A dissection of a tire provided by the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
TREAD:
Provides traction and cornering grip
BELTS:
Stabilize and strengthen the tread
SIDEWALL:
Protects the side of the tire from road and curb damage
BODY PLY:
Gives the tire strength and flexibility
BEAD:
Assures an air-tight fit with the wheel
INNERLINER:
Keeps air inside the tire
Modern tire technology blends a unique mix of chemistry, physics and engineering to give consumers a high degree of comfort, performance, efficiency, reliability and safety. Many tires are custom-designed to meet the stresses and performance needs specified by the maker of a particular model vehicle. Every tire is carefully inspected, and random samples are pulled for additional safety tests. As part of these tests, tires are x-rayed, cut apart and examined, run on test wheels, or road-tested to evaluate handling, mileage and traction performance. If properly cared for, tires can last a long time - usually from 40,000 to 80,000 miles, depending on the application.
Provided by the Rubber Manufacturers Association Guide to Tire Safety
