The tyre is one of the most important parts of your vehicle, although this is often overlooked. Grip, handling and comfort are inextricably linked to the right choice of YOUR tyres: the only contact between your vehicle and the road surface are just 4 pieces of rubber, each the size of a postcard…
At Donckers, we offer you a range of solutions for every use and budget, with quality being the common thread throughout our entire range.
More information on tyre pressure, tread, wear, etc., can be found here.
Donckers distributes all quality brands commonly distributed in Belgium. Contact us for price and availability. More technical information on tyre pressure, profile, wear, etc., can be found on this website.
The three different product groups each have their strengths and weaknesses. A decision should therefore be carefully considered.
Important factors that play a role in your decision are:
In addition to the ‘standard’ summer tyres, which your car is equipped with as standard by the manufacturer, we also distinguish between winter tyres and all-season tyres. These 3 products are technically very different, and consequently also have very different properties.
Summer tyres have very good road holding, even at high speed: the solid tread blocks ensure that the car is firmly on the track, and the harder rubber compound provides better mileage. However, in winter conditions (slippery road surface, black ice, snow), this type of tread just gives very little grip, while the hard rubber compound becomes even harder under the influence of the cold.
Conditions and requirements summer tyres should meet :
Features :
Winter tyres have a noticeably better grip and traction in winter conditions (from +7°C and below) at lower speeds on wet, snowy or frozen roads ; the numerous fine lamellae grip every unevenness on a slippery road surface to ensure grip, while the soft rubber compound with
silica ensures that the rubber does not lose its flexibility even at very low freezing temperatures. At high speeds, however, this tyre becomes just less track-resistant.
Conditions and requirements to be met by winter tyres :
Features :
All Season tyres have the same tread as a winter tyre, but a similar rubber compound as a summer tyre. In other words, it combines the advantages but also the disadvantages of both products:
Conditions and requirements they should meet:
Features:
Tyres are more than just black rubber rings; they are a complex interplay of technology and materials, designed for optimal performance and safety. To help you make the right choices and better understand your tyres, we have listed a series of technical aspects. Use the tabs below to delve deeper into the specific details that are important to you.
205: The width of your tyre, in mm.
55: The sidewall height of your tyre: this is a percentage of the width (in this case, 55% of 205mm).
R: The R of Radial: this is a tyre with radial carcass. Tyres with a diagonal carcass (which has become very rare in passenger cars) are symbolized here by a – or B for Bias.
16: The diameter of your rim, expressed in inches (duim): the “hole” in the tyre is exactly the same size as the diameter of the rim, in order for the tyre to fit perfectly airtight against the rim.
91: This number represents the load capacity (maximum load) of your tyre : 91 stands for 615 kg per tyre. With correct tyre pressure, this tyre can therefore carry a maximum weight of 615 kg. You can find an overview of all load capacity indexes here.
V: This letter indicates the speed code (maximum speed) of the tyre: “V” stands for 240 km/h. For reference, you can find a list of all speed codes here.
Radial is the type of carcass structure used in the production of this tyre. More info on casing structures can be found here.
Tubeless means that the tyre can be fitted without an inner tube (if the rim also allows this, of course). Such a tyre has a special inner rubber layer during its construction, which ensures that the air in the tyre can hardly escape through the rubber. If it says Tube Type here, it means “can be fitted with an inner tube”. Detailed information on tyre construction can be found here.
This abbreviation means that this tyre is a run-flat tyre. Each manufacturer uses its own abbreviation for this. Possible abbreviations are :
Detailed info on run-flat tyres can be found here.
The next letter/number combination indicates where and when this tyre was produced. The last 4 digits indicate the production date of the tyre (read more under point 7).
Marking showing that this tyre complies with ECE regulations.
Approval number that belongs to the ECE regulations. The small ‘s’ that follows this approval number indicates that this tire also complies with the new noise standards that specific tires must meet.
The first 2 digits represent the week, the last 2 digits the year the tyre was produced. So 2207 means: week 22 of 2007.
Exception: Tyres produced before 2000 have a 3-digit code: here, the first 2 digits still stand for the week, the last digit for the year. Thus, a tyre with code “227<” will stand for 22nd week 1997 (note the triangle after the numerical code) or – if 227 without triangle – for 22nd week 1987.
At the height of this abbreviation on the tread of your tyre you will find the “Tread Wear Indicator”. The small blocks in the tread are 1.6 mm high: the legal minimum tread depth of the tyre. Once the tread blocks of the tyre have worn down to the height of these tread wear indicators, the tyre is also considered ‘worn out’ for the technical inspection and is rejected.
A tyre is produced by successively “bonding” together several layers of steel wire, nylon wire and/or polyester wire, combined with rubber in numerous different rubber compounds. This accumulation of different layers forms the carcass structure. On top of this, another thick layer of rubber is laid which will form the tread.
This raw tyre is then put into a baking mould and heated under high pressure: this triggers the vulcanisation process. During this vulcanisation, the rubber enters into a chemical compound with certain attached chemical components. This causes the rubber to harden and the tyre to get its final appearance (lettering, tread pattern, etc.).
We distinguish 2 different types of carcass structures when manufacturing a tyre:
Diagonal tyres are ‘obsolete technology’ because these tyres have some significant shortcomings compared to radial tyres:
The part of the tyre in contact with the road surface:
Grooves are inserted in this rubber layer (the profile) to allow water to drain away, that gets “stuck” between the road surface and the tyre while driving. The tread of a tyre therefore serves to drain water from the road surface.
Click here to know when your tyres are worn out.
The belts (layers of steel wire fabric glued on top of the radial casing) give the tyre a rectangular shape, resulting in greater contact with the road. These carcass belts also serve as a protective layer against impacts.
This carcass layer runs from bead to bead, and is the only carcass layer that holds the tyre together: the threads of this layer “trap” the tyre pressure. Damage to this radial carcass layer will result in a bubble on the sidewall or tread, which can lead to a blowout. If these threads in the tyre’s sidewall are damaged, the tyre should be replaced: this is irreparable.
The ‘inner’ layer of the tyre. Just like a balloon, a tyre gradually loses its pressure: the air molecules are so fine that they slowly escape through the rubber. The tubeless layer is a very thin rubber layer with a special rubber compound, which makes the tyre almost 100% airtight (but not completely).
The side of the tyre that provides comfort. A vehicle rides on compressed air, and unevenness of the road surface is absorbed in the sidewall of the tyre. As you could read under point 3 (The radial carcass), a tyre that shows a bump (or blister) in the sidewall must be replaced because of the risk of explosion. Exceptionally, you may also notice a small ‘dent’ in this area: this is where two cables overlap, causing the tyre to expand less when inflated. This is neither a construction fault nor dangerous: it is actually the strongest point of the tyre.
The part of the tyre that seals airtight against the rim. Dirt between the bead and the rim, damage to the bead or a rim that is no longer perfectly round can cause air to escape between the rim and the bead.
A ‘hoop’ that runs around the entire tyre, and is made of a very strong steel cable. The radial casing that traps the pressure in the tyre is attached to this bead. The bead ‘clamps’ the tyre around the rim.
When driving on wet road surfaces – there is a chance that you will experience aquaplaning. This phenomenon can best be compared to a flat stone bouncing over the still water of a lake: the water becomes trapped between the tyre and the road surface, meaning the tyre can no longer ‘push’ its way through the water film. The tyre slides over the water surface, resulting in complete loss of control of your vehicle.
The grooves located between the tread blocks of your tyre serve as channels to drain excess water from between your tyre and the road surface. The depth of these grooves is called the tread depth.
The legal minimum tread depth for tyres is 1.6 mm. You can check this with a tread gauge (available free of charge in our branches if in stock) or using the so-called “TWI” or “tread wear indicator”. These are small cross-sectional blocks located at the bottom of the main longitudinal tread grooves of your tyre, evenly distributed around the entire circumference of the tyre.
These blocks are 1.6 mm high: once the tread of your tyre has worn down to the point where the tread is level with these blocks, the tyre is also rejected for further use by the technical inspection.
However, this very old legislation is long outdated as it no longer corresponds to the capacities and requirements of today’s vehicles. Numerous tests carried out by various tyre manufacturers have shown that safety reserves are already significantly reduced with a remaining tread of less than 3mm!
The international legal minimum tread for tyres is 1.6mm residual tread.
However, in the case of winter tyres, a tread depth of less than four millimetres offers only a minimal remaining safety margin on winter roads: in fact, the grip of your tyres on snowy or icy surfaces is directly proportional to the tread depth of your winter tyres.
A number of European countries have different legal minimum tread depths for winter tyres. For example, in Austria (where winter tyres are required by law), winter tyres with a residual tread depth of less than 4 millimetres are no longer approved as winter tyres.
(Source : http://www.winterreifen-pflicht.at/winterreifenpflicht_pkw.html).
If you consider the replacement of your winter tyres – depending on the use of your car and the countries you drive in – necessary, email us and we will be happy to make sure they are ready for you in time according to your online appointment!
If you are the driver of a leased vehicle, it is recommended that you first contact your fleet manager to check in advance whether any additional winter tyres are to be ordered against the relevant provisions in your lease contract.
In practice, the changes made during the tyre inspection are limited to just three check points, namely the “speed index”, “tread depth” and “E- or e-marking”. Although certain aspects are no longer checked during the technical inspection, the technical requirements remain unchanged. So the vehicle MUST still be technically compliant or you risk problems at roadside checks or with insurers in the event of a damage claim. For example, the technical characteristics of tyres mounted on the same axle must be the same, which is not the case with winter and summer tyres on the same axle. MOW Vlaanderen, responsible for technical inspection in Flanders, has announced that there will be no relaxation!
The responsibility for complying with the technical requirements remains with the professional and the driver, even if certain things are not specifically sanctioned during the inspection. For tyre centres and garages, nothing changes in the “Good Practices” regarding tyre symmetry per axle!
PneuBand and Federtyre offer the following advice to all tyre specialists:
Always ensure that tyres are fitted that comply with what is stated on the Certificate Of Conformity (COC) or other acceptable sources for tyre requirements (PVG, vehicle registration certificate, etc.). Fitting tyres with a lower speed index than the maximum speed of the vehicle may have dangerous consequences. Therefore, only apply this in very exceptional cases and inform these customers of the dangers and local legislation in regions outside Flanders.
If you do fit tyres with a lower speed index, be sure to put a sticker on the dashboard indicating the maximum speed and have your customer sign a document stating that this is at his own risk. If the customer goes into Wallonia or any other country with these tyres, he is not in compliance with the technical requirements and risks a fine.
As in every sector, the “polluter pays” principle applies here too. In concrete terms, this means that tyre manufacturers and importers must each individually take responsibility for the collection and processing of Belgian waste tyres they produce or import.
To this end, the tyre manufacturers set up a management body called Recytyre. Recytyre vzw takes over the acceptance obligation from the Belgian importers or producers affiliated with it. End sellers of tyres can take their waste tyres to the Recytyre collection system free of charge.
Waste tyres are collected at registered collection points (tyre centres, garages, etc.) by one of the approved Recytyre collectors. Otherwise, the old tyres can be delivered free of charge to the supplier of new tyres, or the end-seller can take his old tyres to a collection point for professionals.
To finance this collection and processing system, importers/producers will pay an environmental contribution into a fund from the time the Recytyre system comes into effect. This environmental contribution is then passed on to the end-user via the intermediary and end-seller with each sale of a new tyre. So for each new tyre, the end-user pays an environmental contribution, which is shown separately (per customer and per type) on the invoice. This concerns new tyres only: no environmental contribution may be charged for second-hand tyres or tyres with renewed tread.
The acceptance obligation applies to all types of waste rubber tyres, excluding bicycle and track tyres. It applies to both the replacement and first fit markets. End sellers of tyres are obliged to accept the old tyres from the customer free of charge when the customer purchases new tyres (1-for-1 principle). The end-user may therefore leave as many tyres as he purchases free of charge. However, the tyres must be of the same type. For example, end sellers are not obliged to accept 2 old truck tyres if the customer buys 2 new passenger car tyres.
Donckers is a certified collector for your waste tyres. Donckers was at the birth of ‘recytyre’, representing the tyre sector within the recytyre organisation since the day it was founded.
Through our tyre centres, we collect the worn and broken tyres left behind by the end-user after replacement. Furthermore, as a certified collector, Donckers organises the bulk collection of waste tyres at registered collection points (tyre centres, garages, etc.), in order to then transport them to approved processing companies, where the waste tyres are re-rubberised, recycled and/or valorised.
Contact our manager for all your questions regarding your waste tyres.
| Albanië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen (lokale verplichting) ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte lokaal verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 30/04 |
| België | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Bosnië – Herzegovina | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/04 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 15/04 |
| Bulgarije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden voor voertuigen in Bulgarije ingeschreven / winterbanden sterk aanbevolen in winterse omstandigheden verplicht aan boord tussen 01/11 en 31/03 |
| Denemarken | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Duitsland | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden
Banden geproduceerd vanaf 01/2018 verplicht voorzien van  keurings-logo! ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte
verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Estland | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 28/02 ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Finland | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht tussen 01/12 en 28/02 ≥ 3mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Frankrijk | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord bent U betrokken in een ongeval, kan U aansprakelijk gesteld worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht op sommige trajecten : vermelding door bord |
| Griekenland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Groot Brittanië | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Hongarije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Ierland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Ijsland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 15/04 niet verplicht |
| Italië | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen tussen 15/11 eb 15/04 : vermelding door bord uitzondering : Val D’Aoste : verplicht van 15/10 tot 15/04 bent U betrokken in een ongeval, kan U aansprakelijk gesteld worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht aan boord tussen 15/11 en 15/04 indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden |
| Kroatië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/04 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord tussen 15/11 en 15/04 |
| Letland | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 01/03 ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Litouwen | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 10/11 tot 01/04 – ook voor caravan & aanhangwagens ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Luxemburg | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden bent U betrokken in een ongeval of veroorzaakt u verkeershinder, kan u aansprakelijk gesteld en beboet worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting niet verplicht |
| Macedonië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/03 buiten bebouwde kom ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte, ≥ 6 mm profieldiepte voor 4×4 voertuigen verplicht aan boord van 15/10 tot 15/03 indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden |
| Moldavië | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 01/03 in winterse omstandigheden ook voor aanhangwagens & caravans niet verplicht |
| Montenegro | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 01/04 ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 01/04 |
| Nederland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet toegestaan! |
| Noorwegen | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 01/05 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Oekraïne | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Oostenrijk | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 15/04 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord tussen 01/11 en 15/04 |
| Polen | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Portugal | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Roemenië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : beperking voor All Season banden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 2 mm profieldiepte All season banden gelden niet als winterbanden ! verplicht aan boord indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden |
| Servië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 01/04 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord |
| Slovenië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/03 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 15/11 tot 15/03 indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden |
| Slowakije | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 31/03 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Spanje | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen: | verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Tsjechië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 01/05 in winterse omstandigheden verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Turkije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 31/03 in winterse omstandigheden verplicht aan boord |
| Wit-Rusland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden niet verplicht |
| Zweden | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : beperking voor All Season banden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 31/03 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte All season banden gelden niet als winterbanden ! niet verplicht |
| Zwitserland | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord bent U betrokken in een ongeval of veroorzaakt u verkeershinder, kan u aansprakelijk gesteld en beboet worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Albanië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen (lokale verplichting) ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte lokaal verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 30/04 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| België | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Bosnië – Herzegovina | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/04 in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 15/04 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Bulgarije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 31/03 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Denemarken | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Duitsland | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing kettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 31/03 op aangedreven as(sen) ≥ 6 mm profieldiepte verplicht op sommige trajecten : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Estland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht tussen 01/12 en 28/03 niet verplicht |
| Finland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Frankrijk | winterbanden aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing kettingen : | verplicht op sommige trajecten : vermelding door bord bent U betrokken in een ongeval, kan U aansprakelijk gesteld worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht op sommige trajecten : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Griekenland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Groot Brittanië | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Hongarije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Ierland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Ijsland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden niet verplicht |
| Italië | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing kettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen van 15/11 tot 15/04 : vermelding door bord uitzondering : Val D’Aoste : verplicht van 15/10 tot 15/04 bent U betrokken in een ongeval, kan U aansprakelijk gesteld worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht aan boord van 15/11 tot 15/04 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Kroatië | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/04 op minstens één aangedreven as verplicht aan boord van 15/11 tot 15/04 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Letland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Litouwen | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Luxemburg | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden op aangedreven as(sen) niet verplicht |
| Macedonië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : positie sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/03 buiten bebouwde kom ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte verplicht van 15/10 tot 15/03 indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden op alle wielposities |
| Moldavië | winterbanden : staat banden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht ≥ 5 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord |
| Montenegro | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Nederland | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet toegestaan ! |
| Noorwegen | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 31/03 op alle wielposities (incl trailer) ≥ 5 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord tussen 15/10 en 01/05 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) én één stuur-as-wiel igv combinatie trekker + aanhanger : op minstens 4 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen), één stuur-as-wiel, én 2 aanhangerwielen |
| Oekraïne | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht |
| Oostenrijk | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 15/04 op minstens één aangedreven as ≥ 5 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 01/11 tot 15/04 op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Polen | winterbanden : staat banden : sneeuwkettingen : positie sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht banden moeten min. 4mm profiel hebben verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Portugal | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Roemenië | winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht in winterse omstandigheden ≥ 2 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Servië | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | niet verplicht niet verplicht op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Slovenië | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 15/03 in winterse omstandigheden sneeuwkettingen als alternatief volstaan ook op minstens één aangedreven as ≥ 3 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 15/11 tot 15/03 indien voertuig uitgerust met zomerbanden op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Slowakije | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 15/11 tot 31/03 op minstens één aangedreven as ≥ 6 mm profieldiepte verplicht aan boord van 15/11 tot 31/03 voor voertuigen > 12000 kg op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Spanje | winterbanden : | verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord |
| Tsjechië | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/11 tot 01/05 in winterse omstandigheden verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op aangedreven as(sen) ≥ 6 mm profieldiepte verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord verplicht aan boord voor voertuigen > 7500 kg op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Turkije | winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 31/03 in winterse omstandigheden verplicht aan boord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
| Wit-Rusland | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 28/02, op alle assen (incl trailer) op alle assen (incl trailer) ≥ 4 mm profieldiepte niet verplicht |
| Zweden | winterbanden : plaatsing winterbanden : staat winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : | verplicht van 01/12 tot 31/03 sneeuwkettingen als alternatief volstaan ook op alle aangedreven assen winterbanden moeten 5mm of meer profiel hebben niet verplicht |
| Zwitserland | winterbanden : aansprakelijkheid igv geen winterbanden : sneeuwkettingen : plaatsing kettingen : | verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord bent U betrokken in een ongeval of veroorzaakt u verkeershinder, kan u aansprakelijk gesteld en beboet worden, ook op wegen zonder winterbanden-verplichting verplicht op sommige wegen : vermelding door bord op minstens 2 wielen van de aangedreven as(sen) |
This table is purely informative, Donckers cannot be held liable for its content.
Fitting winter tyres only on the drive axle is not enough for good performance and optimum safety in winter:
This is why it is important to fit 4 winter tyres under the car! For cars with 4-wheel drive, it is of course an absolute requirement to fit winter tyres per 4.
We know of 3 different tread types, where it is extremely important that you follow the correct guidelines when fitting these tyres:
A directional tyre is characterised by a directional tread (herringbone: red on the drawing). This profile guarantees the best water drainage, but also generates more rolling noise (uproar).
The tyre sidewall always shows the direction in which the tyre should rotate under the car: it is very important to take this into account when fitting the tyre, as incorrect fitting will inevitably result in a red card at the technical inspection. It is also very dangerous, because a wrongly mounted tyre will actually “collect” water under the tyre instead of draining it: an increased risk of aquaplaning is the dangerous result.
The latest generation of profiles: the left side of the tyre is different from the right side of the tyre.
As a rule, such tyres are characterized by large, solid and often contiguous tread blocks on the outer half, which guarantees the best road holding (in curves) and the least noise pollution. The inner half of the tyre has more ‘channels’ to drain water better.
An asymmetric tyre always has a mark on the sidewall indicating which is the inside and which is the outside of the tyre: correct fitting is of the utmost importance as incorrect fitting will inevitably result in a red card at the technical inspection. Incorrect fitting also results in worse road holding and is therefore potentially dangerous.
The ‘classic’ tyre: in this profile drawing, you do not need to take into account driving direction, nor inside or outside of the tyre.
However, this tread scores worse in terms of aquaplaning than a directional tyre, and worse in terms of handling compared to an asymmetric tyre.
Run-flat tyres are a very recent technological development. Run-flat tyres – unlike ordinary tyres – are equipped with a reinforced sidewall (see image below: red zone).
When an ordinary tyre rides completely flat, the tyre is compressed by the weight of the vehicle (left). If this happens while driving, it damages the tyre to such an extent that it has to be replaced. Further driving is no longer possible and the vehicle is no longer steerable.
A run-flat tyre, on the other hand, is not compressed even in case of total loss of pressure: the reinforcement in the sidewall prevents this, allowing the car to continue driving to the next garage or service station, where the tyre can be repaired or replaced. The rule of thumb is that a run-flat tyre can drive up to 80 kilometres further at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
Run-flat tyres can only be fitted if the vehicle is originally fitted with them by the manufacturer: the vehicle must at least have an electronic tyre pressure monitoring system and adapted rims.
A major misconception about run-flat tyres is the illusion that this tyre cannot break down. This is not true at all: it is quite possible that a run-flat tyre, after being flattened, may not be repaired even by the manufacturer! So this tyre is by no means indestructible, it only ensures that the vehicle remains steerable at a limited speed and for a limited distance when driving with a flat tyre.
As an alternative to run-flat tyres, some tyres nowadays also have a tough liquid adhesive layer on the inside. Upon impact, this layer prevents air from escaping the tyre by “blocking” the nail hole with the adhesive layer.
Unlike a run-flat tyre, this adhesive layer does not affect the driving behavior of the tyre, and the handling, grip and, above all, comfort of the tyre remain unchanged.
Research shows that more than 60% of motorists drive around with the wrong tyre pressure. In more than 80% of these cases, the pressure is too low!
As you can read here, rubber is porous, and although the inside of the tyre is covered with a special less porous rubber layer (the so-called tubeless layer), it still allows air to escape slowly. This reduces the pressure by five to ten per cent over time.
Tyres with under-pressure (not enough pressure) show more wear on both shoulders, than in the centre of the tread. Because the tyre does not have enough pressure, the centre of the tyre is not sufficiently pressed against the road surface.
Tyres with overpressure (too much pressure) end up being too ’round’ due to the excess pressure in the tyre, so that only the centre of the tread hits the road surface, and the shoulders of the tyre do not.
Measurements by manufacturers show that 20% underinflation, shortens the life of your tyre by 1/3, and can increase fuel consumption by 5%!
The recommended tyre pressure can be found in the car manual or on a sticker attached to the car (e.g. in the door frame on the driver’s side or on the fuel tank filler cap). Tyre pressures for the most common vehicles can also be found on tyre pressure tables displayed in our tyre centres.
Checking and correcting your tyre pressure on a regular basis (quarterly is generally recommended) is therefore strongly recommended: you can have your tyre pressure corrected free of charge in all our centres.
Remember that you should always measure tyre pressure when the tyres are cold: indeed, the air pressure rises as the tyre warms up, and decreases as the tyre cools down. Check the tyre pressure when the tyres are cold; this means that they have not been driven at all for at least 1 hour, or only briefly (maximum 2 to 3 kilometres at low speed).
The consequences of too low tyre pressure:
On the sidewall of your tyre, you will find the production date. Detailed information on how to read this production date can be found here.
Across all manufacturers, a guarantee period of 5 years is given, counting from the production date of the tyre. The guarantee on a tyre applies only to manufacturing defects : there is no guarantee on use-related damage and wear and tear, e.g. yield, impact fractures, crooked or deformed wear, etc.
A broken or worn out suspension, as well as incorrect weight distribution, are at the root of the ‘cupping’ phenomenon. You can easily feel this phenomenon when you gently stroke the tyre tread in both directions with the palm of your hand. You will feel that the tyre is not nicely round, but shows ‘flat areas’ on the inside of the tyre (deeper at the back of the wheel arch).
Under normal circumstances, a tyre is firmly pressed against the road surface by the weight of the car. However, due to a broken shock absorber, for example, the tyre will ‘jump up and down’ under the car (the tyre therefore does not have to come off the road: it largely springs into the sidewall).
This phenomenon occurs at a certain frequency, so the tyre is subjected to more load in certain areas and less in others. The areas where the tyre is subjected to more load wear faster, resulting in these flat wear areas.
Except in cases of worn shock absorbers, ‘Cupping’ often occurs on the rear tyres of front wheel-drive vehicles. Weight distribution is to blame here: the engine block lies in front between (or even slightly in front of) the front wheels. As a result, the rear tyres are not sufficiently pressed against the road surface, resulting in this phenomenon. This phenomenon occurs frequently on mono-volumes.
One possible solution is to load the car with extra weight at the rear, but in practice this is hardly feasible.
You can easily feel this phenomenon when you gently stroke the tyre tread with the palm of your hand in both directions. Rubbing in one direction makes the tyre feel smooth, but rubbing in the other direction the tread becomes noticeably “curled”.
This specific wear pattern is caused by the ‘torque’ of the tread blocks, which causes one side of the tread block to wear faster than the other. Only common causes that trigger this torquing are:
Is your tyre showing a bladder on the sidewall? Have it replaced immediately!
Unable to avoid a pothole while driving? Or an evasive manoeuvre that involved hitting a curb?
A blowout on the flank is typically the result of an impact, causing the tyre to be forcibly pinched between the rim and a foreign object (curb, stone, …):
Cause and effect are sometimes clearly observable, especially when the impact was sufficiently powerful and occurred recently.
Some signs that betray what happened:
A black print on the rim edge, at the level of the blownout on the tyre: here, the tyre sidewall was folded over the rim edge due to a heavy impact: the rubber of the sidewall literally still sticks to the edge of the rim.
It is important to replace this tyre as soon as possible. The nylon/rayon radial casing is damaged so that only the rubber holds back the tyre’s internal air pressure.
The rubber alone cannot hold this for long, and the pressure on the adjacent undamaged casing threads becomes too great, causing the tyre to tear open explosively while driving. We speak of a true blowout in this case, with great risk of further damage and an accident.
It is strongly recommended to check and correct the car’s alignment after such an impact: the suspension received a serious blow, which also changed the position of the impacted wheel: neglecting this results in, among other things, in a crooked steering wheel, and greatly accelerated and uneven tyre wear.
Logic dictates that – because the vast majority of vehicles on our Belgian roads are front wheel-drive – the best tyres should be at the front. After all, the front axle is the axle that drives, brakes and steers the vehicle in the right direction: and although the rear axle also brakes, it is inferior to the front axle in terms of braking power.
However, extensive tests by tyre manufacturers have shown that – when losing grip with the road surface in more extreme (e.g. wet, twisty) conditions – the vehicle remains controllable if it is the front axle that loses grip, since you can still correct this with your steering wheel. Loss of grip on your rear axle is – for the average driver – almost impossible to correct, and potentially results in accidents.
However, since this test is carried out by the tyre manufacturers, they always test this with 2 good and 2 worn tyres of the same make and almost the same age….
In reality, however, most vehicles are fitted with tyres whose front and rear production dates are several years apart, and if they are of the same brand, they are often of a different “generation”. Today, manufacturers focus on the fuel-saving aspect of their products: this means major changes in the rubber composition and carcass structure compared to “older” generation tyres. Moreover, as a tyre ages, it also becomes harder in terms of rubber compound. This is because tyre vulcanisation (the process in which the tyre’s rubber is “baked” and transformed from malleable to tough-elastic) is actually a chemical process that goes on continuously at a slow pace… So the rubber of your tyre gets harder and harder with age. A good illustration is a simple rubber band: when new, it is very stretchy. However, if this strap has been in your desk drawer for several years and you try to stretch it again, you will be amazed at how quickly it will snap. This is because the rubber compound has hardened to such an extent through this ongoing slow vulcanisation process that the elasticity slowly disappears.
Specifically: so if you have to buy two new tyres, but the two tyres you keep differ in terms of their rubber composition or carcass structure (due to the age, type or brand of tyre) from the new tyres, it turns out that fitting the new tyres on the rear axle will cause the vehicle’s road holding to deteriorate significantly. This even to an extreme extent on rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Why is this? The new generation tyres fitted on your rear axle are so soft in terms of carcass structure and rubber compound compared to the front tyres that your vehicle seems to be floating on its rear axle. The solution is very simple: put the softest tyres at the front, and your vehicle will behave normally again.
Result: there is something to be said for both opinions, but each case must be considered individually: one should not assume a rule of thumb that tyres should always be placed at the front, or always at the back.
In winter, the pressure gauge shows a lower tyre pressure value because air shrinks due to the cold. For every 10°C drop in temperature, the pressure value drops by about 0.1 bar.
A tyre inflated to 2.0 bar at an ambient temperature of 20°C has a pressure of 1.8 bar at an ambient temperature of 0°C, according to the pressure gauge. However, it is not necessary to inflate the tyres in winter to a higher pressure than prescribed by the vehicle manufacturer.
It is very important to keep your tyres properly inflated. The air we breathe, which is used to inflate your tyres to the correct pressure by default, contains about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% water vapour and other gases.
Blowing your tyres with nitrogen has come over from the Formula 1 world and the aviation industry. If done correctly, it fills your tyres with 99% pure nitrogen (N2). Nitrogen has some interesting advantages over ordinary compressed air:
Nitrogen is a clean and dry gas, containing no oxygen or moisture, which prevents oxidation and reduces pressure fluctuations under the influence of temperature.
Ordinary air is freely available. Nitrogen has to be specially purchased in gas cylinders, or made using a nitrogen generator. Both involve a substantial investment that needs to be calculated. So filling tyres with nitrogen is not free.
Many stories circulate about the advantages and disadvantages of nitrogen blowing, such as:
A tyre filled with nitrogen will go flat as quickly as a tyre filled with ordinary compressed air. Permeation – the natural loss of air through the tyre rubber – is significantly lower with nitrogen.
According to European directives, since 1 November 2012, all newly launched car models must be equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system, also known as TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System). From 1 January 2015, this equipment will be mandatory on all new vehicles (not just new models). The aim of this obligation is to improve road safety and reduce the CO2 emissions of your car: too low tyre pressure implies higher consumption and the associated environmental drawbacks.
There are 2 different types of tyre pressure measurement: namely “Direct TPMS” and “Indirect TPMS“.
Almost all branches of our group have specialised equipment for reading, initialising and programming sensors and for resetting your car’s on-board computer after sensor replacement. Be sure to contact your tyre dealer for all your TPMS questions and problems!
Here, an electronic sensor is installed, attached to the valve of the tyre: this sensor measures the actual pressure in the tyre, as well as (in more recent vehicles) the temperature. This information is transmitted by radio to the on-board computer, which displays the results on your dashboard.
The ABS sensors measure the number of revolutions of your left and right wheels, and compares them. If one tyre is too flat, the diameter of this tyre reduces. Consequently, this tyre will do more revolutions compared to the adjacent tyre. The on-board computer will then raise an alarm. This system does not measure the actual tyre pressure, so if all 4 tyres are equally flat, this system will not be able to register this.
Direct TPMS sensors – in contrast to Indirect TPMS measurement – are more susceptible to damage. It is important to be able to distinguish the correct causes of any damage. Therefore, below you will find the most common reasons why your sensor is no longer working.
Classic example of damage to the sensor as a result of a mounting error (during tire change or repair).
Classic examples of damage to TPMS due to corrosion.
For each type of motorbike and use, customised products are offered. It goes without saying that a motocross bike does not benefit from track tyres, just as a touring bike should not be fitted with enduro tyres… Contact our specialised branches for the right advice and technically skilled staff, to whom you can confidently entrust the removal and installation of your wheels.
Of course, you can always remove your wheel yourself at home and then offer it separately for fitting your new tyre.
Truck, industrial, agricultural & road construction tyres form an entirely separate sector; a specialisation in itself in which extensive product knowledge and experience are indispensable. The consequences of wrong product choice and mounting can be disastrous.
Donckers has very fully equipped workshops, experienced staff and large stocks. Thanks to our large fleet of mobile workshops, we can also service you at home, or get you back on the road should you encounter tyre problems on the road.
Our specialists on the subject are ready to assist you.
Please fill in the form below to receive a non-binding quote for your new tyres. To provide you with the most accurate price quote, it is crucial that you fully and correctly specify the size of your tires, including the speed rating and load index. If you would like a quote for ‘runflat’ or ‘seal’ tyres, please be sure to mention this. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the quote based on incomplete information.
These are run-flat, self-supporting tyres. They are designed with reinforced sidewalls that help support the weight of the car and ensure that the tyre can continue to be driven after pressure loss. You can still reach your destination at a low speed but should have your tyre replaced as soon as possible by one of our specialists.
These tyres are provided with a liquid adhesive layer on the inside. If a sharp object penetrates the tire, this layer prevents air from escaping. Often, if a (small) sharp object penetrates the tyre, the tyre does not need to be replaced or repaired.
Some tyres are equipped with high-tech systems that reduce rolling noise and vibrations.
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