Tyres

[HDi fun]

We all know, or at least we should all know, that tyres are crucial to the safety and driveability of your car. They're not just round black rubber things that are replaced simply out of sheer necessity.

Focussing on tread patterns alone, what do you think about the merits of traditional symmetrical tread patterns versus assymetic tread patterns versus directional tread patterns?

I think that there are definite merits for having either of the latter. But these, too, come in many variants.

Is tread pattern a fashion thing?

The current vogue is for assymetric patterns and I have had good results with assymetric tyres. But I have also had equally good results with directional tyres.

Do you place any importance on the visual appeal of a tread pattern?

Are tyre makers working harder than ever to make their products visually appealing to the aftermarket buyer?

Does this year's tread pattern REALLY work better than that of last year in terms of driveability?

 

[pedritomerol]

i think tyres will work thier best depending the situation

 

[obi_waynne]

I think that fashion comes into this a lot but you need a proper scientific road test to determine the optimum for a given car in a given situation.

Personally I like the cornering feel of direction V grooved tread patterns. You only really notice it up near the limits of adhesion so for most drivers and most cars I don't think the tread pattern really matters.

Manufacturers sometimes specify a tread pattern and they do this for a reason. I seem to recall that the MGF required a specific type of tyre and the handling was seriously compromised when other tread patterns were used.

Assymetrics are the best all round tyres, giving both cornering grip and straight line stability.

Most symetrical tread patterns just seem to be a compromise to me. P6000's are a good case in point of this. Each wheel has half a tyre with grooves in each direction, surely this will mean that all tyres get slightly less grip than they would with a tyre made for that corner of the car.

Patterns also do not scale well. A motorport 350 width tyre will have a specific pattern and by the time this is reduced to a 200 or 225 width I wouldn't mind betting you have lost the overall dynamics of the original design

 

[davevm]

follow the leader

 

[davevm]

I would say wider lands in the center for grip and traction and smaller threads on sides for low noise.

 

[zambon]

I did a lot of tire research on different types of tires online & a site helped me in making up my mind on the tires i bought [ Continental Extreme Contacts D.W.S.] I got the DWS's because of the snow in Central Ontario

 

[jarrus]

I think that fashion comes into this a lot but you need a proper scientific road test to determine the optimum for a given car in a given situation.

Personally I like the cornering feel of direction V grooved tread patterns. You only really notice it up near the limits of adhesion so for most drivers and most cars I don't think the tread pattern really matters.

Manufacturers sometimes specify a tread pattern and they do this for a reason. I seem to recall that the MGF required a specific type of tyre and the handling was seriously compromised when other tread patterns were used.

Assymetrics are the best all round tyres, giving both cornering grip and straight line stability.

Most symetrical tread patterns just seem to be a compromise to me. P6000's are a good case in point of this. Each wheel has half a tyre with grooves in each direction, surely this will mean that all tyres get slightly less grip than they would with a tyre made for that corner of the car.

Patterns also do not scale well. A motorport 350 width tyre will have a specific pattern and by the time this is reduced to a 200 or 225 width I wouldn't mind betting you have lost the overall dynamics of the original design

I think you're on to something here waynne,

I was thinking about this the other day, I thought to myself why do all the good tread designs reserved for 205 /45/16 tyresand upwards?
I think you're right there, that the same tread pattern (Take Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT's for example) on a 195/50/15 wouldn't perform as well as a tyre that's been designed around a smaller width even though the design on the more expensive tyre is better.

However though, Hankooks V12 EVO's are supposed to be a really good tyre also but they do offer it in my size so it's a tough one....

also the Hankook is a directional pattern and the Dunlop is aysmetric and I think this would also have something to so with it.