摘要 |
<p>In order to detect early uneven wear patterns on new tires resulting from vehicle misalignment, the treads of the tires are provided with groups (8,10) of grooves of varying depths, so that the grooves will wear away at varying rates. Preferably a group (8,10) of at least five grooves is provided on the outermost ribs of the tire adjacent each shoulder (6) and at the same circumferential position. Also, the grooves (8,10) are preferably made of different lengths corresponding to their depths for easy identification. By observing how fast the grooves of one group on one shoulder rib wear away relative to the grooves on the other shoulder rib, uneven wear of the shoulder ribs can be detected at an early time in the tire's life.</p> |