The car tyre lingo to get clued up on for your next garage trip

Tyres are a crucial part of what makes a car work. They’re the only point of contact between the vehicle and the road, after all, so ensuring that they’re up to scratch is important in terms of safety.

It’s why thousands of people are required to change their tyres each year. But tyres are also accompanied by some quite confusing terms, turning them into a bit of a head-scratcher if you’re not used to them. We’ve spoken to Fuzz Townshend, ambassador for Landsail Tyres, about the key terminology to bear in mind the next time you need new tyres.

Sipes

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Though sipes might sound like some kind of bad-guy from a sci-fi movie, they’re actually a key part of a tyre’s design. They’re the small slits in the tread that help to ‘move’ water away from the tyre and help them to perform in wet conditions more effectively.

Plus, sipes help to provide better grip on snow and ice, giving more confidence-inspiring handling in the process.

Carcass

The carcass is what the entirety of the tyre is based around. You could think of it as the tyre’s ‘framework’ and it’s all built up from different layers of tyre cord. Sometimes, when a tyre is completely worn through and in desperate need of replacement you’ll see this cord exposed.

But the carcass is also what allows the tyre to absorb any shocks or extra weight. Through this it helps to make the car more comfortable.

Tread

The tyre’s tread is one of its most identifiable aspects. It’s the patterned part which has direct contact with the road and you’ll find that different tyres bring with them different treads depending on the type of job they’re doing.

All-seasons and winter tyres will have more aggressive treads, for example, while track-focused versions will have less tread.

Sidewall

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It’s worth thinking of a sidewall as the main port of call for all of the information you need about a tyre. On it, you’ll find the tyre’s make and model as well as its size and speed rating. If you need to know anything about a particular tyre, you’ll find it on the sidewall.

To make things easier, the sidewall is also the main part of a tyre that you’ll see when it’s been fitted to the vehicle.

Shoulder

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The shoulder of the tyre is just where you’d expect it to be – between the tread and the sidewall. It’s here that the tyre is really tested, too, but it can also be an area which shows up ‘irregular’ wear.

For example, if your vehicle has a tracking issue or a collapsed control arm, this shoulder area will show a lot more wear than the rest of the tyre does. You’ll need to get those mechanical issues rectified or this wear will just continue.

Bead

A tyre’s bead plays a really big role in the whole operation. It’s the inside band that fits over and onto the rim of the wheel, helping to hold it in place.

Not only does it secure the tyre on the rim, but it also helps to stop it from shifting about when the vehicle is up and running

Compound

A tyre’s compound is central to the type of job that it’s meant to do. The compound refers to the blend of materials that make up the rubber of the tyre and it can be adapted to be harder or softer depending on the need.

For instance, a softer compound tyre will provide better grip but be less hard-wearing – so it’s great for track tyres. Fans of Formula 1 will no doubt already be pretty clued up on tyre compounds – all teams in the sport frequently change tyres depending on the weather situation and the compound that will suit them best.