What is Tread on a Tire? What does Tire Tread Do?

What is the most important factor when you look for new tires? Sure, you want them to look cool, so your car is as sharp as possible. But there are more crucial aspects to consider than style, like price, how long they will last and most importantly, safety.

Your tires are one of the most critical parts of your vehicle in terms of safety. Modern tires are designed with specialized materials and tread engineered to deliver top-notch safety features.

So if you’re in the market for tires, you’ll want to understand a few key points. For our purposes here, we’ll focus on a tire’s tread. We’ll explain what tread is, what it does, why tread depth matters and more.

What Are Tire Treads?

The tread is the area of the tire that makes contact with the road’s surface. Many tires have different tread patterns. That’s because each design enhances your vehicle’s grip and handling differently for specific driving conditions. These are key features when it comes to safety.

So, what are you looking for with tire treads? Every tire tread consists of four main parts: tread blocks, grooves, ribs and sipes.

And each tread pattern has its purpose. We won’t go in depth on tread patterns here, because we have resources for more information: Tap or click here for our article explaining everything you need to know about tire tread patterns.

Why Do Tires Have Treads?

Tire treads are so much more important than most people would ever presume. Here are a few key roles treads play in your vehicle’s performance.

• Handling – Treads directly affect your vehicle’s handling and steering. If you’re primarily a highway driver, you’ll most likely want symmetrical tread patterns. These offer lower rolling resistance, higher stability and a smoother ride. Treads that are more asymmetric offer better grip on wet, slippery roads, impressive handling and increased curve stability.
• Traction – This is what we mean when talking about your car’s grip and control while driving. Good tire tread allows your vehicle to maintain traction for a safe and smooth ride. Tires with low treads have a better chance of sliding off the road on wet or icy roads.
• Braking and accelerating – Sufficient tire treads mean smooth acceleration and less chance of losing grip of the road’s surface or control of your vehicle. You’ll also be able to stop quickly and safely, especially during rainy weather. Your tire’s grooves allow water to escape, making it easier to brake.
• Fuel efficiency – Fuel economy is super important, especially when gas prices skyrocket. These days, fuel-efficient tires are built with a symmetrical tread pattern that could save you money at the gas pump.

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Why Tread Depth Matters

You’re reading a tire blog for a reason. Most likely, you’re wondering if it’s time to buy new tires and need some pointers. Since we’re discussing tire treads, let’s talk about the importance of tread depth.

First, what is tread depth? It’s the vertical distance from the top of the tread rubber to the bottom of the tire’s deepest grooves. New tires typically have 10/32″ to 11/32″ of original tread depth. Most states in the U.S. consider a tire legally worn out when it reaches approximately 2/32″.

Tread depth is not only a key to how safe your tires are to drive on, but it also plays a critical role in how comfortable your ride is. The more substantial tread depth, the more cushion between you and the road. This means a much more comfortable drive.

Pro tip: Ensure the same tread depth level on each tire for a safe and smooth ride. Checking tread depth is more detailed than simply looking by eye. It’s not complicated. In fact, there are a few DIY ways to get the job done right. Read our guide to 3 tire tread tests you can DIY.

What is tread width?

Another term you may have heard about is tread width. This is the distance between the two outer edges of your tire’s tread, not to be confused with a tire’s overall width, which is from sidewall exterior to sidewall exterior.

How thick is my tire?

You’ll find that most answers to the question, “how thick is a tire,” refer to tread depth, which is the measurement of the part of the tread that touches the road to the carcass of the tire. As we said, a new tire tread ranges from 10/32″ to 11/32,” and you should start shopping for tires when your depth hits about 4/32″.   

Below the tread are several layers comprised of steel belts, radial ply, liners and other materials. We aren’t sure why you’d want to know how thick they are – unless you’re trying to win a trivia game – but the thickness below the tread varies from tire to tire. 

• Bead: The tire layer responsible for sealing the wheel and the tire.
• Inner liner: The layer of the tire that maintains tire pressure. 
• Plies: Durable layers of rubber compounds made with polyester, nylon, rayon that provide support. The higher the ply rating, the greater the load range, the more weight a tire can support. Crown plies provide the foundation for the tread and are responsible for rolling resistance and handling.
• Steel belts: Steel belts are mesh layers in radial tires that, as you might guess, reinforce a tire’s strength. Steel belted tires tend to be more durable, although they can also be a little rougher on the ride. 

So, total sidewall thickness of a brand-new passenger tire ranges from 6 mm to 15 mm, or about .24 to .59 inch (Source: Interviewarea). Good luck with your trivia game!

If you have questions about which tire models are right for your vehicle, speak with a Tire Agent professional for all the necessary answers.

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