Abstract: A tread design for a tire is described herein that has excellent wear properties, hydroplaning resistance, and snow grip. The combination of features also makes it suitable for use in high torque high load conditions found in modern day light truck applications. The tread includes a plurality of tread features lateral sipes, lateral grooves, longitudinal sipes and longitudinal grooves, the longitudinal grooves arranged to form a plurality of ribs, each rib extending annularly around the tread and where adjacent ribs are separated by one of the longitudinal grooves, the plurality of ribs including a pair of shoulder ribs and a plurality of central ribs. At least two of the plurality of central ribs is continuous in the longitudinal direction and are separated by a bridged longitudinal groove. The center section of the tire tread having a higher CSR than the shoulder region of the tire.

Abstract: A tread design for a tire is described herein that has excellent wear properties, hydroplaning resistance, and snow grip. The combination of features also makes it suitable for use in high torque high load conditions found in modern day light truck applications. The tread (18) includes a plurality of tread features lateral sipes (30), lateral grooves (28), longitudinal sipes (31) and longitudinal grooves (24), the longitudinal grooves arranged to form a plurality of ribs (32), each rib extending annularly around the tread and where adjacent ribs are separated by one of the longitudinal grooves, the plurality of ribs including a pair of shoulder ribs and a plurality of central ribs. At least one of the plurality of central ribs is continuous in the longitudinal direction and the elastomeric material forming the tread possesses high compression set allowing the material to plastically deform creating a more rigid tread structure.