The winter studded tire Goodyear UltraGrip Extreme, produced by one of the largest North American manufacturers, is designed primarily for the widest range of modern passenger car models. The line of sizes includes more than fifty options with a mounting diameter from 13 to 18 inches.
This tire is one of the first models developed with the "Twin Grip" concept. According to this concept, the tire tread has a two-layer structure, each layer having a different degree of stiffness. The basic lower layer, made from a harder rubber mixture based on technical carbon, provides the necessary strength for shank installation and its height above the tread. In turn, the outer layer, which is in direct contact with the road surface, is made from a softer rubber mixture with a high silica content, which significantly improved traction on slippery surfaces.
Innovative stud design
One of the technical innovations of this model is the "Active Stud Technology", which is designed to improve handling when driving on icy surfaces. This technological innovation is based on a special stud design, the configuration of which allows the tread to more securely hold the stud body, as well as a thinner stud flange, which increases the pressure of the stud on the ice. As a result, the traction of the Goodyear UltraGrip Extreme tire with the icy surface was significantly increased. Additionally, the number of studs was also increased, which allowed increasing the number of rows formed by the studs when the tire comes into contact with the road surface.
V-TRED tread
This tire features a tread built using V-TRED technology. This technology is a V-shaped symmetrical tread pattern divided into three longitudinal ribs. This made it possible to provide excellent performance in any conditions. In the center of the tread, there is a wide longitudinal rib with a special structure that provides excellent traction-slip characteristics on snow. The other two ribs are shoulder areas consisting of massive blocks. The special shape of the blocks promotes a more even distribution of load over the entire contact patch area, which made it possible to achieve more stable and reliable behavior. The V-shaped tread pattern also promotes more efficient water and slush removal from the contact patch, providing high resistance to aquaplaning and making the tire's behavior on a slush-covered road more confident.
3D-BIS technology
This technology is a three-dimensional system of interlocking tread blocks, which increases their stiffness. Thanks to this technology, the Goodyear Ultra Grip Extreme tire has additional stability on dry and wet roads, making the ride more comfortable.
Another advantage of this technology is the increased number of lamellas forming a multitude of additional traction edges that effectively grip any irregularities on the icy surface.
This effect was achieved thanks to the special structure of the lamella walls, which have protruding bubbles. When in contact with the road surface, these protruding bubbles enter the corresponding recesses on the opposite side, causing the lamella walls to be rigidly fixed to each other. This allows the stiffness of the tread block to be significantly increased.
Key features of Goodyear UltraGrip Extreme
- A large number of prism-shaped three-dimensional lamellas form additional sharp edges that effectively penetrate the water film and grip any irregularity on the surface of the icy or snowy road;
- The V-shaped tread pattern, built according to V-TRED technology, provides excellent traction on a slush-covered road, helping to reduce the risk of aquaplaning;
- The original design of the central longitudinal rib, which allows the tire to demonstrate excellent directional stability, high braking efficiency, and reduced rolling resistance;
- Wide shoulder areas, consisting of massive individual blocks, provide more reliable handling and high resistance to lateral skidding when cornering;
- The optimized stud design and their location provide higher pressure on the ice and reliable fixation in the tread, which increases the level of traction and comfort when driving on an icy road.
