Tires – you rely on them to get around from work to home to everywhere you need to go. And yet, so many of us don’t really understand what makes them operate. Knowing the different components of a tire, the materials used to make them, and the reason for different compounds are all fundamental to understanding your vehicle. Continue reading as we break down what tires are made of and all the different parts involved.
For personalized advice, contact our team at Carlisle TyrFil today.
Modern Tire Construction
Tire technology has come far over the past few decades. These days, tire construction is a complex work of art, balancing physics and chemistry to make driving a safe experience. Depending on the particular product you purchase and your manufacturer of choice, the design of your tire will differ significantly. However, your standard tire will include hundreds of different components.
The combination of materials and construction processes used in the design of your tire will affect its strengths, weaknesses, and performances. Tires are constructed for different purposes, and the modern market can offer tires for every vehicle and characteristic you might be looking for. Tires can be made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyester, and much more.
Parts of a Tire
When we think about the materials used in a tire, most people will think of rubber first and foremost. Rubber is absolutely the main material used in tires, but there are many others involved in the final product as well. You might find over 200 raw materials within a tire. These are combined with rubber compounds, ultimately designs to create the various components and working parts of a tire’s construction. These work together to create sections of the tire such as the sidewall, tread, ribs, belts, grooving, and more.
Here are some of the main components that make up the composition of a tire:
Sidewall
The walls holding up the structure of the tire need to be both tough and flexible at once to protect the integrity.
Tread
The exterior part of the tire that directly touches the road is carved to provide key friction and grip for a safe drive.
Inner-Liner
This is the innermost part of the tire, usually made of synthetic rubber and designed to hold air pressure within the tire.
Bead
This is the component of the tire that wraps around the rip of your car, securing the tire safely to the rim itself. This is typically built with a steel cable coated in rubber.
Plies
The body ply of a tire is built with multiple layers of varying materials, typically utilizing cords to strengthen the tire overall.
Belts
The cords of the ply layer and the tread have a layer between them, and this is the belt. Belts help to absorb shock and strengthen the tread.
Rubber Compounding
Tire manufacturers are going to opt for different materials and compounds in order to suit their needs most appropriately. Individualized technologies are going to rely on different components, which are each designed to provide their own benefits. Something heavily involved in these designs is rubber compounding, which uses chemical reactions in a similar way to baking bread.
Different ingredients are mixed together to produce compounds with specific traits and characteristics. For example, the compound used for the exterior tread on a tire is designed to provide traction and mileage. In contrast, interior rubber compounds in the tire serve a different purpose, instead made to adhere to the inner belt system and offer greater stability.
The Materials That Make Up a Tire
Current tire technology combines a wide range of chemicals and materials to optimize performance. You’ll find that a tire is typically only made up of one third rubber, while other ingredients will comprise the rest of the product. Here are some of the typical materials that make a tire:
- Natural rubber
- Synthetic rubber (Butyl, Polybutadiene, Styrene-Butadiene, and Halogenated Polyisobutylene)
- Steel wire
- Nylon fabric
- Polyester fabric
- Ravon fabric
- Antioxidants
- Zinc oxide
- Sulfur
- Carbon black filler
- Natural fillers
- And many, many more!
Contact Carlisle TyrFil for High-Quality Tire Products
Tires are complex. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert to find the very best product available to suit your vehicle. Here at Carlisle TyrFil, our goal is to educate people on effective tire choices and provide the highest-quality products available on the market. If you have more questions about how tires work and what type of tire is best for your unique vehicular needs, our team of experts is ready to lend a hand.