[Oversteer Overlord]

Ever wondered what goes into a tire?

Tires are the last in a long line of connective mechanisms that take the drive experience and make it all come together.

They're also your last line of defence when it comes to keeping you on the road; after all, without those four contact patches holding you to the tarmac, it's either trees, a fence or another car that you'll be greeting in a very short space of time.

Grip is critical to survival while driving, so it's important to always choose the right tire for the conditions. This comes down to compound, size and tread pattern. And that's a discussion for another day.

But have you ever wondered what goes into a tire to make it work? Put simply, it's not just rubber anymore. For example, did you know that one of the chemicals is stearic acid? What about zinc oxide?

Here's a list of ingredients used by tire manufacturers:

- Silica
- Natural Rubber
- Accelerant
- Stearic Acid
- Zinc Oxide
- Rape-seed Oil
- Butadiene Rubber
- Anti-aging Agent
- Light-stabilizing Wax
- Synthetic Rubber
- Carbon Black
- Activator
- Sulphur
- Mineral Oil

Each compound uses varying amounts of the above chemicals, and will create a different level of grip or wear rate dependent on its hardness or its viscosity.

So the next time you look at your tires, have a think about how much research and development goes into creating the latest profile and pattern, but more importantly, how important they are to keeping us alive everytime we hop behind the wheel.

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