Abstract: An improved rubber composition having improved extrudate properties and exhibiting superior tolerance to aging when subject to multi-step mixing process and in particular to a mixing process where the rubber composition is mixed in a first mixer, cooled by passing between a pair of cylinders, then mixed in a second mixer, the composition comprised of a disulfide silane.

Abstract: An improved rubber composition process having improved extrudate properties and exhibiting superior tolerance to aging when subject to multi-step mixing process and in particular to a mixing process where the rubber composition is mixed in a first mixer, cooled by passing between a pair of cylinders, then mixed in a second mixer, the composition comprised of a disulfide silane.

Abstract: A tire tread formed from a rubber composition having a functionalized SBR and a BR that is reinforced with between 95 phr and 125 phr of a silica filler and includes a plasticizing system to adjust the glass transition temperature to be between ?30° C. and ?15° C. and the dynamic modulus G* at 60° C. to be between 0.9 MPa and 1.15 MPa. The tread includes central tread blocks having an average central tread block length of between 6.5 mm and 10 mm and shoulder tread blocks having an average shoulder tread block length of between 10 mm and 20 mm. Furthermore the tread is limited to being between 6.5 mm and 7.7 mm thick. In particular embodiments the rubber composition may be just the functionalized SBR.