Tread Elements that Make Winter Tires Stand Up to the Test

The tread design on winter tires is truly meant to stand up to the test of harsh conditions. I mean, just look at this one. So, let’s take a deeper look.

First, many winter tires have lots of deep grooves, which can run circumferentially and laterally around the tire. A tire’s network of grooves helps reduce hydroplaning on wet, slushy roads, very important for winter weather. In deep snow, a winter tire’s grooves also get filled with snow, and that’s a good thing, since the snow in the groove creates friction with the snow on the road, adding to a winter tire’s grip. This also provides greater stability for the vehicle when traveling in snow.

Another aspect of a winter tire that adds to its grip is its sipes. There are some of the smallest features on a tire with some of the biggest benefits. A sipe is a small slit in the tire’s tread block that creates additional tread surface area for increased grip.

As a tire rolls, the sipes will open up to take in water and or snow and remove it from the contact patch of the tire. The extra biting edges provided by the sipes enhance grip for a variety of driving situations, particularly in inclement weather. Sipes also help fine-tune each tire’s handling, ride and wear characteristics.

As a rule of thumb, the more sipes and grooves a tire has and the deeper they are, the more traction the tire will have.

While each tire manufacturers’ siping technology is different, many manufacturers have introduced 3-D sipe technology that actually changes direction inside the tread. The two edges created by the cut can interlock to re-stiffen a rubber tread block when making contact with the roadway.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.