You probably know what tire tread is: the part of the tire that makes contact with the road surface. But what you might not know is that the specific tire tread pattern your tire utilizes can impact how your tires perform, such as how they handle and how much traction they provide in different driving conditions. Let’s look deeper at both the elements of tire tread patterns as well as the three types you might run across in your search for new tires: Symmetric tread, asymmetric tread, and directional tread.
Bridgestone carries a variety of tires that cover all three tire tread types. Find the tire that fits your vehicle today!
THE INFORMATION ON YOUR TIRES
A standard set of interchangeability guidelines is governed by The Tire and Rim Association for all manufacturers of tires in the United States. They also have established relationships with most major tire manufacturers in Japan, Europe, South America, and other parts of Asia.
It’s important to understand that tires come in many different sizes that can determine the tire’s performance, their suitability for your specific vehicle, and their overall appropriateness for your driving needs. It is recommended that you check your owner’s manual to understand what size of tires are correct for your vehicle. The following information about your tire’s size and type may be found on its sidewall:
COST-EFFICIENT & COMFORTABLE: SYMMETRIC TREAD PATTERNS
The most common tread pattern in use on passenger tires is the symmetric tread pattern. In these types of patterns, the outer and inner sides of the tread are symmetric—that is, they are mirror images of one another. The tread blocks form continuous ribs around the tire.
Tires with a symmetric tread may use any type of rotation method – front-to-back, modified X or full X. An example of a symmetric tread pattern is the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus. At times, you might hear symmetric tread pattern tires referred to as “multi-directional”. This is because the tire can be mounted on the wheel and rotated in any direction without affecting performance.
PASSENGER TIRES
ECOPIA EP422 PLUS
Engineered to be more fuel to get more miles per tank
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DIRECTIONAL TIRES
POTENZA RE980AS
Optimized for crisp handling all year round. Find out more about Directional tires today.
SEE DETAILS
ENHANCED PERFORMANCE: ASYMMETRIC TREAD PATTERNS
Another tread type found on passenger tires is the asymmetric pattern. In these types of patterns, the inner and outer halves of the tread are designed with different channels and tread blocks. This design is intended to enhance performance such as water dispersal or dry grip and snow traction.
DIRECTIONAL TIRES
POTENZA RE980AS
Optimized for crisp handling all year round. Find out more about Directional tires today.
SEE DETAILS
PASSENGER TIRES
ECOPIA EP422 PLUS
Engineered to be more fuel to get more miles per tank
SEE DETAILS
DESIGNED TO PERFORM: DIRECTIONAL TREAD PATTERNS
Some tire tread patterns are designed for rolling in a unidirectional way, meaning in only one direction. These are called directional tread patterns and are often found in high-performance tires and winter tires. This V-shaped tread pattern helps move water more efficiently from under the contact patch to help boost hydroplaning resistance at higher speeds.
Since the channels only work if mounted with the V’s oriented correctly, once the tire is mounted, directional tires can only be rotated using a front-to-back and back-to-front pattern. Directional tires will feature an arrow on the sidewall indicating which direction they need to roll when mounted on the car.
DIRECTIONAL TIRES
POTENZA RE980AS
Optimized for crisp handling all year round. Find out more about Directional tires today.
SEE DETAILS
PASSENGER TIRES
ECOPIA EP422 PLUS
Engineered to be more fuel to get more miles per tank
SEE DETAILS
