Tires Tread Patterns: Their Pros and Cons

What is tread? You might already know about it, but for those unaware, the tread is a layer of rubber covering the tire that comes in contact with the road.

If you observe a tire, you will find that there are numerous patterns on the tread. These tread patterns are not there just to increase the aesthetic appeal of the tire, but they serve an important purpose. These patterns can affect your vehicle's performance in different weather conditions (rain, snow, mud). So understanding these tire tread pattern and their pros and cons is a must for every driver.

There are different types of tread patterns. Some enhance handling, offer better grip on slippery surfaces, while others offer better cornering power and much more. Next time you buy a tire, focus on the tread pattern and buy the one most compatible with your driving requirements.

Types of Tread Patterns

Directional/ Unidirectional Tread Pattern

This tread pattern is in the shape of an arrow. Moreover, as the name suggests, these tires only move in a single direction, hence known as unidirectional. The arrow-shaped pattern enhances the water-removal process when driving on a wet road, so these tires are often used for sports cars that run on wet terrains.

Directional tread patterns can also be carved on tires that run on light snowy and muddy roads—the arrow points in the direction in which the tire is supposed to be moving.

Pros

• Protection against aquaplaning.
• It offers grip on slippery surfaces.
• Enhanced traction even at high speeds.

Cons:

• The unidirectional pattern makes the tread life shorter.

Symmetrical Tread Pattern

A symmetrical tread pattern is the most common design found on passenger car tires. The tire can rotate in both directions because the tread pattern is symmetrical on the tire. The design might have grooves, lugs, or a combination of them. They offer great traction and improved tread life.

These tires are designed to offer better fuel mileage because of their low rolling resistance. For people who drive daily on short distances and commercial vehicles that carry passengers, these tires provide the best value to the money.

Pros:

• Smoother driving.
• Enhanced stability.
• Low rolling resistance.

Cons:

• No high-performance properties.
• A low grip on wet surfaces.

Asymmetrical Tread Pattern

Both the inner and outer shoulders of the tire have different tread patterns. These patterns offer outstanding performance and improved traction and stability in wet and dry conditions.

Breaking it down further shows us that the pattern on the crown or middle section of the tire improves traction on wet roads. In comparison, the large tread blocks on the outer side offer better grip on dry roads.

Pros:

• Outstanding handling.
• Good grip in wet conditions.

Cons:

• They are expensive and have low tread life.

Directional/Asymmetrical

Pros:

• The tires with directional/asymmetrical tread patterns offer strong traction and handling ability on wet and dry roads.

Cons:

• The tires with this sort of tread design are unique and hard to find.
• They are also very expensive and their use can be limited in certain locations.