensive testing at the vehicle manufacturer’s proving grounds, covering thousands of kilometers under various conditions to ensure they meet specific performance criteria.
3. Fine-Tuning: Engineers adjust compound formulations, tread patterns, and construction to achieve the desired balance of grip, comfort, noise levels, and durability.
4. Certification: Once approved, tyres receive manufacturer-specific codes that are molded into the sidewall during production.

Benefits of Using OE-Approved Tyres

Australian drivers who choose OE-approved tyres for their vehicles can expect several advantages:

• Optimal Performance: Tyres are matched to the vehicle’s characteristics, ensuring the handling and performance the manufacturer intended
• Warranty Compliance: Many vehicle warranties require OE-approved tyres, particularly for high-performance vehicles
• Safety Assurance: Extensive testing ensures the tyres meet strict safety standards for the specific vehicle
• Resale Value: Maintaining OE specifications can help preserve vehicle value
• Insurance Considerations: Some insurers may require OE-approved tyres for certain vehicles

Vehicles That Commonly Use OE-Specific Tyres

While all vehicles technically have OE tyres fitted at the factory, certain categories place greater emphasis on OE-specific markings:

Luxury Vehicles

Brands like Mercedes-Benz (MO codes), BMW (star marking), Audi (AO codes), and Porsche (N-spec codes) frequently require specific OE tyres. These manufacturers have particularly stringent requirements for tyre performance that align with their vehicles’ capabilities.

High-Performance Sports Cars

Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Aston Martin, and Porsche sports cars use specially developed tyres with unique codes. These tyres are engineered to handle extreme performance demands while maintaining safety margins.

Electric Vehicles

Manufacturers like Tesla (T0, T1, T2), Mercedes EQ (MO-P), and other electric vehicle producers require tyres designed to handle the instant torque delivery and additional weight of EVs. Special “EV” or “ELECT” markings indicate suitability for electric vehicles.

Premium SUVs and 4WDs

Vehicles like Land Rover (LR codes), Bentley (B codes), and high-end SUVs from Mercedes, BMW, and Audi often specify particular OE tyres to handle the unique demands of heavier vehicles with luxury comfort expectations.

Understanding OE Codes: Complete Reference Table

The following comprehensive table lists OE codes found on tyres sold in Australia, organized by manufacturer and type:

Manufacturer-Specific Codes

Technology and Feature Codes

Ply Rating Reference

Ply Rating (PR) indicates the load capacity of the tyre and has no direct relationship to the actual number of plies:

• 4-PR: Light load capacity
• 6-PR: Standard light truck
• 8-PR: Medium load capacity
• 10-PR: Heavy load capacity
• 12-PR: Extra heavy load capacity
• 14-PR: Commercial heavy load
• 16-PR: Maximum commercial load

Choosing the Right OE Tyres in Australia

When replacing tyres on your vehicle in Australia, consider the following:

Check Your Vehicle’s Handbook

Your owner’s manual will specify which OE codes are approved for your vehicle. This is particularly important for high-performance and luxury vehicles.

Consult with Specialists

Reputable tyre dealers in Australia can access manufacturer databases to confirm which OE-coded tyres are suitable for your specific vehicle model and year.

Consider Your Driving Needs

While OE tyres are optimized for your vehicle, you might prioritize different characteristics (longer life, quieter ride, better wet grip) depending on your driving patterns and Australian conditions.

Climate Considerations

Australia’s diverse climate means drivers in northern Queensland face different conditions than those in Tasmania. Some OE tyres may be better suited to specific regional conditions.

Understand the Trade-offs

Non-OE tyres might offer advantages in certain areas (such as longer tread life or lower cost) but may not provide the exact handling characteristics the vehicle manufacturer intended.

Regulations and Standards in Australia

Australian tyre regulations are governed by the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), specifically ADR 23/01 for passenger cars and ADR 42/05 for light commercial vehicles. While these regulations don’t mandate OE-specific tyres for replacement purposes, they do require that replacement tyres meet certain minimum standards:

• Load capacity must equal or exceed the original specification
• Speed rating must equal or exceed the original specification (with some exceptions for winter tyres)
• Dimensions must be within acceptable tolerances

For certain high-performance vehicles, particularly those with speed capabilities exceeding 240 km/h, manufacturers may void warranties if non-OE approved tyres are fitted.

Conclusion

Understanding OE tyre codes helps Australian drivers make informed decisions when replacing tyres. While OE-approved tyres represent the manufacturer’s recommended choice, developed through extensive testing and engineering collaboration, drivers should weigh factors including cost, intended use, warranty considerations, and local driving conditions when making their selection. Consulting with qualified tyre professionals can help ensure you choose tyres that maintain your vehicle’s safety, performance, and compliance with Australian standards.

Whether you’re driving a performance sports car through the Adelaide Hills, a luxury SUV in Sydney traffic, or a family vehicle on Queensland’s highways, understanding OE tyre specifications ensures you can make choices that align with both your vehicle’s capabilities and your driving needs.

Cheers,

Brett

The 14 Reasons Why Your Heavy Vehicle Tyre Is Dangerous

Ensure Your Vehicle Is Safe and Legal on Australia’s Roads

The tyre inspection is one of the most important jobs that a driver, operator or inspector does. If your heavy vehicle’s tyres are below the required standard, you are putting yourself and other road users at risk. How do you know what the tyre standards are for heavy vehicles? Do your drivers know the 14 reasons to reject a tyre?

National Standards for Heavy Vehicle Tyres

Since February 2014, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has been Australia’s independent regulator for all vehicles over 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM). Its job is to ensure that heavy vehicles are safe and efficient on Australia’s road network. The regulations that it oversees include the standards laid out in the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual (NHVIM). It is in here that you will find the standards for heavy vehicle tyre checks.

Do Your Inspectors and Drivers Know the Heavy Vehicle Tyre Standards?

The NHVIM has been composed to provide a consistent approach to heavy vehicle standards across Australia. Its aim is to ensure compliance with standards, to improve safety, and to reduce vehicle downtime.

It wasn’t written by people with no experience, either. The regulator consulted with the industry and developed the NHVIM to provide inspectors and operators with standards that actually achieve what they set out to achieve.

For fleet managers, the NHVIM provides the criteria for heavy vehicle inspections. This includes all the reasons a heavy vehicle tyre should be rejected when inspected.

Here are all 14 of these reasons to reject a heavy vehicle tyre, with explanations where needed.

1.    Insufficient Tread

The law states that a tyre must have a minimum of 1.5mm of tread in a continuous band around the whole tyre. This tread depth must extend at least 75% of the width of the tyre.

Most tyres have tread wear indicators built into them, though these aren’t included when assessing a tyre’s tread depth around its circumference.

Good operators will replace heavy vehicle tyres sometime before they reach legal minimum tread depth.

2.    Tyres Don’t Match the Tyre Placard

Most vehicles have a tyre placard fitted to the door jamb. This shows the dimensions and air pressure levels that must be maintained. If there is no tyre placard, these details will be in the owner’s manual. A tyre that does not match these standards should be rejected.

3.    Tyre Damage

Deep cuts, bumps, bulges, exposed cords, chunking, and other signs of carcass failure.

4.    Regrooved Tyres

Only if it is stipulated on the sidewall of the tyre that it can be regrooved is regrooving permitted.

5.    Wider Than Mudguards

If the heavy vehicle tyre’s sidewall projects beyond the width of the mudguard when in the straight-ahead position.

6.    Non-Approved Modifications

If the tyre has been fitted with a non-OEM front wheel (i.e. rim and tyre) that has not been approved as a modification.

7.    Not Constructed for Unrestricted Road Use

8.    Illegal Retreads and Remoulds

Only tyres that are marked with ‘Retread’ or ‘Remould’ are capable of being retreaded or remoulded. The tyre should also be marked with its maximum speed (e.g. Speed Limited to 125 km/h).

9.    Illegal Speed Rating

The speed rating of all tyres must be no less than 100km/h or the vehicle’s top speed, whichever is the smaller. The exception to this is if the manufacturer has specified a lower speed rating.

10. Manufacturer’s Tyre Load Ratings Are Less Than the Vehicle’s Ratings

Any tyre fitted to a vehicle with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes is not suitable for road use if the tyre load ratings are less than the minimum ratings specified originally by the vehicle manufacturer.

11. Tyres Are in Contact

If dual tyres are fitted, there must be space between them. If they are touching, they must be removed and replaced.

12. A Tyre That Is in Contact with the Vehicle

If the tyre is in contact with any part of the vehicle – the body, chassis, braking, steering, frame, suspension – at any point of travel must be rejected.

13. A Tyre That Could Damage Roads

If cleats or other gripping devices could damage the road on which the vehicle is travelling.

14. Incompatible Tyres

A tyre that is not compatible to the rim to which it is fitted.

In Summary

When your drivers or maintenance staff check the tyres on heavy vehicles, it is essential that they check for all 14 reasons to reject a tyre. If you asked your drivers to write the list of 14 heavy vehicle tyre rejections now, do you think they could do so?

A simple tyre test will help your fleet’s vehicles to be safe and legal on Australia’s roads. When these tests show up heavy vehicle tyre frailties, contact Darra Tyres in Brisbane for the professional assistance you need.

Keeping your family and fleet safe on the road,

Dean Wood

How do you know how old your tyres are and if they need changing?

Is it time for new tyres?

I’ve had a question sent into us, asking “How do you know how old your tyres are?”

The questioner isn’t sure about the age of his tyres and is concerned in case they should be changed. There’s no real wear and tear on them – no bubbling, chipping, or other sidewall damages – nor are there any other signs that the tyres need changing, as we explain in our article “How do Australia’s drivers know they need new tyres?” However, the questioner knows that manufacturers recommend changing tyres every five years, regardless of wear – but he bought the car second-hand a couple of years ago, and isn’t sure how old the tyres are.

In this article, you’ll learn how to tell the age of your tyres. This one piece of knowledge could help save your life, and it could help you drive a better bargain when buying a second-hand vehicle – if the tyres need changing because of their age, you could negotiate a fair few dollars’ discounts.

Why should you buy new tyres every five years?

The older a tyre is, the less safe it is. This is irrespective of use or wear and tear. This rule also applies to your spare tyre. As tyres age, they become age-damaged – even in storage! Often, the damage caused by ageing will show as small cracks in the rubber, which is oxidised by the UV rays in the sun.

Tyres contain anti-ageing waxes which slow down the effect of ageing, but these are only released when the tyre is in motion. Thus, tyres stored poorly – and your spare – may age faster than the tyres on your wheels.

Ageing tyres are more likely to puncture or suffer a blow-out at speed. Older vehicles that have a low mileage are more likely to have prematurely aged tyres. If you are not sure about the condition of your tyres, please do get them checked by a professional. Just because they have plenty of tread left, they may not be safe for driving.

Manufacturers mostly recommend that you renew your tyres every five or six years if you haven’t done so sooner. This isn’t an exact science. Your tyre specialist will be able to tell you if they are good for another few months or more.

How do you tell the age of a tyre?

If you buy a used vehicle, the chances are that it won’t come with a set of new tyres. It’s also unlikely that the seller will know or remember when the existing tyres were purchased – and even then, it is the year of manufacture that’s important.

Fortunately, all tyres are marked with the month and year of manufacture. If you look around the sidewall, you’ll come across a four-digit number in an oval border. This tells you the week and year of manufacture. For example, if the number is 1116:

• The first two digits are the week (e.g. 11 means the 11^th week)
• The second two digits are the year (e.g. 16 mean 2016)
• Therefore, this tyre was manufactured in the 11^th week of 2016

Some tyres only have a three-digit number. These were made before 2000. They should be changed immediately.

If you are buying a used vehicle, always check the date of manufacture of the tyres. The older they are, the more likely they are to need replacing, and this is a bargaining chip in price negotiation.

Help your tyres last longer

Though they are a valuable investment in your safety and driving experience, whatever your vehicle, tyres are not a cheap purchase. The longer you can help them last, the more value you will get from every dollar you spend on new tyres. These five quick tips will help your tyres last longer:

1. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
2. If they are on stationary vehicles, move the vehicle backwards and forward every week to help prevent flat spots.
3. Avoid parking on or driving through grease, oil, petrol or diesel. Always clean them if this happens.
4. Don’t brake hard, especially into and through corners.
5. Keep them inflated to the correct pressure, and avoid ‘kerbing’.

In summary

Aged tyres are more at risk of failure, and it is recommended that you change them every five to six years. You’ll find the year of manufacture of your tyre embossed as a four-digit number on the tyre’s sidewall. If your tyre is approaching five years old, take it to your nearest tyre specialist to have it checked. A five-minute check could save your life.

If you live in Brisbane, don’t hesitate to call into Darra Tyres. We’re here to answer your questions and keep you safe.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

Read this warning before you go large on new tyres

New tyre tips to stay legal when you modify your vehicle

In my last article, “Should you check your speedo when you fit new tyres?”, I explained how fitting the wrong-sized new tyres on your vehicle could lead you to break the speed limit even though your speedometer tells you otherwise. This isn’t the only problem you may have if you want to supersize your tyres.

Why you might want larger tyres

If you want extra power, there are many things you can do to your vehicle. You might decide to refit the engine and have it tuned especially for the job your vehicle needs to do. You might fit a supercharger, upgrade the suspension, or replace the turbo.

None of these upgrades will help your vehicles grip on the road. All the power in the world will add up to nothing if you can’t get traction. So, naturally, you’ll look to new tyres. Bigger is better, right? Especially when it comes to grip on the road. A tyre with a wider diameter will give you that grip. It could also void your insurance.

Stay legal with larger tyres

Whatever new tyres you have fitted, they must comply with the law. If you are modifying your vehicle in any way, you must do so in line with the National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification (NCOP) Vehicle Standards. Regarding new tyres, this code is clear that:

• New tyres fitted to 4WD passenger vehicles must not be more than 50mm wider in diameter than the tyre size designated by the vehicle’s manufacturer
• New tyres fitted to off-road passenger vehicles must not be more than 50% wider than the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended widest tyre

You’ll find the manufacturer’s recommendations on the tyre placard on the door jamb, or in the owner’s manual.

Whatever modification you make, you must also ensure that no part of the wheel or tyre touches:

• Any part of the body of the vehicle
• The chassis
• The steering mechanisms
• The braking system
• The suspension

Also, when aligned straight, the wheels must be housed within the bodywork – they cannot stick out from the side of your vehicle.

Modify your vehicle legally

If you are modifying your vehicle, and there are many reasons why you might wish to do so, the chances are that you’ll need to consider what to do with your wheels and which new tyres to fit.

A larger-diameter tyre will improve clearance if you do a lot of off-road driving. Increasing the diameter of your tyre will give you the added traction you need to benefit from increased power and retain safe braking distances.

However, by modifying your wheels incorrectly you run the risk of the modification being illegal. If you get into an accident and this is the case, your insurance will be void. You could find yourself with a huge cost to pay.

Modifying your vehicle and fitting new tyres without the technical know-how and legal knowledge is not a smart thing to do. Instead, bring your vehicle into our tyre shop in Darra. We’ll help you decide on the best modification and the best tyres to get the most from your vehicle while staying legal and ensuring your insurance covers what you believe it does.

For a professional and personal tyre service that you can trust, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood