Bead
The bead is the inner edge of the tyre that sits on the wheel rim. Made of high-tensile steel wire coated in rubber, the bead ensures an airtight seal between the tyre and the rim. Proper bead seating is critical for safe tyre performance — an incorrectly seated bead can cause air leaks, vibrations, or sudden deflation. Technicians use specialised equipment to seat and unseat beads during tyre fitting.
How TyreOps Helps
TyreOps includes tools designed around bead and related tyre operations. Manage your entire tyre business from one platform.
Related Terms
More Tyre Components Terms
Alloy Wheel
Alloy wheels are wheels manufactured from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. Th...
Apex
The apex is a triangular rubber wedge positioned above the bead bundle in the lo...
Bead Filler
The bead filler is a wedge of stiff rubber compound positioned above the bead bu...
Bead Wire
Bead wire is the high-tensile steel wire bundled into a hoop that forms the core...
Belt
Belts are layers of steel or textile cord positioned between the casing and the ...
Breaker
A breaker is a reinforcement layer within the tyre positioned between the casing...
