Abstract: The invention provides a pneumatic tire having a tire tread with a ground engaging outer surface. The tread further has a first or central tread zone located on the central or crown portion of the tread and formed of a first rubber compound. Additionally, the tread has a second or shoulder tread zone located axially outward of the first or central tread zone on each lateral end of the tread. The second or shoulder tread zone is formed of a second rubber compound. In one example, the first rubber compound has a G? (at 50% strain) in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 MPa. In another example, the second rubber compound has a G? (at 100% strain) in the range of 800 to 830 KPa.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire in accordance with the present invention includes two annular bead portions, a carcass, and a belt reinforcement layer. The carcass extends between the bead portions through sidewall portions and a tread portion. The carcass includes at least two axially inner plies which extend down from the tread and axially inward of the bead core, said at least two axially inner plies being wound around the bead core forming respective turn-ups, each turnup being located axially outward of the bead core. The carcass further including a first axially outer ply which extends down from the tread towards the bead core and positioned axially outward of the bead core, wherein the axially outer ply is separated from at least one of the turnups by a spacer layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire with an outer, running surface containing, circumferential tread comprised of a styrene/butadiene (SBR) rich rubber composition containing two SBR's with spaced apart glass transition temperatures (Tg's), one of which is a functionalized SBR with a functional group reactive with hydroxyl groups on a precipitated silica, together with a combination of at least three resins with spaced apart softening points. The filler reinforcement is a combination of precipitated silica and specialized rubber reinforcing carbon black.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire in accordance with the present invention includes two annular bead portions, a carcass, and a belt reinforcement layer. The carcass extends between the bead portions through sidewall portions and a tread portion. The carcass has at least one carcass ply of parallel cords turned up about the bead portions. The belt reinforcement layer is disposed radially outside the carcass and radially inside the tread portion. Each annular bead portion includes an annular bead core having the carcass ply turned up around the bead core, a first apex disposed adjacent and radially outward of the bead core, a second apex disposed axially outward of the bead core and the carcass ply, a first chafer disposed adjacent the carcass ply and axially outward of the bead core, and a second chafer disposed adjacent and axially outward the second apex and axially inward a sidewall portion. The first apex comprises a material with a 100 percent modulus between 1.0 MPa and 6.0 MPa.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire with an outer, running surface containing, circumferential tread comprised of a styrene/butadiene (SBR) rich rubber composition containing two SBR's with spaced apart glass transition temperatures (Tg's), one of which is a functionalized SBR with a functional group reactive with hydroxyl groups on a precipitated silica, together with a combination of at least three resins with spaced apart softening points. The filler reinforcement is a combination of precipitated silica and specialized rubber reinforcing carbon black.