Tires have very useful information molded onto their sidewalls. It shows the brand and model name of the tire, its size, whether it is tubeless or tube type, the maximum load and the maximum inflation, safety warning(s), and much more.
Load Index - The load index is a numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at the speed indicated by its speed symbol under specified service conditions. The load index should not be used independently to determine replacement tire acceptability for load capacity.
Speed Symbol - The speed symbol is also known as a “speed rating.”
P225/60R16 97T – (Passenger Example) Size marking and service description (load index and speed symbol) for a P-Metric speed-rated passenger tire.
LT245/75R16 120/116Q Load Range E – (Light Truck Example) Size marking, service description (load index and speed symbol), and load range for a metric light truck tire. The load range identifies the tire's load and inflation limits.
Max Load 730 kg (1609 lbs) and 240 kPa (35 psi) Max Pressure Cold –(Passenger Example) Indicates maximum load and maximum cold inflation pressure of the tire. Sidewall markings are given in both metric and English Engineering units. Follow tire inflation pressure recommendations on the vehicle’s tire placard, certification label, or in the owner’s manual.
Max Load Single 1380 kg (3042 lbs) at 550 kPa (80 psi) Max Pressure Cold
Max Load Dual 1260 kg (2778 lbs) at 550 kPa (80 psi) Max Pressure Cold – (Light Truck Example) Indicates the maximum load of the tire and corresponding maximum cold inflation pressure for that load when used in a single or dual configuration. Sidewall markings are given in both metric and English Engineering units. Follow tire inflation pressure recommendations on the vehicle’s tire placard, certification label, or in the owner’s manual.
DOT MA L9 ABCD 0309 – The “DOT” symbol certifies the tire manufacturer's compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) tire-safety performance standards. Next to these letters is the tire identification number (TIN) – also known as the tire “serial” number. The first two characters are the factory code indicating where the tire was made. The last four digits are numbers identifying the week and year of manufacture (example: "0309" means the third week of the year 2009). If a tire DOT ends in only three (3) digits, the tire was manufactured before January 2000 and should be removed from service and be scrapped because it is over 10 years old.
Plies/Fabric Information – The ply/fabric information identifies the number of plies and type of cord materials in the tire tread and sidewall areas.
Radial – A tire with a radial construction must show the word “RADIAL” on the sidewall. A radial tire is also indicated by the character “R” in the size designation.
Tubeless – The tire must be marked either "tubeless" or "tube type."
M + S – This mark is commonly found on “all-season” and winter tires. In several formats, the letters "M" and "S" indicate the tire is intended for limited mud and snow service. Other formats include: "MS," "M/S," or "M&S."
Mountain-Snowflake Symbol – This mark is commonly found on winter/snow tires. Tires that meet the RMA definition for passenger and light-truck tires for use in severe snow conditions are marked on at least one sidewall with the letters "M" and "S" (as stated above), plus the mountain-snowflake symbol.
Speed Symbol
The speed symbol, also known as a speed rating, indicates the speed category at which the tire can carry a load corresponding to its load index under specified service conditions. Speed ratings are based on laboratory tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, or altered.
Although a tire may be speed rated, Mastercraft® Tires does not endorse the operation of any vehicle in an unsafe or unlawful manner. Furthermore, tire speed ratings do not imply that a vehicle can be safely driven at the maximum speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics.
Your tire’s Tire Identification Number (TIN)
A tire's plant of origin and date of manufacture are located on each tire. These can be determined by examining the series of letters and numbers called the Tire Identification Number (TIN), which follows the letters "DOT" on the tire sidewall
In order to find the week and year of production for tires manufactured after 1999, look at the last four numbers of the TIN. It will identify the week and year in which the tire was manufactured. The first two numbers identify the week, and the last two numbers identify the year of manufacture. Thus, a TIN ending with "0315" indicates that the tire was made during the 38th week of 2015 and would appear as DOTXXXXXXX3815 on the sidewall of the tire.
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) is a system developed by the Department of Transportation that helps consumers compare tires in the areas of treadwear traction and temperature. Here is an example: a tire with a UTQG of 300 AB. The 300 is treadwear, which represents the tire's comparative wear when measured against the government-mandated tire, which is rated at 100. So, this tire wore three times longer than the control tire. Because of variations in operating conditions, the treadwear grade cannot be used to predict actual wear-out mileage; it can be used to predict the relative wear rate of tires with different UTQG wear rates. Traction and temperature are graded A (superior), B (good), or C (average). Traction indicates the level of grip the tire possesses.
Temperature rating deals with the tire’s ability to disperse built-up heat. Heat causes rubber to deteriorate over time, so dispersing heat increases tire life.
Each tire manufacturer determines UTQG ratings for their products.
Temperature
The temperature grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C. These represent the tire's resistance to the generation of heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Temperature considerations must be made based on conditions, regional climate ranges, and extreme condition variances.
Traction
Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. They represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement, as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified government test track. A tire graded 200 would wear twice as long on the government test course under specified test conditions, as one graded 100.
It is wrong to link treadwear grades with your projected tire mileage. The relative performance of tires depends on the actual conditions of their use and may vary due to driving habits, service practices, differences in road characteristics, and climate.
If you have any questions, please contact your local tire dealer or Mastercraft® Tires at 1-800-854-6288.
Are you having difficulties reading the DOT number of your tires? Do you want to know how to read tire date codes? If you have lost the receipt of your purchase, you might be having difficulties knowing the exact age of your tires. This issue is common and you can find the solution from your tires. Just observe your tires, you will get the answer.
*Picture Copyright: UTires.com
How to Read Tire Date Codes?Whether you are financing your tires or purchasing them, it is important to understand how to read tire date codes.
The numbers are present on tires only. You just need to know how to get them. You might have difficulties while reading codes on old tires. Keep reading to know how old your tire is.
Look at all the sides of the tires. There are a bunch of numbers and letters. It might seem like a jumble. But this is helpful information about the tire. Find the number that starts with DOT and followed by ten to twelve series. This code will reveal a lot of things about your tires. You will know the tire size, year, and place of the manufacturing with the unique code of the manufacturer. You can also rent a wheel payments to know more about tires. Once you rent a tire payments, you will not have to be bothered about the manufacturing year. They will take care of this. You just need to look for a rent a wheel return policy to make it more beneficial for you.
Tires Manufactured 2000 & AfterRemember that the last four digits of the code are the date the tire was manufactured.
You can check the first two digits of the DOT code to know the week of the manufacturing. The last two digits will reveal the manufacturing year. For instance, when it was written in 0203, the manufacturing year was 2003. But it is a bit tricky to know the manufacturing year of tires manufactured before 2000.
You need to check the last three digits of the DOT code. Check the first two digits to know the week. For instance, when the last three digits read 022, you should understand that the tire was manufactured in the 2nd week of that year. You might be thinking about how to know the year. The year is the 2nd year of that decade. It is easy to get confused to know the decade. It might be harder to know the exact decade. There might be some other indications to know the year.
*Image Copyright from kilgoretirecenter.com
What About the Incomplete DOT NumbersIncomplete DOT numbers mean the current DOT regulations demand the complete number to be written on one sidewall only.
When you find a few digits on the opposite sidewall, you can check the other sidewall to find the complete DOT number.
Now you know how to read tire date codes. You can simply check at the sidewalls of tires to avoid any further confusion. Also, never lose your purchase receipt. If you do so, you might not get the warranty benefits. So, keep the receipts in a safe place and avoid any confusion by checking the DOT code. Whether you are interested in learning about wheel alignment or more about DOT numbers, our professionals here at Dan the Tire Man can answer your inquiries.
Play to Win FREE Tires
It is not difficult to find out the year of manufacture of a tire. One careful look at the sidewall of the tire is enough to get the necessary information.
The year of manufacture of the tire is indicated next to other indicators in an oval frame.
The whole series of these designations is called the Tire Identification Number. It carries information about the year of production, the batch of product with which this tire was released.
Contents
Starting from 2000, a four-digit number is indicated in the oval, which is the year of manufacture. The first two digits are the week number of the year, and the second two numbers are the year of issue itself. For example, if the sidewall of the wheel says - 2415, then this is the 24th week of 2015.
If we are talking about tires manufactured before 2000, you need to act differently. The identification number of a tire produced before 2000 is calculated that it will not be used for more than ten years. That is why all information is encrypted differently. The last three digits of the number are the production date. The last digit is the date of the current decade. The penultimate 2 digits are the week number. And if we have a number - 258, then - the 25th week, the 8th year.
Yes! Everything has its own expiration date and use. Tires are far from an exception. 3 years is the standard for absolutely all tires of any kind. For its storage, special conditions are necessary, since the rubber compound, over time, may lose its properties. Loss of elasticity gives cracks throughout the wheel, from which riding on such a tire becomes unsafe. Even if the tires were stored in compliance with absolutely all standards, but for a period of more than three years, this does not give a reason not to check it for integrity.
In order to protect yourself and others, you must check the date of manufacture of the tire before purchasing it.
Unfortunately, the sellers go to any tricks to sell their goods, and even assure that this is absolutely not the right indicator.
Not uncommon, in the markets you can find a product from past seasons. Such tires are bought in bulk for resale in other markets marked - "New". And everything would be fine, but such methods of sales lead to many factors that adversely affect the quality of the product. The problems are - the storage conditions of tires and their transportation from the place of their sale to the resale markets.
Everyone must find out for himself when exactly it is time to change it. We must not forget that a tire is a mixture of various chemical elements, which can be influenced by factors of various types. From driving speed and driving style to climate. Loads can be completely different, so their time can vary and it is impossible to predict it.
It is necessary to regularly inspect the wheels, both on your own and use the help of specialists in tire centers or seek help directly from the supplier, who will be able to point out exactly the faults, if any. This rule applies to passenger car tires, as well as to trucks and public ones. Don't forget about the spare too.
After 5 years of operation, tire diagnostics should be carried out at least once a year.
It is very important to pay attention to any changes in the car such as:
Professional diagnostics will help you decide on the condition of the tires, whether they should be repaired or replaced altogether.
You can absolutely say for sure - It is impossible to predict the end of the operational life of a tire only with the help of a calendar, since they do not have an exact expiration date.
But the fact remains unchanged that the older the tire, the more it becomes unusable, defects appear, changes that affect its condition.
If there are doubts about the quality of the tire after a certain period of use, the best solution is to replace the entire set together with the spare wheel. On the last, you should pay as much attention as possible. Due to long-term uselessness, and not always proper storage, it may become cracked, which is the first sign
Pay attention to the tire manufacturer. Big companies spend a lot of effort doing a lot of research on tire wear and life. A company like Bridgestone owns a large number of research and scientific centers around the world.
If we are talking about buying a used product, then you should pay attention to the wear of the protectors and appearance. Check for cracks.
Well, the last point - Check the tire for signs of repair, scuffs and bumps at the base of the rim.
So you can check how it was used before you and how it was stored in warehouses.
Don't know how old your tires are and don't know where to look for the date of manufacture of tires? Don't worry - this is a common problem. We can show you the date of manufacture of a tire and teach you how to quickly find out the date of manufacture of your tires.
You can find out the year of manufacture of rubber on the sidewall of the tire in an oval stamp in the form of 4 digits, for example: 1612. The first two digits mean the week of manufacture, the last two - the year. In our case, week 16 is April 2012.
If you look closely at each of your tires, you'll see a bunch of letters and numbers. While this may just look like confusion, it's actually useful information.
Look for a number that begins with the letters "DOT" followed by a series of 10-12 characters. This code, which is required by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and applies worldwide, will tell you a few things:
The date of manufacture is the last four digits of the DOT code. The first two digits are the week of manufacture and the last two digits are the year. For example, if the last four digits of the DOT code are 0203, this means that the car tire was manufactured during the second week of 2003. Pretty simple, right? However, if your tires were made before 2000, things get a little more complicated.
The date of issue is the last three digits of the code. The first two digits refer to the week in that year.
For example, if the last 3 digits are 022, this means that the car tire was produced in the second week of the year, and the year is the second year of the decade. Here's where it gets confusing - there's no universal identifier that specifies which decade, so in this example, the tire could have been made in 1982 or 1992. Some tires have a small triangle following the DOT code to indicate 1990s.
If you look at the sidewall of the tires and see a DOT number that seems incomplete, it's because current DOT regulations require the entire number to be on only one sidewall, while only the first few digits are on the opposite sidewall. To see the entire DOT number, just look at the other side wall.
After five years of storage, tires lose their performance, regardless of whether the storage conditions were observed or not. Therefore, it is not recommended to use car tires with a manufacturing date older than five years.
The average shelf life of tires, declared by the manufacturer, is 7-10 years, depending on seasonality - harder summer tires on a car last longer than soft winter ones.
Amtel, Barum, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Cordiant, Dayton, Debica, Goodyear, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fulda, General, Gislaved, Hankook, Kama, Kelly, Kleber, Kormoran, Kumho, Marshal, Matador, Maxxis, Michelin, Nitto, Nokian, Pirelli, Sava, Semperit, Tigar, Triangle, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama.
However, don't pay too much attention to the age of the tires when buying, especially if they are less than two years old. Practice shows that such automotive rubber is no worse than the one that was made just a month ago. And the performance and durability of tires primarily depends on their original quality. Choose quality tires.
If you are looking for replacement wheels, then use our online tire calculator with updates for 2022 in the next section tire calculator.
