Automotive Business Review February 2015 | Page 53

LAUNCHES • REVIEWS • MOTORSPORT Tyre safety dips in 2014 - Bridgestone Tyre safety has declined in 2014. This is the word from Bridgestone, which was commenting on feedback from its countrywide Tyre Check programme, now in its seventh year. “The Tyre Check surveys in 2014 covered five of the nine provinces in South Africa and checked 6708 tyres for condition, inflation pressure and tyre mis-matching on the vehicle,” says Bridgestone’s general manager for Field Engineering and Technical Services, Hiroshi Nakanishi. “The 2014 surveys also included a new system of categories which recorded tyre pressure in more detail.” Nakanishi says that the percentage of tyres classified as ‘fine’ (correctly inflated) dropped substantially compared to 2013. In 2013, over 90 percent of tyres were classified as ‘fine’, but this declined to 82 percent in 2014. The highest-scoring survey in 2014, conducted at Springfield in KwaZuluNatal, returned an 89 percent ‘fine’ rating, but none of the other locations scored higher than 85 percent, and the survey done at Kolonnade Retail Park returned just 76 percent, the lowest score at any location since 2010. The most common tyre issue found by the Bridgestone Tyre Check team was under-inflation. At each survey, around five percent of tyres were found to be in a severe state of under-inflation; at the Kolonnade SKF South Africa - Celebrating 100 Years of Innovative Solutions Automotive Product Solutions SKF developed the world’s first hub bearing units and the first custom-designed engine oil seals. Today, SKF’s concept is to offer high quality products and premium services to our customers, whether their profession involves maintaining vehicles or supplying products to those who do. SKF’s range of products and services is the result of relentless innovation and constant improvement in the design of all critical components, from engines and electronics to driveline and wheel-end systems. SKF continues to take part in the on-going endeavor in developing its services and state-of-the-art products. SKF South Africa is celebrating 100 years of innovative solutions during 2014. Drawing on five areas of competence and application-specific expertise (bearings and units, seals, lubrication systems, mechatronics and a wide range of services), SKF brings innovative solutions to OEMs and production facilities in every major industry worldwide. The Power of Knowledge Engineering SKF South Africa (Pty) Limited Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone] Email: [email protected], Web: www.skf.co.za survey, almost 17 percent were dangerously under-inflated. Another feature of the 2014 surveys was the number of tyres which were found to be mis-matched, meaning that tyres of different sizes, tread patterns or from various tyre manufacturers were found on the same vehicle. “Mis-matched tyres will affect roadholding and braking characteristics, especially when different tyres are fitted to the same axle”, Nakanishi explains. “Most of the surveys showed a mismatch rate of three or four percent, but the Kolonnade mis-matching rate was 12 percent, rising to 14 percent in the Port Elizabeth survey” he adds.