Tunnels in the tire tread

[BillyHW]

I don't understand the point of this.

 

[CapriRacer]

I wonder if the point is to try something different and see how it goes. The tread seems to be designed to have better wear at the beginning, while not sacrificing wet traction, but improved hydroplaning resistance further down the road.

Let's see if that hole causes other problems.

 

[DuckRyder]

His camera work makes me dizzy.

Odd as it seems some tires do tend to pick up more FOD, i think they may tend to flip the nail into a more open tread Conti Van Contact were pretty bad about this with the very open groves.

Would be interesting to get a better look at the shape of the tunnel i would surmise it is something other than strictly round, like triangular but cannot really tell in the video.

Seems to be a variation of the "emerging grooves" used on the Premier AS line wonder what other sipes/groves change as the tire wears.

 

[Rand]

bizarre, the video is terrible.

 

[Kira]

Remember when tire companies printed brochures for each tire model? One for these would've been good.
Now all you can do is email Michelin.
Those tunnels are something I've never seen before.

WILD GUESS: Designed to fling out dried concrete?

When will mankind learn to "think before you hit record".

 

[Rand]

tirerack has it listed

The Defender LTX Platinum is Michelin's Highway All-Season tire for the drivers of premium heavy-duty light-trucks. Designed to deliver a quiet, smooth ride with Michelin's notable craftsmanship, the Defender LTX Platinum blends striking aesthetics with year-round traction in dry, wet and even light snow.

Defender LTX Platinum tires bring a number of the latest Michelin technologies forward, including Evertread 2.0 compound, specifically formulated to resist abrasion under high load and high torque. This next-generation compound is molded into a symmetric tread built to maximize dry grip alongside Michelin's MaxTouch 2.0 Technology: optimized for each individual tire size in the Defender LTX Platinum lineup to evenly distribute stress in the contact patch, maximizing tread life and reducing uneven wear. Each of the three central grooves is molded with a widening channel running through it to allow efficient water evacuation while still maintaining surface contact over damp surfaces for the tire's usable lifespan. Thanks to the generous usage of wavy and lateral siping in the Defender LTX Platinum, it has the biting edges needed for all-season traction.

The internal construction of the Defender LTX Platinum contains a dual ply polyester casing supporting two steel belts. A polyamide reinforcement cap ply aids in handling performance and provides high-speed durability.

What an odd tire design.. I wish we had an insider here who could tell us the design advantages and objectives.

I normally like to try new tires but I think I would pass on this one until there is more real world feedback.

 

[GSCJR]

How many pebbles and rocks are going to jam in there? Free winter studs

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

3D siping is for hydroplane resistance and in some cases improved snow performance.

 

[FowVay]

I don't know anything about these tires but that's pretty cool.

 

[Rand]

3D siping is for hydroplane resistance and in some cases improved snow performance.

hydroplane resistance is a function of tread void area and design.. how does siping increase it? And you are claiming hydroplaning resistance is the primary purpose of siping?

 

[4WD]

I can’t see that not trying to hydroplane - there is a reason the majority of tires have four continuous grooves …

 

[4WD]

I don't know anything about these tires but that's pretty cool on a utility trailer

Fixed it for you

 

[kballowe]

A tire is a tire is a tire. Well, unless they look "cool"

Marketing, maybe.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

hydroplane resistance is a function of tread void area and design.. how does siping increase it? And you are claiming hydroplaning resistance is the primary purpose of siping?

Siping and 3D siping are kinda different things. 3D siping effectively creates more void space by allowing water to flow into different areas in the tread.

It’s not a very well defined term. It just means there’s 3-dimensional cuts and voids in the tire that enhance various performance characteristics.

 

[Rand]

Siping and 3D siping are kinda different things. 3D siping effectively creates more void space by allowing water to flow into different areas in the tread.

It’s not a very well defined term. It just means there’s 3-dimensional cuts and voids in the tire that enhance various performance characteristics.

AFAIK.
It is more for snow and wet traction not hydroplaning resistance.
Which is why there is a ton of it on winter tires such as blizzaks. The main point of the "3d" is the tread blocks arent as floppy/mushy vs regular sipes.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

AFAIK.
It is more for snow and wet traction not hydroplaning resistance.
Which is why there is a ton of it on winter tires such as blizzacks. The main point of the "3d" is the tread blocks arent as floppy/mushy vs regular sipes

It’s semantics based on what you consider a “3D sipe.” In some cases they are just gouges or voids on the side of a tread block, like in Michelin Pilot Road motorcycle tires, used for hydroplaning resistance. In others, like in the video above, they are holes between tread block voids, again likely used to maintain hydroplaning resistance. In yet others, like in the Nokian Outposts, they are interlocking “legos” between tread blocks and “steps” adjacent to them to improve stability and snow traction.

The point is that there are newer ways of designing treads that use 3d geometry to improve traction in various conditions.

 

[gfh77665]

Michelin needs to fully focus on solving their dry rot problem instead of experimenting with fancy tread patterns.

 

[Rand]

It’s semantics based on what you consider a “3D sipe.” In some cases they are just gouges or voids on the side of a tread block, like in Michelin Pilot Road motorcycle tires, used for hydroplaning resistance. In others, like in the video above, they are holes between tread block voids, again likely used to maintain hydroplaning resistance. In yet others, like in the Nokian Outposts, they are interlocking “legos” between tread blocks and “steps” adjacent to them to improve stability and snow traction.

The point is that there are newer ways of designing treads that use 3d geometry to improve traction in various conditions.

so that's why there are so many 3d sipes on summer tires that have some of the best wet traction and hydroplaning resistance?

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

so that's why there are so many 3d sipes on summer tires that have some of the best wet traction and hydroplaning resistance?

You’re being hyperbolic but I would not be surprised if the sides of tread blocks in these applications have scallops out of them if you look hard enough.

 

[StumblingElk]

I would guess that those tunnels are able to capture/displace and then evacuate more water than side sipes alone on wet roads and then also flex a bit and offer a fuller contact Patch on dry roads. Especially over uneven surfaces.

I could also see how NVH could *possibly* be reduced a bit but that's just a wild hair guess.

That said, I would think those tunnels are prone to picking up sand, gravel, pebbles, and debris. But I could be wrong.

Maybe it's just a clever way to reduce material usage per unit.