Installing the right tires on your vehicle is essential to the overall performance and safety of your vehicle. Your tire choice should reflect the conditions in which you drive and your preferences for vehicle response and handling. To make the most informed decision, though, you must understand how to read tire size when it's time to buy tires.
Thankfully, determining the correct tire size for your vehicle is relatively simple. All the information you need is immediately available either in your owner's manual or somewhere on the vehicle itself. Already know how to read tire size numbers? Skip the explanation and find the right Bridgestone tire for your vehicle online or by visiting a Bridgestone tire dealer near you.
While actual, physical measurements like width and diameter are factors in finding the right tire size, there are additional details to consider. Knowing how to read car tire sizes also means understanding terms like load index and speed rating that affect your vehicle's overall capabilities.
No matter what vehicle you drive, finding the manufacturer-recommended tire size should be easy. The best place to start looking is the owner's manual.
Don't worry if you can't locate the manual; you may also find a tire fit guide in these locations:
You can also find tire size data on the sidewall of your current tires (assuming they're the proper size). However, no matter where you find your tire size, you will have to decipher a sequence of numbers and letters. Don't worry if it looks confusing at first — every letter and number has a straightforward meaning. Let's break down how to read car tire size.
Let's take a look at what each number or letter stands for, one by one, in the order they appear in your tire size data. We'll be using this tire size as an example: P225/70R16 91S.
For most vehicles, you'll see the letter "P" before the number sequence begins: P225/70R16 91S. The "P" is short for "P-metric," which is a designation by the Tire and Rim Association for a "passenger car" tire type. A "P" signifies the tire was designed to primarily be used on passenger vehicles, which can include cars, minivans, SUV's and other light-duty pickup trucks.
If you see "LT" instead of "P," it's because you need "light truck" tires – "LT" is short for "LT-metric," which is a designation by the Tire and Rim Association for a "light truck" type tire. Light truck tires are designed to be used on vehicles capable of carrying heavy cargo or pulling trailers.
Similarly, "T" stands for "temporary" and is for your spare tire. If you see "ST," that means "special trailer." A special trailer tire is never installed on the drive or steer wheels. It's only intended for use on trailer axles.
The first number to appear in your tire size information is the width, in millimeters, of the correct tires for your vehicle: P225/70R16 91S.
Tire width always refers to the measurement from one sidewall to another. Thus, a tire with the measurement "P225" is for a passenger vehicle and has a nominal width of 225 millimeters.
After the slash mark, the next number you see is for the tire's aspect ratio, which essentially tells you how tall your tire's profile is: P225/70R16 91S. Aspect ratios are delivered in percentages. Tire makers calculate the aspect ratio by dividing a tire's sidewall height by its width. If a tire has an aspect ratio of 70, it means the tire's height is 70% of its width.
Lower aspect ratio tires, such as a 60 series, generally offer vehicle handling performance advantages over higher aspect ratio tires, such as a 75 series.
After the aspect ratio comes a letter to indicate the tire's construction: P225/70R16 91S. "R" refers to the internal structure of your tire and gives you a general idea of its stability.
There are two types of construction that you may see on the sidewall of a tire
"Bias-ply" tires were used on automobiles and light trucks until the '70s," reports the classic car site, Hemmings.
But radial tires represent the vast majority of tires on the road in the United States today. In fact, you will almost always see the letter "R" on tires as radial tires have been the industry standard for over 40 years. Radial construction means the tire's internal ply cords are oriented in a radial direction (at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread).
The next number is the wheel’s diameter. For example, a tire with the P225/70R16 91S would fit a rim with a 16-inch diameter.
Take note: if you decide to change your rims' size, you will also need to get new tires that are compatible with the change in size. Tires designed to fit a 16-inch wheel diameter will not stretch to fit on new 18-inch rims.
View Other Common Diameter Sizes:
14-Inch Diameter Tires
15-Inch Diameter Tires
17-Inch Diameter Tires
18-Inch Diameter Tires
19-Inch Diameter Tires
20-Inch Diameter Tires
21-Inch Diameter Tires
22-Inch Diameter Tires
The next figure needed to read tire size numbers is your tire's load index.
The load index tells us how much weight, in pounds, the tire can support when fully inflated: P225/70R16 91S.
It is called the load "index" because the figure doesn't tell us the precise number of pounds the tire can support, at least not by itself. Instead, the number corresponds to a specific load capacity listed in an index. Beginning with one and ending with 150, numbers in the load index represent carrying capacities of 99 to 7385 lbs.
Additionally, you may not find this number present on all tires. This is because the load index is not required by law to be printed on tires. If there is no load index measurement on your tires, check the owner's manual or contact your local Bridgestone tire dealer for more information.
The final figure in a tire size sequence is the speed rating indicated by a letter: P225/70R16 91S. Just as your load index number corresponds to a particular load, your speed rating letter corresponds to a specific speed capability based on a standardized laboratory test.
For example, a tire with a speed rating "S" is rated for up to 112 mph, while a tire rated "R" is up to 106 mph. Remember that this isn't a recommended cruising speed, but rather the maximum speed that tire type can withstand. Of course, you should always follow legal speed limits on roadways.
Here are the most common letters for speed ratings and their corresponding maximum speeds:
Tires with higher speed ratings tend to offer increased handling performance. Replacement tires must have the same or higher speed rating to maintain vehicle speed capability. If a vehicle has tires with different speed ratings, the speed rating of the "slowest" tire dictates the vehicle's top speed.
Like the load index, the speed rating is not required by law to be listed on all tires.
If your tires do not have the speed rating listed, your owner's manual will have the relevant information for your model's stock tire type.
You may find "M+S" or "M/S" after the main tire size sequence on some tires. This indicates that the tire has some capacity to handle snow and mud conditions. This indication is common on most radial or "R" type tires.
You may notice another set of letters and numbers on your tire's sidewall beginning with "DOT." This is not an indication of tire size, but rather that the tire complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The "DOT" stands for Department of Transportation and is followed by the tire identification number.
The first two letters or numbers after DOT refer to the manufacturing plant where the tire was produced and the last four numbers indicate the week and year the tire was made. The numbers 4318, for instance, indicate that the tire was manufactured during the 43rd week of 2018.
While it's certainly possible to upgrade your tires' size, it's usually best to stick to your manufacturer-recommended tire size for optimal performance. Increasing the size of your tires may give your car more ground clearance, but it may also affect handling, drivetrain performance and fuel economy. Keep in mind the changes to key figures mentioned above, such as load index and speed rating, and how they may affect your vehicle's capabilities if you decide to increase tire size.
Once you know how to read the numbers on tires, you can explore tires by size and narrow down your tire options quickly. Compare tire sizes online or visit a Bridgestone tire dealer near you for help.
Home > Company > Tire Safety > Choosing Tires > Determining Tire Size
Once you have determined it’s time to buy tires, you’ll need to know what size tires are correct for your vehicle.
Depending on what you drive, you may be interested in how to find the right tire for your…
This information is usually inside your car’s doorjamb, in your owner’s manual. To ensure your current tire or a replacement tire you may be looking at matches your vehicle’s requirements, it will be good for you to understand how tire sizing works. You may have never paid attention to the string of numbers and letters on every tire, but it’s a gold mine of information.
If you’re unsure of how to read tire measurements from your tire walls, the information and graphics below will tell you how to read tire size, understand and interpret it. If you decide you want to substitute a new size or tire type, consult an authorized tire retailer who can expertly advise you, because many optional tire sizes may have different load capacities and could require wheels of a different rim width or diameter and different inflation pressure.
Not sure you need new tires? Our Tire Replacement Guidance article will help you determine whether it’s time to retire your tires.
Most passenger cars, SUVs and light pickups (1/2 ton and smaller) will come with tires that are either P-Metric or Euro-Metric. For P-Metric tires, you’ll see the letter “P” before the number sequence begins: P225/70R16 97H. P-metric is a designation standardized by the Tire and Rim Association for a “passenger car” tire type. For Euro-Metric there will be no preceding letter before the number sequence begins: 225/70R16 98H. Euro-Metric is a designation standardized by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization for a “passenger car” tire type. Both P-Metric and Euro-Metric size tires are designed to primarily be used on passenger vehicles, which can include cars, minivans, SUVs, and other light duty pickup trucks.
If your vehicle is an SUV, Pickup truck or van, you might see a different type of size designation on your placard that is specific for heavy duty light trucks and vans, especially common on ¾ ton and larger pickup trucks and vans.
There are two common size types in this category, LT-Metric and Euro-Metric Commercial (aka C-type). Both size types are metric and so use the same structure as P-Metric and Euro-Metric but have some different characters in the size that differentiate them from their passenger car cousins. LT-Metric tires will have the letters “LT” before the size number sequence: LT245/75R17 119/116R Load Range E. Notice that there are two load index numbers and a Load Range, see the section on Load Index for more info. LT-Metric is a designation standardized by the Tire and Rim Association for a “light truck” type tire. Euro-Metric Commercial or C-Type tires will look very similar to a passenger Euro-Metric size except that there will be a “C” right after the rim size: 23/65R16C 121/119R. Notice that the C-type tires also have two load index numbers. Euro-Metric Commercial, or C-Type is a designation standardized by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization for a light truck type tire. Light truck tires are designed to be used on vehicles capable of carrying heavy cargo and are usually only specified by a vehicle manufacturer on vehicles exceeding a certain load capacity.
Other types of tires that fall into the Metric sizing type are Temporary Spares, they start with “T”. If you see a size that starts with “ST,” that means “special trailer” and is only for use on a trailer.
Regardless of whether you are looking at a P-Metric, Euro-Metric, LT-Metric, Euro-Metric Commercial, T or ST tire the numbers in the size mean the same thing.
The first number to appear in your tire size information is the width, in millimeters, of the correct tires for your vehicle: P225/70R16 91S.
Tire width always refers to the measurement from one sidewall to another. Thus, a tire with the measurement “P225” is for a passenger vehicle and has a nominal width of 225 millimeters.
After the slash mark, the next number you see is for the tire’s aspect ratio, which essentially tells you how tall your tire’s profile is: P225/70R16 91S.
Aspect ratios are delivered in percentages. Tire makers calculate the aspect ratio by dividing a tire’s height off the rim by its width. If a tire has an aspect ratio of 70, it means the tire’s height is 70% of its width.
Lower aspect ratio tires, such as a 60 series, generally offer vehicle handling performance advantages over higher aspect ratio tires, such as a 75 series, but a typical trade off can be ride harshness.
After the aspect ratio comes a letter that indicates the type of internal construction maintaining your tire’s stability: P225/70R16 91S.
There are two types of construction that you may see on the sidewall of a tire:
Radial tires are the most common tires on the road in the United States today; thus “R” will usually be shown in the tire size designation. Radial construction means the tire’s internal ply cords are oriented in a radial direction, from one bead over to the other, essentially perpendicular to the direction of rotation.
You may also occasionally see RF indicating a run flat tire or ZR indicating a tire that is a speed rating higher than V.
The next number is the diameter code, in inches, of the rim onto which the tire can be mounted. For example, a tire with the P225/70R16 91S would fit a rim with a 16-inch diameter.
Load index can be a confusing subject because there are so many different caveats, but we will try to explain everything here.
The next figure after the rim size in the sequence is your tire’s load index, which tells us how much weight, in pounds, the tire can support when fully inflated: P225/70R16 91S
We call it the load “index” because the number doesn’t tell us the precise number of pounds the tire can carry, at least not by itself. However, the number does correspond to a specific load capacity listed in an index.
Beginning with 1 and ending with 150, numbers in the load index represent carrying capacities of 99 to 7385 lbs.
There are two types of load types for passenger tires though, Standard Load and Extra Load. If a tire is Standard Load there will be no markings indicating it but if it is Extra Load the letters XL will appear after the size and load index.
Standard Load Euro-Metric: 215/55R17 94V
Extra Load Euro-Metric: 215/55R17 98V XL
Passenger car tires like P-Metric and Euro-Metric will only have one load index number where LT-Metric and Euro-Metric Commercial (C-Type) will have two numbers separated by a slash. The first number is the load index if the tire is used in a single application, the second number is the load index if the tire is used in a dual application. Passenger type tires cannot be used in a dual application. Light truck tires will also have a Load Range that is indicated by a letter, such as Load Range E. Load Range is an older term that is still commonly used in the industry so you may hear your tire dealer reference it but the load index numbers are the best way to ensure you have the proper tire.
One important but often misunderstood facet about load index is that the load index numbers between standards organizations (P-Metric vs Euro-Metric) are not necessarily on the same scale. Meaning that two tires in the two different systems that have the same load index number could have different maximum load capacities. This is why it’s important to not only look at the load index number but also verify the actual load capacity.
The final figure in a tire size sequence is the speed rating, which is indicated by a letter: P225/70R16 91S. Just as your load index number corresponds to a specific load, your speed rating letter corresponds to a particular speed capability based on a standardized laboratory test.
For example, a tire with speed rating “S” is rated for up to 112 mph, while a tire rated “R” is up to 106 mph. Remember that this isn’t a recommended cruising speed. Of course, you should always follow legal speed limits on roadways.
Replacement tires must have the same or higher speed rating as the vehicle’s Original Equipment to maintain vehicle speed capability. If a vehicle has tires with different speed ratings, it is the speed rating of the “slowest” tire that dictates the vehicle top speed.
There is one last sizing type that you should know about, especially if you are in the market for off road tires for a light truck or SUV. It’s called a Flotation size and the numbers in this sizing format are very different from the Metric formats. Flotation sized tires are similar to LT-Metric tires in application except for a few important points. Number one, they cannot be used in dual applications and number two, an equivalent size tire may have different load capacity than its LT-Metric counterpart.
The first number in the Flotation tire size is the overall diameter in inches.
Pretty straight forward.
The second number is the section width (sidewall to sidewall) measurement in inches. Again, fairly simple.
After the section width comes a letter that indicates the type of internal construction: 33X12.50R17LT 120Q.
This is the same as is found in the metric sizing systems.
There are two types of construction that you may see on the sidewall of a tire:
Radial tires are the most common tires on the road in the United States today; thus “R” will usually be shown in the tire size designation. Radial construction means the tire’s internal ply cords are oriented in a radial direction, from one bead over to the other, essentially perpendicular to the direction of rotation.
The next number is the diameter code, in inches, of the rim onto which the tire can be mounted.
For example, a tire with the 33X12.50R17LT 120Q would fit a rim with a 17-inch diameter.
The letters LT will be after the Rim Diameter indicating that this tire type is intended for Light Truck vehicles similar to the LT-Metric and Euro-Metric Commercial (C-Type) tires.
Load Index and Speed Rating have the same meaning and format as the tires using the metric sizing system. Note that since flotation tires cannot be used in a dual application there will be only one load index number instead of two.
Another group of stamping on certain types of tires is the Uniform Tire Quality Grading or UTQG. This grading and stamping is required for passenger car tires (i.e. P-metric and Euro-metric) in the all season and summer categories.
Dedicated winter tires, Light Truck (LT-Metric, Euro-Metric Commercial, Flotation) and Motorcycle tires are excluded from this requirement.
Quality grading is designed to make the tire purchase decision easier for you. Ideally, the system is intended to provide simple, comparative data so you can make an intelligent buying decision. However, the ratings are based upon test results achieved under special conditions. This means it’s possible to misinterpret the comparative data as it relates to your individual driving habits, conditions, etc. You should still rely on your service or tire professional for assistance.
Quality grading designates the comparative performance levels of a tire based on government-specified tests but commissioned by the individual tire manufacturers. All tire manufacturers are required to grade regular and all-season passenger tires in three categories:
UTQG
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 course for 6,000 miles (9,600 km).
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. However actual tire performance depends on driving habits, road characteristics, service practices, and other factors that can influence the outcome.
Traction Grades AA, A, B and C
The traction grades from highest to lowest are AA (the highest), A, B and C. They represent how well tires stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. C-rated tires will have the lowest traction performance.
WARNING: THE TRACTION GRADE ASSIGNED IS BASED ON A WET BRAKING (STRAIGHT AHEAD) TRACTION TEST AND DOES NOT INCLUDE CORNERING (TURNING) TRACTION.
Temperature Grades A, B and C
The temperature grades A, B, and C represent the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the tire’s material to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a performance level all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A and B represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING: THE TEMPERATURE GRADE IS ESTABLISHED FOR A TIRE THAT IS PROPERLY INFLATED AND NOT OVERLOADED. EXCESSIVE SPEED, UNDER INFLATION, OR EXCESSIVE LOADING, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION, CAN CAUSE HEAT BUILDUP AND POSSIBLE TIRE FAILURE.
DOT Quality Grades
All passenger car tires must conform to other federal requirements in addition to these grades.
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For many motorists, the tire parameters indicated on the sidewalls are akin to the Stirlitz code in the Center - nothing is clear.
But for the correct selection of wheels, you need to be able to read these designations and understand their meaning. Tire manufacturers' catalogs and online selections make life easier, but they are not without errors and do not contain all the information. To understand the automotive "shoes" and choose tires yourself, you will have to decipher their markings. Our cheat sheet is here to help.
Tire size code
As with choosing your own boots, the first step in choosing your tires is size. But if we know the exact size of the foot, then there may be several tire sizes recommended by the manufacturer. You can find them in the car manual or on the tire pressure sticker on the door pillar, in the Tire Size column.
The format XXX / YY RZZ, familiar to most drivers and the most common in the world (where XXX is the tire width, YY is the profile height, ZZ is the rim diameter) is called European or metric , although it is only partly so. Let's analyze the metric format using the example of the dimension 185/65 R15 .
185 - the first digit of the dimension is the width of the tire in millimeters.
65 - the second digit indicates the profile height tires as a percentage of width. In our example, 65% of 185mm is 120mm. The profile height in percent is another surprise for novice motorists: after buying non-standard tires, you can suddenly find out that the dimension 195/65 R15 is not only wider than the standard 185/65 R15, but also higher. After all, 65% of 195 mm is no longer 120 mm, but almost 127! Although formally the profile of both tires is the same, the 65th.
If the profile height is 80–82% of the width, then it is often not indicated in the dimensions, marking the tire in the format XXX RZZ, without a fraction (for example, 185 R15). These tires are called full profile . Usually they are used on light trucks and vans when driving on bad roads at low speeds. Learn more about the effect of profile height on handling.
Diagonal full profile stowage T 135/80 D17.
R - the letter familiar to drivers in the dimension of the wheel does not mean the radius, as many people think, but radial (Radial) tire carcass design. Such wheels are now the majority, but there are also tires of a diagonal (Diagonal) design - for low-speed special equipment and heavy trucks. Often, spare wheels-stowaways of passenger cars are diagonal. Bias tires are marked with the letter D instead of R (for example, 135/80 D17) - you can’t drive fast on such tires.
15 - the last digit in the dimension indicates the bore diameter of the tire in inches (yes, inches in metric format).
Of course, it must correspond to the diameter of the disk on which the tire is installed: putting R15 tires on the 16th “casting” will not work.
Inch tire size
There is another, less common size standard - the American or inch format is found on tires for SUVs. It looks like XX×YY RZZ, where XX is the full diameter of the tire, YY is the width of the tire, and ZZ is the diameter of the rim (all in inches).
The American format is simpler and more logical than the European one, although it is unusual for us. There are no percentages in it and the height (full diameter) of the entire wheel is immediately visible, while in the European format it must be calculated separately. For example, a 31x10.50 R15 tire is 31 inches high, 10.5 inches wide, and has a 15″ bore. For comparison, to find out the height of a tire in European dimension format, you first need to calculate the profile (taking a percentage of the width), multiply by two and add the diameter of the wheel, remembering to convert it from inches to millimeters.
It is impossible to do all this in the mind.
35×12.50 R18 LT off-road tire.
To convert dimensions from one format to another, a tire calculator is usually used. There are dozens of them on the Internet, but some contain errors. Before using the tire calculator, it is better to recalculate a couple of dimensions manually and compare the results. For reference: 1 inch is 25.4 millimeters.
Tire codes
In addition to the numbers, in the tire dimension you can find not only the familiar letter R, but also other symbols, which, as a rule, speak about the purpose of the tire. In the table, we have collected the most common options for additional letter designations for car tires.
| Tire codes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Examples | Description | Symbol | Examples | Description |
| LT | 185/65 R15 LT | Light Truck, tire for light trucks and SUVs. | T | T 185/65 D15 | Temporary, temporary spare tire. |
| P | P 185/65 R15 | Passenger, passenger car tyre. | XL | 185/65 R15XL | Extra Load, reinforced tire with increased load capacity. |
| C | 185/65 R15 C | Commercial or Cargo, truck and van tire. | RF | 185/65 R15 RF | Reinforced, reinforced tire with extra plies. |
| ST | ST 185/65 R15 | Special Trailer, tire for trailers and trailers. | ZR | 185/65 ZR15 | High speed tire for speeds over 240 km/h. |
Load and speed indices
Following the dimension on the sidewall of the tire, the permissible load and speed are indicated - of course, also in the form of "encryption", and not specific values. The load (carrying capacity) of the tire is indicated by a numerical index, and the speed is indicated by an alphabetic index. You can translate them into understandable indicators using special tables.
Ultimate load and speed are important parameters that affect both the safety and durability of rubber. Automakers prescribe the installation of certain tires based on the mass of the car, and the indices may be different depending on the dimension. Never set tires with a load capacity or speed below the recommended values!
| Tire load indexes | |||||||
| Index | Load | Index | Load | Index | Load | Index | Load |
| 63 | 272 kg | 80 | 450 kg | 97 | 730 kg | 114 | 1180 kg |
| 64 | 280 kg | 81 | 462 kg | 98 | 750 kg | 115 | 1215 kg |
| 65 | 290 kg | 82 | 475 kg | 99 | 775 kg | 116 | 1250 kg |
| 66 | 300 kg | 83 | 487 kg | 100 | 800 kg | 117 | 1285 kg |
| 67 | 307 kg | 84 | 500 kg | 101 | 825 kg | 118 | 1320 kg |
| 68 | 315 kg | 85 | 515 kg | 102 | 850 kg | 119 | 1360 kg |
| 69 | 325 kg | 86 | 530 kg | 103 | 875 kg | 120 | 1400 kg |
| 70 | 335 kg | 87 | 545 kg | 104 | 900 kg | 121 | 1450 kg |
| 71 | 345 kg | 88 | 560 kg | 105 | 925 kg | 122 | 1500 kg |
| 72 | 355 kg | 89 | 580 kg | 106 | 950 kg | 123 | 1550 kg |
| 73 | 365 kg | 90 | 600 kg | 107 | 975 kg | 124 | 1600 kg |
| 74 | 375 kg | 91 | 615 kg | 108 | 1000 kg | 125 | 1650 kg |
| 75 | 387 kg | 92 | 630 kg | 109 | 1030 kg | 126 | 1700 kg |
| 76 | 400 kg | 93 | 650 kg | 110 | 1060 kg | 127 | 1750 kg |
| 77 | 412 kg | 94 | 670 kg | 111 | 1090 kg | 128 | 1800 kg |
| 78 | 425 kg | 95 | 690 kg | 112 | 1120 kg | 129 | 1850 kg |
| 79 | 437 kg | 96 | 710 kg | 113 | 1150 kg | 130 | 1900 kg |
| Subcompacts, cars | Crossovers, SUVs | ||||||
| Tire speed indices | ||||||||||||
| Index | M | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | H | V | W | Y |
| Speed, km/h | 130 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 210 | 240 | 270 | 300 |
The load and speed indices can indirectly judge the strength of the tire, because high loads require a reinforced carcass and a harder rubber compound.
A reasonable question arises: is it worth putting tires with a higher maximum load or speed than the manufacturer recommends - so to speak, with a margin? For what purpose. If you often drive on bad roads, then tires with a high load index have a better chance of surviving the daily battle with pits than stock tires. But better handling or more efficient braking due to a high speed index cannot be achieved - they are not connected in any way. But the comfort and smoothness of the ride on stiffer high-speed tires will suffer significantly. If you drive around the city in civilian modes, then there is no point in buying high-speed tires with a truck load capacity - just stick to the recommended values.
Tire release date
As with most products, car tires are marked with the release date. Motorists often forget this when choosing wheels, although the age of the rubber is one of the key factors. Over the years, rubber dries out, losing elasticity, and outwardly this may not manifest itself in any way.
After only 5 years of storage in a warehouse, a tire that has not even been ridden no longer fully corresponds to the parameters declared once. Therefore, the date of manufacture of the tire should be looked first of all - the fresher, the better.
The date of manufacture is printed on the sidewall of the tire in a separate oval box. Until 2000, a three-character code was used, but now these "walking dead" are no longer to be found. Since 2000, manufacturers have been marking tires with a four-digit code. The first two digits are the week of manufacture, the last two are the year. For example, a tire marked 1411 was produced in week 14 (i.e. April) of 2011 and is no longer worth driving today.
Tread wear indicators
All tires have TWI (Tread Wear Indicator) wear indicators - special jumpers in the tread grooves. To facilitate their search, symbols are applied to the sidewall of the tire indicating the location of the indicators: small triangles or arrows, sometimes with the inscription TWI, sometimes without.
Keep in mind that the TWI indicator shows critical tread wear, not "50% wear" as used tire salesmen like to say. Once the rubber has worn down to the indicator, it's time to buy new tires. On winter tires, the indicators are located higher than on summer tires, since their allowable wear is noticeably less.
Run Flat Tires
Some tires have additional features, such as Run Flat technology, which allows you to run on flat tires. Reinforced sidewalls prevent the disc from damaging the tire: you can drive 100 km on the “rims” – it’s enough for a tire fitting. For many modern cars that do not have a spare tire, Run Flat tires are standard equipment.
The designation of Run Flat tires varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some brands label their tires RFT (Run Flat Tires), others ROF (Run On Flat), others just RF. More to come: RSC, ZP, ZPS, DSST, SSR, HRS, XRP, TRF, PAX, MOE, AOE are all run flat tire options. "Please, slow down, I'm recording!" By the way, there is an international symbol Run Flat, similar to a crawling snail, but almost none of the manufacturers use it.
Tire mounting symbols
But not everything with tires is so complicated and confusing. For example, rubber with a directional or asymmetric tread pattern must have symbols for proper installation. This is a service label for tire shop employees - people who work with tires on a daily basis. And here it is generally accepted and intuitive!
A directional tire, in addition to the tread pattern directed forward, is issued by the inscription Rotation (rotation) on the sidewall and an arrow pointer. It indicates in which direction the wheel should rotate when the car moves forward. And on tires with an asymmetric tread there are inscriptions Outside (outer side) and Inside (inner side) - this is how you need to put rubber on the disc. As you can see, it's hard to go wrong.
However, nothing is impossible for roadside tire shops, and incorrectly fitted tires are sometimes found. A counter-rotating wheel loses efficiency and introduces an imbalance in the behavior of the machine.
Be sure to check the correct installation of the tires according to the mounting symbols on the sidewalls.
We hope that the tire designations have become a little clearer for you. Happy decryption! 99
| ДИАМЕТР 19.5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.5×6.75 | 19.5×7.50 | 19.5×8. 25 | 19.5×11.75 | 19.5×13.00 | 19.5×14.00 |
| 9.5R19.5 | 245/70R19.5 | 265/70R19.5 | 385/55R19.5 | 425/55R19.5 | 425/55R19.5 | 245/70R19.5 | 265/70r19.5 | 285/701 285/701 285/701 285/701 285/701 285/701 285/ | 435/50R19.5 | 435/50R19.5 |
| 265/70R19.5 | 285/70R19.5 | 305/70R19.5 | 445/45R19.5 |
| DIAMETER 22.5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.5×6.75 | 22.5×7.50 | 22.5×8.25 | 22.5×9.00 | 22.5×11.75 | 22.5×13.00 | 22. 5×14.00 |
| 8R22.5 | 10R22.5 | 11R22.5 | 12R22.5 | 365/70R22.5 | 415/45R22.5 | 415/45R22.5 |
| 9R22.5 | 11R22.5 | 12R22.5 | 13R22.5 | 375/90R22.5 | 425/65R22.5 | 425/65R22.5 |
| 10R22.5 | 255/70R22.5 | 255/70R22.5 | 285/60R22.5 | 385/55r22.5 | 445/75r22.5 | 435/45r22.5 | 255/70r22.5 | 265/60r22 | 385/65R22.5 | 445/65R22.5 |
| 275/70R22.950106 | 295/80R22.5 | 445/75R22.5 | ||||
| 275/80R22.5 | 275/80R22.5 | 305/60R22.5 | ||||
| 285/60R22.5 | 305/70R22.5 | |||||
295/80R22.  |
