Random Facts & History about Wheels and Tires

• Most new cars don't come with a spare tire anymore since manufacturers are attempting to shed some weight. In place of a spare, they now include a patch kit and a can of compressed air.
• A rubber material has been invented that can seal itself if cut or punctured. If used in tires this could help save vehicle owners money on repairs.
• LEGO is the world's largest tire manufacturer surprisingly. They produce about 320 million tiny tires every year.

                   

• Run-Flat tires can drive about 100 miles after losing tire pressure. If you drive at 50 miles, then you'll only get about 50 additional miles out of the tires but if you drive at a slower pace, you can go a bit further.
    - BMW is the one of the major manufacturers that outfit their vehicles with run flats.
• About 250 million used tires are discarded every year. Because it is such a large waste, some creative recycling solutions have found ways to reduce that number by either melting them down to use in asphalt, shredding for mulch in gardening, used in playground equipment and sometimes used to create new tires.
                                   
• Tire is spelled "Tyre" if you live in the UK
• Michelin currently is working on creating an “airless” wheel called a “tweel” where the wheel and tire is one piece and will hopefully resolve flat tire issue as well as provide replaceable tread.
• The expression “fifth wheel” or “third wheel” refers to an extra piece used for extra support on a carriage or wagon to prevent it from tipping but was considered unnecessary. Essentially this term nowadays, refers to a person or thing that is unneeded in a situation.
• Not too many people are aware that car manufacturers don't actually make their wheels. Maxon wheels is actually a major original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that provides wheels for companies like BMW, GM, Honda etc.
• Modern tires are made with a combination of 200 materials such as Kevlar, nylon, rubber and steel as well as much, much more. Titanium and cobalt help to bond the steel belts, silica and saline help with performance, and citrus oil and some green materials are used as well.
• Most Airplane and space shuttles have tires that are filled with nitrogen due to the high altitudes and pressure changes which can affect the air pressure in tires, especially if filled with oxygen. The nitrogen will help prevent it from reacting with other substances since it is an inert gas.
• The world's largest tire is 80 ft. tall and weighs 12 tons. It is located in Michigan and was used originally as a Ferris wheel at the World's fair in 1964-65

History Facts:

• The word wheel comes from an old English word that evolved from “hweol” or “hweogol” and means to revolve. The old English term came from a proto-Germanic term “hwehwlan” or “hwegwlan”
• It’s thought that the wheel was invented about 5,000 years ago by ancient Mesopotamians.
   - The oldest wheel discovered so far, was found in Slovenia and is about 5,100-5,530 years old and is thought to be part of a 2-wheel cart made from oak and ash.
• We’re still unsure who invented the wheel, but most scholars believe it was someone from the middle east or Eurasia
• The first wheels were made from trees that were shaped then cutouts were made through it to make it easier to turn
• Originally wheels were used for pottery and clay making
                                      
• The invention of the axle is just as important as the invention of the wheel since it helped save energy and helped create other uses for the wheel.
• The first time the wheel was shown to be used for transportation, was on a Childs toy that was found in Mexico in 1880
• Most scholars estimate it was about 300 years later before wheels were used in modes of transportation.
• Early tires were white due to a side effect that happened when manufacturers added zinc oxide to strengthen the rubber.
                               
• Tire color changed to black in the early 1900’s by adding carbon black to them to increase durability and longevity.
• In 1914 white wall tires were created by combining carbon black tread with a zinc white sidewall.
• Winter tires were created in Finland by the company Nokian Tyres in the mid 1930’s.
                                          
• Robert William Thompson, a Scottish inventor, patented an air-filled tire in 1847. The first useable one was created by another Scotsman, John Boyd Dunlop in 1888, originally for bicycles though.
• In May 2001 John Keogh, a patent lawyer, patented the “circular transportation facilitation device” in Australia. Mainly done to prove the new patent system in Australia was flawed rather than for a profit.

Next time you're with people, you now have a ton of fun facts about wheels and tires you can either impress or annoy them with! Both are always enjoyable lol. 

-Heather Jarkow