What to Know about Trailer Tires and Wheels
Tracks
What to Know about Trailer Tires & Wheels By Al Henderson, Sr. Engineer, Kenda American Technology Center
Tire and wheel assemblies are an important part of every trailer and are the only trailer component that connects with the road. Understanding what is behind each tire and wheel assembly will help you be sure to have the right one for each situation as well as the ability to answer questions from your customers. After all, a tire that will carry a heavy load for a short distance can be quite different from a tire needed for a long-haul trailer. The information discussed below was featured in NATM’s Tires 101 webinar with Kenda Americana Tire & Wheel. To access the webinar, visit www.NATMShop.com.
of the tire over a larger area, making it beneficial for wear, handling, and traction. •
Cap plies—Comprised of cords of Nylon, Kevlar, or other fabric, the cap plies provide extra reinforcement to the tire during high speed. They also prevent belts and the carcass from expanding at high speeds due to centrifugal force.
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The tire tread is the most influential part of the tire. Composed of two rubber components—the tread cap and the tread base.
Many Components, One Tire Tires are a complex mixture of many components and layers. The most obvious components are treads and sidewalls but underneath is a complex blend of materials that make each tire perform differently. A single tire could have over 12 different rubber compounds.
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The tread cap gets the most wear and tear and is made of a combination of rubber and synthetic materials.
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The tread base adheres the cap to the belt system and helps stabilize the under tread area of the tire.
Tread design is composed of different rubber blocks, grooves, voids, and sipes—giving the tire its road gripping
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Steel Belts are thin steel wires woven into large sheets and sandwiched between layers of rubber. As the tire flexes in
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and out of compression, the steel belts help spread the load To access the Tires 101 webinar with Kenda Americana Tire and Wheel, visit www.NATMShop.com.
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September/October 2021
www.NATM.com
