Do All New Tires Have Rubber Hairs?
3 Answers
New tires do not necessarily have rubber hairs. With technological advancements, many advanced manufacturers have already addressed this issue. Below is an introduction to rubber hairs: 1. Rubber hairs refer to the protruding rubber strips on the tread of new tires. Their quantity, length, or presence depends on the tire's production process. 2. Rubber hairs are generally about 10-20mm in length and 0.6-1.2mm in diameter. 3. Rubber hairs are formed during the final step of tire manufacturing—the vulcanization process. As manufacturers upgrade and optimize the vent holes in molds, the shortcomings of the original production process have been overcome, leading to the production of tires without rubber hairs. For example, the Cooper C1 is a tire model without rubber hairs. 4. With technological progress, many manufacturers have improved their production processes for aesthetic reasons. Nowadays, it is recommended to check the tire tread pattern and production date when inspecting tires to minimize errors. 5. Practical experience has shown that the absence of rubber hairs does not affect tire grip, road noise, or other aspects, as the role of rubber hairs themselves in these areas is negligible.
I often notice fine rubber hairs on new tires, commonly referred to as tire hairs. Based on my long-term experience with cars, these are actually quite normal—they're excess rubber edges left when new tires are freshly removed from the factory molds. During production, rubber is poured into the molds and cools to set, with some squeezed-out edges forming these hairs. After driving for a while, especially at high speeds where wind and friction come into play, they naturally wear off completely, without affecting grip or safety in the slightest. I've changed several sets of tires, and every new one had some trace of these hairs, though premium brands tend to clean them up better. If you have a new car or just got new tires, don't worry—it's purely a minor cosmetic detail, like tags on new clothes. It's nothing to fuss over; just hit the road as usual.
The tiny rubber hairs on new tires are a natural byproduct of the manufacturing process. After researching this, I learned that during the vulcanization process in the mold, small rubber strands can extrude and solidify into these fine hairs upon cooling. They neither indicate defects in the tire nor accelerate tread wear. The aerodynamic forces from driving will naturally remove these hairs, so avoid pulling them off manually to prevent surface scratches. This characteristic is present on most tires and can actually serve as an indicator of a fresh product. When selecting tires, prioritize checking tire pressure and tread patterns instead of being distracted by these hairs.
