Center Tread Wear....

[gaijinnv]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
The math does not lie as long as your assumptions are reasonable and reflect the real world. For example, if the mileage vs tread depth graph is not linear but rather exponential (or asymptotic), then the wear will no longer be the same.

Now you might ask why the graph would be non-linear? It could be by the design e.g. different gradation of tire compound on the surface. Or it could be because as tire wears out, it rotates faster for the same amount of mileage which causes it to wear out even more.


Doesn't matter.

After any even number of rotations, each individual tire will have been run an equal amount of time on both front and rear axles.

Doesn't matter what the relative wear rates are front to back, or whether the wear rate is linear or non-linear, it all adds up to the same amount of wear.

Where you run into problems is when you do not maintain the same mileage between rotations, then tires will spend an unequal amount of time on front and rear resulting in uneven wear.

 

[Vikas]

What are the disadvantage of deeper blocks on a passenger vehicle tires? Why not start with a humongous tread-depth? For example, if tread-depth were doubled, the tire will give twice the mileage.

Obviously, there must be something wrong with this approach as no tire manufacturer does this. Would handling become too mushy? Would tread blocks start separating from the carcass of the tire?

the other day I saw relatively deep blocks on a semi trailer tire and that started me thinking.

 

[supton]

I'd assume the wear would be much faster, as the tire can squirm. Faster, or just simply lousy handling. Also, as the blocks squirm I'd think the tires would run hotter from the friction.

Now, regroovable tires might be something.

 

[Rand]

since tires have a shelf life of about 6 years --possibly 10 in some parts of the country under ideal conditions

a 100000 mile tire would last the average person between 5 and 10 years.

Probably a very limited market for a 100000mi+ passenger car tire.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
What are the disadvantage of deeper blocks on a passenger vehicle tires? Why not start with a humongous tread-depth? For example, if tread-depth were doubled, the tire will give twice the mileage.

Obviously, there must be something wrong with this approach as no tire manufacturer does this. Would handling become too mushy? Would tread blocks start separating from the carcass of the tire?

the other day I saw relatively deep blocks on a semi trailer tire and that started me thinking.


First, the wear rate is not uniform as the tire wears. It is more rapid at the beginning, and slows down as it approaches wear out.

Why? Just as you speculated, the tread becomes more stiff as the tread wears and that causes the wear to be less rapid.

But what you've stated the principle behind several quirky things in tires - All Terrain vs All Season. Winter vs All Season, etc.