1. By type of tread pattern and operating conditions:
- road tires (summer) - designed for use on highways. The tread pattern consists of blocks or ribs separated by grooves, usually narrow;
- universal tires - designed for use on both highways and dirt roads. The tread pattern consists of blocks or ribs and may have lugs (massive projections) along the edges of the tread;
- All-terrain tires - used for off-road and soft soil conditions. They have a sparse tread pattern with developed lugs along the edges and powerful non-deformable blocks in the center of the tread;
- All-season tires R+W («Road» + + «Winter» - road and winter) - are intended for use both in winter and summer. Provide acceptable performance characteristics for year-round use on highways and dirt roads. The pattern is more sparse than that of road ones and may have microgrooves (slats), providing traction on icy and snowy roads;
- winter tires M+S («Mud» +» Snow» -dirt and snow) - are intended for use in winter. There are two types of winter tires:
A) non-studded, made from soft types of rubber, most often having a directional pattern with a large number of sipes and intended mainly for use on cleared roads in large cities;
b) studded or studdable, made of medium-hard rubber and having studs or marked places for mounting studs. The tread pattern is sparse, with a developed network of lamellas, in some cases approaching off-road tire models. Provide good cross-country ability on deep snow and remove snow slush well. Studded tires have better grip on ice and packed snow, but on hard road surfaces the grip worsens. Have increased noise.
2. By the type of tread pattern.
Depending on the arrangement of the elements, the tread pattern may be non-directional A (Fig. 14.3), directed B or asymmetric B.
Fig. 14.3. Types of tread patterns: A - symmetrical; B - directional; C - asymmetrical
Non-directional pattern - symmetrical relative to the radial plane of the wheel (passing through its axis of rotation). It is the most universal, therefore most tires are produced with this pattern.
Directional drawing - symmetrical relative to the central plane of rotation of the wheel (passing through the middle of the tread). It has an improved ability to drain water from the contact patch with the road and reduced noise. The spare wheel only matches the direction of rotation of the wheels on one side of the car, but its temporary installation on the other side is permissible if driving at low speed.
Asymmetrical pattern - asymmetrical relative to the central plane of rotation of the wheel. It is used to implement different properties in one tire. For example, the outer side of the tire works better on a dry road, and the inner side - on a wet one.
3. By the method of sealing the cavity.
Tires come with or without a tube.
Tubeless tires are generally considered more reliable than tires with a tube because when a tire is punctured, the air leaves it only through the puncture hole, while in tires with a tube, the air flows out of the tire cavity around the entire circumference of the mounting hole, since the tightness of this connection is broken. Therefore, a tubeless tire leaves more time for maneuvering before driving on a damaged wheel becomes dangerous. In addition, tubeless tires are lighter than their counterparts with a tube.
On the side of a tubeless tire you can find the designation «Tubeless», «TB», on board the chamber - «Tubetype», «Tubed Tire».
4. By the arrangement of threads in the frame and breaker:
- - diagonal tires. Diagonal tires A (Fig. 14.4) have a frame made of one or more pairs of cord layers, arranged so that the threads of adjacent layers cross.
Fig. 14.4. Types of tire carcass: A - bias tire; B - radial tire; 1 - seating surfaces; 2 - rim; 3 - cord threads; 4 - breaker; 5 - sidewall; 6 - tread
You probably won't have to choose your tires based on this feature, as bias tires have been almost completely replaced by radial tires. Bias tires are an outdated design, but they continue to be produced in small quantities because they are relatively cheap to produce. The only advantage of these tires is that they have stronger sidewalls;
- - radial tires. In a radial B tire, the carcass cord is stretched from one side to the other without overlapping threads. The direction of the thread tension follows from the name.
The thin soft shell of the frame is covered on the outer surface with a powerful flexible breaker - a belt made of high-strength non-stretchable cord, usually steel. Therefore, to the inscription «radial» (radial) on the sidewalls of tires are often added «belted» (girt) or «steel belted» (belted with steel).
This arrangement of cord layers reduces the tension in the threads, which allows for a reduction in the number of layers, gives the carcass elasticity, reduces heat generation and rolling resistance.
Radial tires have many advantages, they are more comfortable, durable, stable, have lower rolling resistance. Diagonal tires are preferable off-road and with high impact loads on the wheel.