Materials used to construct a tyre

Tyres act as a cushion for the wheels of your car when you’re driving around. Ever wondered just what materials are used to make them?

Let’s start by taking a squiz at this diagram.

While it’s easy to say that tyres are made of rubber (which, is true - natural rubber is the main ‘ingredient’ when making a tyre), as this diagram shows - there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface. Tyres need to tick many performance boxes, including safety, fuel efficiency, longevity and driving pleasure. Let’s delve deeper and run through some of the other materials used when making tyres.

Body Plies: these are layers of fabric that make up the tyre’s skeleton. Typically made of fibre cords, they are woven together and coated in rubber. This allows for flexibility without being elastic and provide strength.
Bead Wire: these are made from high-strength braided steel, coated in rubber. They create an airtight seal between the tyre and the rim of the wheel, holding the tyre firmly in place.
Steel Belts: these are made from woven sheets of steel wires coated in rubber. Steel belts are placed around the tyre to reinforce strength and provide rigidity.
Tread Grooves: the design and compound of the tyre’s tread will determine how well your vehicle performs. This is the soft area of the tyre where rubber meets road. Tread blocks are separated by deep grooves that allow your tyre to disperse water, mud and snow.

Now you have a basic overview of the materials used to construct a tyre, perhaps you might be wondering how old your current tyres are? Or maybe, you want to learn more about tyre tread? Lucky we have have you covered!