Buzz
What are those small rubber projections on tires?Simon Hunt:
They serve no functional purpose.
The tire is molded in a large, solid form—these small rubber 'flash' bits come from the rubber that hardened in the vent holes or from the process used to inject the rubber into the mold.
When the tire is removed from the mold, the rubber that has solidified in the vents comes out with it, clearing the vents for the next tire.
These are actually called 'nubbins,' and there are clever techniques to remove them—this is why you don't often see them on high-end tires from manufacturers with more advanced technology.
This post originally appeared on Quora. Click here to view.
