Understanding Tires

The tread on a tire can tell you a lot about what kind of tire it is and how it is likely to perform in various conditions.

1. Sipes
   
   • More sipes — higher wet traction
   • Solid blocks — better tear resistance in gravel, etc.
2. Lateral grooves
   
   • Open — improved mud, sand and snow traction
   • Closed — quiet and higher cornering power on highway
3. Shoulder blocks
   
   • Open — higher traction
   • Closed — quiet and higher cornering on highway
4. Centre rib
   
   • Solid — responsive highway handling
   • No rib (lugs) — higher traction
5. Circumferential grooves
   
   • Wide and clear — improved water dispersion at highway speeds
   • Zigzag and lugs — improved off road and snow traction

The U.S. Department of Transportation markings signify that the tire meets DOT tire-safety standards. The DOT markings help track the tire in the same way a lot number tracks a food product.

• The first two characters designate the tire manufacturer and plant code. This could be important if the tire receives a safety recall.
• Characters three and four denote the tire size.
• The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth (optional) characters identify the brand as well as other characteristics important to the manufacturer.
• The final four numbers denote the date the tire was produced. The first two indicate the week, and the last numbers specify the year.

• More sipes — higher wet traction
• Solid blocks — better tear resistance in gravel, etc. Lateral grooves
• Open — improved mud, sand and snow traction, higher traction
• Closed — quiet and higher cornering power on highway Shoulder blocks, Centre rib
• Solid — responsive highway handling
• No rib (lugs) — higher traction Circumferential grooves
• Wide and clear — improved water dispersion at highway speeds
• Zigzag and lugs — improved off road and snow traction