YES, EVEN TIRES HAVE PARTS

      There’s much more to a tire than “where the rubber hits the road.” Let’s look beneath the surface at the different parts of a tire so that you can follow along at your next service appointment.

The Basics

First, let’s start with some tire basics. Modern tires are made up of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fabric, and wire for structure, plus some other chemicals for grip. The part that hits the road is called the tread, typically broken into sections called tread blocks and covered in tiny cuts called sipes that enhance traction. Worn out tread is what typically brings you in to get new tires. Between tread blocks, you have grooves, which channel water away from the tire so you can brake on wet roads. The side of the tire is called the side wall, which protects the inside of a tire from damage. (It’s easy to see in those white-walled tires from the ‘50s, pictured on the right.

Under the Tread
Beneath the surface tread lies your tire belts, which are layers of fibers that hold the tire piles together. Tire piles run perpendicular to the tread and make up the body of the tire, giving it its strength and resistance to road damage. The final part of a tire you need to know is thetire bead, a steel cable that runs along the sidewall to keep the tire attached to the wheel.

Those are the main parts of a vehicle tire. Visit Mr. Goma, our staff is prepared to assist you!