How to Build a Radial Truck Tire

Tires are not just round and black--they are sophisticated products that can take years of research and development to produce. If you have ever wondered how tires are made, the following is a roadmap for constructing a radial truck tire:

Start with Rubber and Additives

Tire construction starts when raw chemical additives such as sulfur, carbon black and solvents are combined with natural and synthetic rubber. The process takes place in a large machine called a banbury.

In addition to mixing and grinding, the banbury heats the rubber to make it workable in preparation for further applications. The raw product emerges in the form of long, flat bands of rubber, which are then worked in rolling mills.

Six Main Components

• It takes several machines to shape the rubber into the individual components of the tire: tread, body ply, belts, beads, sidewalls, and innerliner.
• The tread rubber is extruded through a tuber, then measured, cooled and cut into precise lengths.
• Sidewalls are also extruded through tubers.
• Both the body ply and the belts are produced on the wire calendar. Rubber from the mills and steel from the creel room are molded together into wide flat sheets. These are then cut to the proper width and angle, rolled and moved to the tire building machine.
• The innerliner is a impermeable layer of synthetic rubber on the inside of a tire which creates a airtight chamber when fitted to the vehicle wheel. This layer eliminates the need for an innertube.
• The last major component of the tire is the bead. The beads are created out of wrapped steel wire, covered with rubber and formed into hoops. The bead anchors the steel body ply of the tire and seats the tire firmly on the wheel.

The Green Tire

The six components (tread, body ply, belts, sidewalls, inner liner and beads) come together on the tire-building machine. These six components are assembled into what is known as an uncured, or "green," tire.

The carcass of the tire, including beads, body ply, sidewalls and inner liner, is constructed. Then the carcass is formed into the belts and tread creating the "green" tire.

Vulcanization

The next phase is vulcanization, the molecular transformation of the soft, gummy green tire into the tough, and longwearing, modern truck tire. The green tire is placed in a curing mold and is subjected to intense pressure and adequate heat internally and externally for a specified period of time. Simultaneously, the tread pattern is imprinted onto the rubber. When it comes from the mold, the tire is ready for final finish and inspection.

Final Finish and Inspection

For showroom quality, curing vents are trimmed off the cured tire. Every premium radial truck tire is X-Rayed for manufacturing defects. Every tire is thoroughly inspected. The tire then undergoes various uniformity checks to assess ride and comfort quality. Once the tires have passed all the checks and inspections, they are sent to the distribution warehouse for shipment