Tread Design

Tread Design: Asymmetric, Directional or Symmetrical? The constant challenge for the manufacturers is to make functional safe tyres without making them look like a random arrangement of rubber that's just been glued to a tyres surface. Essentially, the manufacturer has three basic types of tread pattern to work from.

Symmetrical Consistent tread pattern across the tyre's surface. Both sides of the tread face are the same design. These types of tyres are usually used on smaller size tyres or commercial vehicle tyres. Asymmetrical Here the tread pattern is virtually totally different across the face of the tyre. These designs incorporate larger tread blocks on the outer portion for increased stability during cornering. The smaller inner blocks make greater use of the grooves to help disperse water and heat. They do tend to be unidirectional tyres. Directional This design is intended to rotate in one direction only. They have the lowest rolling resistance of all tyres types’ thus enhancing straight-line acceleration and shorter stopping distances. Unidirectional tyres must be dedicated to a specific side of the vehicle and so the tyres sidewall will always include a rotational direction arrow,so make sure these are turning the right way!