Why Do Tires Have Hairs?

‍About the Tiny Hairs on Tires

New tires come with tiny rubber hairs. So, what purpose do these hairs serve? Are they important in a tire? Do they enhance a tire’s performance? Before we proceed any further, let’s dispel some common myths associated with these hairs.

First, some people will tell you that you can use these hairs to check for a tire’s level of wear, condition or age. But, this is false. These rubber hairs on a tire don’t indicate a tire’s age or condition. If you want to check your tire’s age, condition or level of wear, you should use the treadwear maintenance indicators, located inside the tire’s grooves. These indicators are a series of rubber bars. If the rubber bars are sitting flush with the tread, then your tire is worn out.

Second, others will tell you that you should remove these rubber bars immediately you purchase a set of tires. But, you don’t have to remove them. Whether you remove them or not is inconsequential.

Third, some drivers may tell you that you should never remove these hairs. Again, this is a myth. As noted above, these rubbers don’t play any role in a tire. So, this is also a myth that you should never pay attention to.

How the Tiny Hairs Are Formed

You may be probably curious to know how these tiny rubber hairs come to appear on a tire. Well, they are formed during a tire’s manufacturing process. Ordinarily, a green tire or a tire where the treads have not been added doesn’t have these rubber hairs.

But to add the treads, markings and other information on the tire, it’s usually placed in a mold, where heat and pressure are applied. The tire’s rubber then expands and fills the mold, consequently taking the tread pattern on the mold, as well as markings and other details.

And when the heat and pressure are being applied, there’s a high chance that air bubbles will form between the mold and the rubber. These air bubbles can prevent the tire’s tread from forming correctly.

To make sure the rubber fills the mold completely and the tread forms properly, air will need to escape from tiny pockets. Therefore, tire molds usually have tiny vent holes, which allow this air to escape.

These tiny vent holes allow the air to escape, thus making sure the tire forms properly. And while the air is escaping, tiny pieces of rubber are also pushed into these orifices. They then firm up as the tire cures. And when the tire’s removed from the mold, it will have these tiny hairs.

So, if you have seen these hairs on a tire and you have been wondering about them, then this is how they happen to appear on tires. They are formed during a tire’s manufacturing process.

Should Remove the Hairs on Tires

The tiny rubber hairs on a tire don’t play any role after the manufacturing process is completed. They don’t enhance a tire’s performance in any way. And as earlier mentioned, you can’t use them to reliably assess a tire’s age, condition or tread wear.

Therefore, you can remove them once you purchase a set of tires if you don’t like them. In fact, most show car owners remove them from the tires on their vehicles. The decision to remove these hairs for show car owners is mainly for aesthetic reasons.

In case you decide to remove these hairs, you should avoid using sharp objects like scissors or blades, as you may end up damaging the tire, thus shortening its life. Also, using a sharp object to remove these hairs can lead to accidental puncturing. Instead, you should simply pull them out using your hands. Besides, pulling them off with your hands can be a great stress reliever, besides enhancing the tire’s aesthetics.

Simply put, whether you decide to leave them on the tire or you opt to remove them doesn’t affect the tire’s performance in any way, since they don’t play any role post-manufacturing. So, whether you decide to remove them or not all comes down to personal preferences.

Wrapping It Up

All new tires come with rubber hairs. These rubber hairs on the tire’s surface form during the tire’s manufacturing process, when heat and air pressure are applied. It’s worth mentioning that these hairs don’t play any role on the tire, once the manufacturing process is completed.

So, whether you decide to remove them or not will not affect the tire’s performance or condition in any way. But, some people opt to remove the hairs from the tire, to enhance its visual appeal. In case you decide to remove them, make sure you avoid using sharp objects, since you may damage the tire.