Anatomy of a Tire

Modern tire technology blends a unique mix of chemistry, physics, and engineering to give tires a high degree of comfort, performance, fuel efficiency, reliability, and safety. Many tires are custom-designed to meet the stresses and performance needs of a specific vehicle or climate. If properly cared for, tires can provide thousands of reliable miles.

Tire Breakdown

• Plies
  • Plies function as the structure of the tire and give strength to contain the pressure after inflation. Along with strength, it also provides flexibility.
• Sipes
  • Sipes are the grooves or channels in a tire's tread that improves the tire's grip or traction to the road.
• Bead
  • Tire bead gives the tire an air-tight fit to the wheel.
• Belts
  • Belts give stability and strength to area around the tread of the tire.
• Sidewall
  • The sidewall of the tire is located on the outside of the tire. It is made up of a rubber compound to cover the body plies which provides protection from the road and curb damage. 
• Tread
  • Tread is the portion of the tire that meets the road. It is a rubber compound with tread patterns to provide grip and traction. Tread patterns are dependent on the type of weather or conditions the tire is intended to be used in.
• Shoulder
  • The shoulder is where the tread and the sidewall meet.