How Commercial Tire Tread Design Affects Driving Performance
As the point of contact between your commercial vehicle and the road, tires heavily influence handling, traction and performance. Tire tread patterns have unique designs for specific purposes, including enhancing gripping power and braking. Selecting the right tire tread pattern can increase tire lifespan, improve maneuverability and enhance driver comfort.
Types of Tread Patterns
Each of the following tread patterns is designed to help your commercial vehicle navigate different terrains and road conditions:
Rib tread: This type of tire tread has S-shaped gaps that run parallel in one direction. They offer low rolling resistance, enhanced fuel economy, good steering and low noise generation. Rib treads are ideal for highway driving and long-haul applications.
Lug tread: Lug treads feature perpendicular grooves that flow in a lateral pattern. They’re resistant to punctures and cuts, making them a good option on unpaved surfaces like dirt roads and construction sites.
Rib-lug tread: This pattern combines the best of rib and lug tread designs, creating shapes that provide advanced traction. Rib-lug treads enhance braking power and acceleration, so they’re useful on paved surfaces and dirt roads. Rib-lug tire treads aren’t intended for off-road applications.
Asymmetrical tread: The tread pattern differs across the tire surface. The inner portion of the tire has deeper grooves for water evacuation, while the outer section improves traction and cornering stability. Asymmetrical treads are effective for all-season tires.
Directional tread: Lateral grooves converge at the center of the tire in directional tread designs. That allows for efficient water drainage, making for better braking on wet surfaces.
Block tread: Tires with block treads have independent sections of sipes separated by interconnected grooves that help reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Block treads offer reliable gripping on snowy and muddy terrain.
How Design Impacts Traction and Handling
Water Evacuation and Hydroplaning Prevention
Tire treads with wide lateral grooves and directional patterns support traction and braking while driving in wet conditions. The design helps channel water out through hollow grooves, whether they run laterally or circumferentially, allowing more of the tire’s surface to touch the road. That reduces the risk of hydroplaning, protecting your commercial operators and other drivers.
Improved Handling in Seasonal Conditions
Snow, ice and mud can make it difficult to brake and maneuver safely, especially on paved surfaces. Block treads have deeper grooves, wide tread blocks, softer rubber compounds and small cuts called sipes to direct liquid and debris away from your tires. Sipes provide additional traction on the edge of commercial tires, which is crucial if you drive on icy roadways.
Asymmetrical and directional treads are better suited to dry and wet driving conditions. The larger block pattern offers more surface contact, which benefits braking and cornering stability. The shallower grooves direct water away to prevent hydroplaning.
Rolling Resistance and Fuel Efficiency
Rib tire treads feature a less aggressive design that reduces rolling resistance and heat buildup during operation. That contributes to better fuel economy and smoother driving, especially on paved roads. More heavy-duty tread designs, like lug treads, have deeper voids for added grip in off-road applications, but they increase rolling resistance. That can jack up your fuel expenses, so it’s best to avoid using those types of tires on highways and streets.
Selecting the Best Tire Tread Design for Your Fleet
Assess the following factors before selecting a commercial tire tread pattern for your fleet:
- Type of vehicle: The tread that works for a semi driving on paved roads may not offer the same benefits for a dump truck on a construction site.
- Load requirements: Tread design should be able to accommodate your vehicle’s load capacity without sustaining excess wear and tear.
- Driving conditions (paved, gravel, dirt, etc.): Sipes, blocks and groove patterns vary based on the environment in which they’re designed to operate.
- Weather conditions and climate: It’s important to consider how often you’ll encounter rain, ice and snow. Extreme temperatures can also affect the rubber compounds of commercial tires.
- Rolling resistance: The size of the tread influences rolling resistance, which can affect the fuel efficiency of your commercial fleet.
- Noise level: You’ll need to consider your vehicle’s purpose when selecting tire treads, as different designs produce various noise levels during operation.
Leading Commercial Tire Brands at Bauer Built
Whether you need tires for a long-haul fleet or heavy-duty equipment, Bauer Built can help you find the right commercial tire to suit your needs. We carry a variety of leading tire manufacturers, including Michelin, BF Goodrich, Hercules and many more. Use our tire selector to find what you need, or contact your nearest location for assistance.
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