Tyre Tread

PhotogTom

Not sure this is the right forum, but . . .

I buy a new set of tyres and the tread is deep, etc. At some point the tread is gone and I need new tyres.

Where did the rubber go? How about multiplied by thousands and thousands of cars? Why aren't there drifts of tyre, I dunno, dust? Or, maybe you'll say it gets washed off the road by the rain. Why aren't the bottom of streams and drains black then? Or, does it evaporate under the heat, etc? If so, surely it must precipitate back out?

Hope this doesn't keep you up at night too?

Mech1

What do you think those big black, sex toys are made out of?

Its a worldwide problem, exploited workers at night out in all weathers collecting it. Surely you heard about the sex tread workers?

ScumLord

If you watch a formula 1 race you'll see where the tyres go. The tyre is being torn apart by the road just like rubbing an eraser on a piece of paper.

There would be a layer of rubber on most roads, it's probably that layer that contributes more to slippery roads in the wet than anything else. You'll also see that in racing, when it starts raining the racers stay off the dry line with the rubber laid down as there is no traction there any more.

Rubber is often torn off in little balls instead of sticking to the road, I wouldn't be surprised if you could find these tiny balls along roadsides if you looked. Other than that they get washed away or are too small to see.

You sort of would expect to see a mountain of rubber piling up on the side of the road though, I'm not sure where it goes perhaps it's small enough to be dust particles??

Cookie_Monster

ScumLord wrote: »

You'll also see that in racing, when it starts raining the racers stay off the dry line with the rubber laid down as there is no traction there any more.

the exact opposite. they stay off the dry line when it wet if they have wets or inters as the tyre need water to cool the surface. The dry line is always the most grippy, damp or not.

You sort of would expect to see a mountain of rubber piling up on the side of the road though, I'm not sure where it goes perhaps it's small enough to be dust particles??

into the drains

ScumLord

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

the exact opposite. they stay off the dry line when it wet if they have wets or inters as the tyre need water to cool the surface. The dry line is always the most grippy, damp or not.

into the drains

That's not what every article and driving video I've watched says. They all say a well rubbered track is like glass on the rubbered part of the track.

into the drains

But we don't have drains on most roads here, most the roads around me have dikes and walls at the side. Although you do see marking on the walls I suppose.

Cookie_Monster

ScumLord wrote: »

That's not what every article and driving video I've watched says. They all say a well rubbered track is like glass on the rubbered part of the track.

watch a F1 race. There is a reason a dry line appears and gets drier faster than the rest of the track as it's where the grip is and where they are racing. They only move off it if on inters or wets and are overheating them. Rubber is super sticky even if wet.

A clear example of the dry line being used on an otherwise wet track
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caringforapathy/9019103912/ Canada this year.

ScumLord

Here's one site that explains some of the reasons to stay off the rubber in the wet. http://www.karting.co.uk/kandk/tech/WetDriving.html

Rubber tyres can't work properly on wet rubber, the water prevents it from gaining traction with the rubber on the road.