Tread is the general term for the part of a tire that makes contact with a road or any off-road surfaces. When they make their products, automotive tire manufacturers give extensive thought to the types of treads they put on each specific model in their inventory. Depending on the manufacturer’s goals, a tread can be made from varying combinations of rubber and other materials, and also contain a groove pattern that emphasizes certain desired road handling characteristics.
Tire treads (and other parts of a tire) are made from a combination of natural rubber and manmade or synthetic rubbers, as well as additional substances — including carbon black and silica — that changes the chemical composition of the rubber and help determine the tread’s specific properties. Generally speaking, driving properties affected by the materials in a tire’s tread include overall durability, stopping capability (traction), handling or cornering in turns, smoothness of ride, fuel efficiency and noise levels during operation.
Tire manufacturers make products with different tread materials for different segments of their business. For instance, some tire models feature tread materials that provide exceptional longevity and durability, while other models feature tread materials that provide exceptional handling in one or more weather conditions. 4×4 truck tires such as Nitto Terra Grapplers and the Nitto Mud Grappler commonly feature treads designed to handle the tough surface conditions associated with off-road driving. Some tire models, like the Toyo Open Country ATIII, contain materials that make them suited for both off-road and on-road applications.
During the tire manufacturing process, specialized molds imprint the tread of each tire model with a characteristic groove pattern that also helps determine how the tire performs in real-world conditions. General types of patterns include asymmetric patterns, symmetric patterns, directional patterns and non-directional patterns. Asymmetric tires feature different groove patterns on the inner and outer portions of the tread’s surface. These varying patterns—which are typically found on all-season car and truck models such as the Kumho Ecsta, Kumho Solus, Yokohama Avid and Toyo Extensa –help the tire stay in contact with the road in a wide range of driving conditions. Symmetric tires feature groove patterns that stay the same throughout the tread’s surface and allow the tire to handle more limited weather conditions.
Directional tire is a general term for tires with treads that only do their job properly when mounted in a single, forward-facing direction. Most asymmetric tire treads fall in this category. Non-directional tire is a general term used to describe tires with treads that work properly when mounted in either direction. Most symmetric tires fall in this category.
Within general categories for tire tread patterns; all major manufacturers produce treads with customized or proprietary designs. These designs typically emphasize one or more ride characteristics that will appeal to different segments of the tire-purchasing market, and de-emphasize other characteristics that are unimportant to the targeted market segment. In order to choose effectively from their available options, consumers must know something about the conditions in which they intend to drive, as well as the specific things that matter to them in tire performance. Experienced tire retailers like ourselves, can help customers like you, determine these factors and make choices that best fit your driving needs.
So if you’re not sure what type of tread you might need or what car or truck tire would best suit your driving conditions, please reach out to us here at Next Tires. Our toll free number is 1-800-360-5459, and we’d be glad to help you find the right tire at the right price!
