TYPES OF TIRE TREADS
Figure 3-20.—Nondirectional mud or snow tread.
Figure 3-21.-Cross-country tread.
by improperly balanced tires, bad front-end alignment,
or operating an all-wheel drive vehicle with the
front-wheel drive engaged on hard-surfaced roads. This
wear must be documented and turned in for repair.
Tire treads are made for a specific purpose. The type
of equipment you are operating and the type of job you
are performing dictates what type of tire and tread you
should use.
Directional Tread
The directional mud and snow tread (fig. 3-18) is of
a V-design with large spaces between the lugs. The
spaces between the lugs are kept free from snow because
of tire rotation and flexing, therefore improving traction.
A direction tire maybe mounted on the rim only in one
way and delivers traction in one direction only. The
point of the V-design must contact the ground first when
traction is required. When directional tread tires are
mounted on a dead or steering axle (unless the
equipment is all-wheel drive), they are mounted so the
open V meets the ground first (fig. 3-19). This type of
tread is commonly found on graders.
Nondirectional Tread
The nondirectional mud and snow tread design (fig.
3-20) also has large spaces between the lugs. The lugs
are placed perpendicular to the center line of the tire.
This design provides good traction in both directions.
Cross-Country Tread
The cross-country tread (fig. 3-21) is the same as
the mud and snow tread, except that the cross-country
tread has rounded shoulders.
Regular Tread
Regular tread (fig. 3-22) consists of small spaces
between tread patterns. This allows for a quiet ride and
Figure 3-22.—Regular tread.
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