Tyres when they come in contact with the road surface experience road resistance, and the harshness of the road surface. This makes the structural changes on the outer surface of the tyres. Have you ever wondered how tyres can overcome this resistance and can provide the grip and control to the driver needed for smooth and safe driving? The answer lies on the outer surface of the tyre known as the tread.

Tread of the tyres Chesham, is the rubber part of the tyre which comes in direct contact with the road surface. This part has a cap that is known to provide grip, resistance to wear and tear, and stability while driving. The part inner to the cap is known as the base and is also a part of the tyre tread acts as a protection layer for the internal casing of the tyre and also helps in reducing the rolling resistance of the tyre. Finally, the outer edges of the tyre tread known as the shoulders protect the sidewalls and work with other parts of the tread to provide a comfortable grip and control during driving.

Tyre Tread Patterns

But, the roads are not the same everywhere. Some roads are made of concrete and some roads made of hard stones. Some surfaces are dusty and hot and some surfaces are very smooth for the perfect drive. One can also find slippery roads in the rainy season and roads covered with snow and ice in the winter season. It is the tyre tread that can overcome the challenges of the different kinds of road surfaces and provides the comfort drive to the drivers. To overcome these varying road surfaces tyre treads come in different design patterns. Features and functionalities of each tread pattern are given below:

Directional tread designs

These types of designs are preferred for driving on snow-covered roads. The tyre tread is made up of an arrow based pattern. Due to this pattern, the vehicle attains increased directional stability and greater control. These tyres are known to rotate in one direction and have the ability to remove water accumulating between the tyre and the road surfaces. This reduces the aquaplaning and thus gives good control on slippery surfaces, muddy surfaces. These types of tread patterns can be noticed in winter tyres and tyres suitable for all-season.

Symmetric tread designs

These design patterns are used in producing tyres known for fuel-efficiency and comfort drive. The tyres’ tread patterns have symmetrical designs on both its halves and thus these tyres can rotate in both front and backward direction. Due to symmetrical design, the tyres  can reduce rolling resistance experienced by the vehicle and thus reduce the energy demands. This, in turn, reduces fuel consumption and makes these kinds of tyres fuel-efficient ones.

Asymmetric tread design

These design patterns are used on those tyres which are known for speed and high-performances. Such types of tyres have different tread designs on its inner edges and outer edges. The inner edges designs are made in such a manner to reduce water-logging and thus prevent the vehicle to skid in wet conditions. The outer edges have blocks of tread rigid and with good depth to make them stiffness needed for cornering at high speed, giving control at high speed, and driving on dry surfaces. The combination of inner and outer tread design makes the tyre suitable for gaining perfect control at high speeds and acceleration.

Flow-optimized design

This design pattern is a combination of the asymmetrical design pattern and the directional design pattern. A new of its kind this tread design is known to reduce the effects of aquaplaning, and resistance experienced by the tyres. The directional design helps in water drainage and reduces aquaplaning while the asymmetrical design on outer areas allows the tyre to have control and grip during cornering and acceleration.

Next time, take care of the tyre tread patterns before buying a car tyre. Ensure you select the best tyre tread design suitable based on your driving needs.