The Facts about Tire Tread Design and Bead
In the previous article, we focused on the subject of tire structural compositions and the basic types available. Now, in this article, we turn us our focus to the elements of those structural compositions. There are 2 basic elements: Tread design and bead. Let us first take a look at the tread design element.
1) Tread Design
What’s a tread? Okay, when you place a tire on the ground, well…it touches the ground, right? So the part that touches the ground is actually the tread. When it comes to tread patterns, well, there’s a ton of them. The diversity of patterns is pretty much endless. Not all treads work the same way. You see, certain treads work extremely well on wet surfaces, while other treads excel when used on dry pavement surfaces. So which treads are best? Should you get tires with wet surfaces-friendly treads or ones with dry pavement-friendly treads?
Answer: Get the best of both worlds! All you have to do is purchase tires called “all-season.” They do well on both wet and dry surfaces. Thankfully, many modern passenger cars come pre-installed with all-season tires. In addition to all-season tires, there are other types of tires known as specialized tires. One of the most popular specialized tires on the market is snow tires. They are equipped with treads that are deeply ribbed to ensure optimal traction when driven on winter road conditions.
It is worth noting that one should not use snow tires while speeding on dry pavement surfaces. There’s a very solid reason for this. You see, snow tires have treads with slow heat dissipation rate. Regular tires on the other hand, possess treads with significantly faster heat dissipation, thus they won’t wear out as quickly when driven on dry pavement surfaces at high speeds. If you’re in a hurry to wear out the treads of your snow tire, then by all means, use them on dry pavement and speed away. They will wear out soon enough!
For highly improved traction when driving on icy road surfaces, the rubber tread of snow tires can be fixed with studs that are constructed of steel. Please be aware however that some states have decreed that it is illegal to drive on roads with vehicles equipped with studded tires. It is a reasonable decree since road pavement can get damaged quite easily with such tires. Using chains installed on the wheels is also another common approach for attaining optimal traction when driving on icy road surfaces. If you wish to use the aforementioned methods to tackle icy roads effectively, then please take the time to call up the local authorities before proceeding. Make sure you follow their rules, or you’re going to get in trouble.
Answer: Get the best of both worlds! All you have to do is purchase tires called “all-season.” They do well on both wet and dry surfaces. Thankfully, many modern passenger cars come pre-installed with all-season tires. In addition to all-season tires, there are other types of tires known as specialized tires. One of the most popular specialized tires on the market is snow tires. They are equipped with treads that are deeply ribbed to ensure optimal traction when driven on winter road conditions.
It is worth noting that one should not use snow tires while speeding on dry pavement surfaces. There’s a very solid reason for this. You see, snow tires have treads with slow heat dissipation rate. Regular tires on the other hand, possess treads with significantly faster heat dissipation, thus they won’t wear out as quickly when driven on dry pavement surfaces at high speeds. If you’re in a hurry to wear out the treads of your snow tire, then by all means, use them on dry pavement and speed away. They will wear out soon enough!
For highly improved traction when driving on icy road surfaces, the rubber tread of snow tires can be fixed with studs that are constructed of steel. Please be aware however that some states have decreed that it is illegal to drive on roads with vehicles equipped with studded tires. It is a reasonable decree since road pavement can get damaged quite easily with such tires. Using chains installed on the wheels is also another common approach for attaining optimal traction when driving on icy road surfaces. If you wish to use the aforementioned methods to tackle icy roads effectively, then please take the time to call up the local authorities before proceeding. Make sure you follow their rules, or you’re going to get in trouble.
2) Bead
So, what is this bead thing? It is basically the part of your vehicle’s tire that has been locked in place against the metal wheel rim. What this does is it creates a seal that’s completely airtight, therefore enabling the tire to remain solidly in its place. This arrangement is vital because a tire often absorbs a significant amount of strain whenever it is driven through corners at a high speed, or over road bumps. The forging of steel cables right into the rubber located within the bead part, helps strengthen the tire as a whole. For added security and safety, the tire bead is integrated with a special type of lid from the wheel rim. This method helps keep the bead well locked in place.
These days, off-road recreational activities are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, tire manufacturers have taken the step of producing specialized off-road tires complete with treads that are very deep, and they are extra wide as well. Also, they wear out very quickly when driven on dry pavement roads at high speeds – just like those snow tires I talked about earlier. So, before I end this article, I would like to advise you that when buying tires, make sure you get those that truly match your personal driving requirements.
These days, off-road recreational activities are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, tire manufacturers have taken the step of producing specialized off-road tires complete with treads that are very deep, and they are extra wide as well. Also, they wear out very quickly when driven on dry pavement roads at high speeds – just like those snow tires I talked about earlier. So, before I end this article, I would like to advise you that when buying tires, make sure you get those that truly match your personal driving requirements.
