Rubber composition with low resin crosslinking

A method for manufacturing a tire component, the method comprising:

• mixing together components of a rubber composition into a non-productive mix, the components including a highly unsaturated diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler, a methylene acceptor selected from 3-hydroxydiphenylamine, 4-hydroxydiphenyl-amine or combinations thereof;
• cooling the non-productive mix;
• mixing a methylene donor and a vulcanizing agent into the non-productive mix to convert the non-productive mix to a productive mix, wherein a ratio of the methylene acceptor to the methylene donor is at least 15:1;
• forming the tire component from the productive mix.

A rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition, the cross-linkable rubber composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr):

• a highly unsaturated diene elastomer;
• a reinforcing filler;
• a methylene acceptor selected from 3-hydroxydiphenylamine, 4-hydroxydiphenylamine and combinations thereof;
• and
• a methylene donor, wherein a ratio of the methylene acceptor to the methylene donor is at least 15:1.