How thick is the sidewall of a car tire?
2 Answers
Generally, the sidewall of a car tire is about 6mm thick, while the tread thickness is around 13mm (with a tread pattern depth of 7mm and a tread thickness of 6mm). The sidewall thickness is 5mm. Due to different aspect ratios, the thickness of the sidewall varies among different car models and tire specifications. Below is some relevant information about tires: 1. Benefits of increasing the rubber thickness of the sidewall: It can reduce the puncture rate, enhance tire strength, and help improve vibration damping performance. 2. Drawbacks of increasing the rubber thickness of the sidewall: It may reduce handling performance, increase tire manufacturing costs, add to the overall vehicle weight, and consequently increase fuel consumption.
The thickness of tire sidewalls isn't actually that mysterious—it's simply the thickness of the rubber on the side. For regular passenger car tires, the sidewall thickness is typically around 5-8 millimeters, while off-road tires can be thicker, reaching about 10 millimeters. But this thickness is like a balloon—it looks sturdy but is actually quite fragile. The other day, while helping a neighbor check his tires, I noticed a bulge, which was caused by the sidewall being scraped against the curb, damaging the cord layer. Unlike the tread, which is reinforced with steel belts, the sidewall mainly relies on rubber and nylon cords. The key is to pay attention to the tire specifications, such as the '65' in '185/65 R15,' which is the aspect ratio—the higher the number, the thicker the sidewall. If the sidewall is too thin, it's prone to blowouts when hitting potholes; if it's too thick, it affects cornering performance. Manufacturers have to carefully balance these factors in their designs.
