Do you want to choose a tire for your car, but do not understand tire markings well? It's not a problem! In this section, we will help you figure out what tire parameters are, what they mean, and which tire is right for your car.
Find tires / tire catalogDeciphering tire markings.
195/65 R15 91 T XL
195 is the tire width in mm.
65 - Proportionality, i.e. profile height to width ratio. In our case, it is equal to 65%. Simply put, with the same width, the larger this indicator, the higher the tire will be and vice versa. Usually this value is called simply - "profile".
Since the tire profile is a relative value, it is important to consider when choosing rubber that if you want to put tires with a size of 205/65 R15 instead of the size 195/65 R15, then not only the width of the tire will increase, but also the height! Which in most cases is unacceptable! (except when both of these sizes are indicated in the car's operating book). Accurate change data external dimensions wheels you can calculate in a special tire calculator.
If this ratio is not indicated (for example, 185/R14С), then it is equal to 80-82% and the tire is called full profile. Reinforced tires with this marking are usually used on minibuses and light trucks, where a large maximum wheel load is very important.
R- means a tire with radial cord(in fact, now almost all tires are made this way).
Many mistakenly believe that R- stands for the radius of the tire, but this is precisely the radial design of the tire. There is also a diagonal design (indicated by the letter D), but recently it has practically not been produced, since it performance characteristics noticeably worse.
15 - diameter of the wheel (disk) in inches. (It is the diameter, not the radius! This is also a common mistake). This is the “landing” diameter of the tire on the disk, i.e. This inner size tires or outer disc.
91 - load index. This is the level of maximum permissible load on one wheel. For passenger cars, it is usually done with a margin and is not a decisive factor when choosing tires (in our case, IN - 91 - 670 kg.). For minibuses and small trucks, this parameter is very important and must be observed.
Tire load index table:
T- tire speed index. The larger it is, the faster you can drive on this tire (in our case, IS - H - up to 210 km / h). Speaking about the tire speed index, I would like to note that with this parameter the tire manufacturer guarantees normal work rubber with the constant movement of the car at the specified speed for several hours.
Speed index table:
American tire markings:
There are two different markings for American tires. The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letters “P” (Passanger - for a passenger car) or “LT” (Light Truck - light truck). For example: P 195/60 R 14 or LT 235/75 R15. And another tire marking, which is fundamentally different from the European one.
For example: 31x10.5 R15(corresponds to European size 265/75 R15)
31
is the outside diameter of the tire in inches.
10.5
- tire width in inches.
R- a tire of a radial design (older models of tires were with a diagonal design).
15
is the inner diameter of the tire in inches.
Generally speaking, if we do not count the inches that are unusual for us, then american labeling tires is logical and more understandable, unlike the European one, where the height of the tire profile is not constant and depends on the width of the tire. And here everything is simple with decoding: the first digit of the standard size is the outer diameter, the second is the width, the third is the inner diameter.
Additional information indicated in the marking on the sidewall of the tire:
XL or Extra Load - reinforced tire, the load index of which is 3 units higher than that of conventional tires of the same size. In other words, if a given tire has a load index of 91 marked XL or Extra Load, then this means that with this index, the tire is able to withstand maximum load at 670 kg instead of 615 kg (see table of tire load indices).
M+S or M&S tire marking (Mud + Snow) - mud plus snow and means that the tires are all-season or winter. Many summer tires for SUVs are labeled M&S. However, these tires must not be used in winter time, because Winter tires have a completely different rubber compound and tread pattern, and the M&S badge indicates good performance tire patency.
All Season or AS all season tires. Aw (Any Weather) - Any weather.
Pictogram * (snowflake)- rubber is designed for use in severe winter conditions. If this marking is not on the sidewall of the tire, then this tire is intended for use only in summer conditions.
Aquatred, Aquacontact, Rain, Water, Aqua or pictogram (umbrella)- special rain tires.
outside and inside; asymmetric tires, i.e. It is important not to confuse which side is the outside and which is the inside. When installing, the Outside inscription must be on the outside of the car, and Inside on the inside.
RSC(RunFlat System Component) - runflat tires- these are tires on which you can continue to drive a car at a speed of no more than 80 km / h with a FULL drop in pressure in the tire (in case of a puncture or cut). On these tires, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, you can drive from 50 to 150 km. Various manufacturers tires use various designations RSC technologies. For example: Bridgestone RFT, Continental SSR, Goodyear RunOnFlat, Nokian Run Flat, Michelin ZP, etc.
rotation or arrow this marking on the sidewall of the tire indicates a directional tire. When installing the tire, you must strictly observe the direction of rotation of the wheel, indicated by the arrow.
tubeless- tubeless tire. In the absence of this inscription, the tire can only be used with a camera. Tube Type - indicates that this tire must be used only with a tube.
Max Pressure; maximum allowable tire pressure. Max Load - the maximum allowable load on each wheel of the car, in kg.
Reinforced or the letters RF in the size (for example 195/70 R15RF) means that this is a reinforced tire (6 layers). The letter C at the end of the size (for example 195/70 R15C) indicates a truck tire (8 layers).
Radial - this marking on the rubber in the standard size means that this is a radial tire design. Steel means that there is a metal cord in the tire structure.
Letter E(in a circle) - the tire meets the European requirements of ECE (Economic Commission for Europe). DOT (Department of Transportation - US Department of Transportation) is an American quality standard.
Temperature A, B or C heat resistance of tires high speeds on the test bench (A is the best indicator).
Traction A, B or C- the ability of the tire to brake on a wet roadway.
Treadwear; relative expected mileage compared to a specific US standard test.
TWI (Tread Wear Indication)- tire tread wear indicators. The marking on the TWI wheel can also be with an arrow. Pointers are located evenly in eight or six places around the entire circumference of the tire and show the minimum allowable tread depth. The wear indicator is made in the form of a protrusion with a height of 1.6 mm (the minimum tread value for light vehicles) and is located in the tread recess (usually in the drainage grooves).
DOT- Encoded manufacturer's address, tire size code, certificate, issue date (week/year).
Tire load index- a conditional numerical designation that shows what mass load the tire can withstand in long-term operation. This information is necessary in order to choose the right tire, and thereby ensure a safe and comfortable ride by car. To decipher the tire load index, a table is used, which shows the numerical designations of the index and the normal values \u200b\u200bof the mass that corresponds to them. Next, we will give you such a table, as well as give information about speed index, which is also important when choosing a tire. You can find the rest of the information about the designations available on tires.
Load value (MAX LOAD) and tire pressure
Determination of the load index
First of all, it must be remembered that the numerical values \u200b\u200bof the load index given on the tires are conditional! That is, these numbers do not mean absolute maximum weight for which the tire is designed. As the load index increases, so does the maximum allowable weight machine for which it is intended.
However, in the application plan, many drivers when buying new rubber interested in a simple question - which tire load index to choose in one case or another? It is easy to answer it. There are two options. The first is to ask for the relevant information in the manual for your car or in the reference literature. Many automakers directly indicate the information that a particular model needs a tire with such and such a load index (the same applies to the speed index, although selection is easier there, but more on that later). The second option is to do the calculations yourself.
Load index for cars can be calculated based on the empty weight of the machine with the maximum load. That is, to the mass of the equipped car (with a fully refueled fuel tank, process fluids, repair kit, spare wheel, etc.) weight is added maximum number people who fit in it (for cars usually it is 5), as well as some mass of additional cargo (it all depends on the specific car, for small cars it can be 100 ... 200 kg, and for SUVs - over 500 kg). Approximate value of indices for different types of cars:
- 60 - load up to 250 kg - for A-class cars;
- 68 - up to 315 kg per wheel - for B-class representatives;
- 75 - 387 kg per wheel - for C-class cars;
- 87 - 545 kg load - for minivans and crossovers;
- 99 - 775 kg - for SUVs and light commercial transport.
Further, the resulting maximum mass must be divided by four (for traditional machines with four wheels). And after that add 35...40% of the stock. After carrying out such simple calculations, you will get the absolute value in kilograms that the tire must withstand. Final stage- selection of the symbol for the load index of the machine according to the table. Please note that you must select the coefficient corresponding to the nearest HIGHEST absolute value.
In order not to bother with the calculations of the load index required for the tires of your car, it is possible to quickly calculate everything on a special calculator. It will immediately give you the required number.
Often for specific models there are already several options in stores, from which you can choose the most suitable for you in terms of quality, price and manufacturer.
Keep stock up to date For rear wheels especially if you often carry heavy loads. However, do not be zealous, and choose tires with too high index. The point is that than heavy load the tire is calculated, the large quantity rubber is used for its manufacture. Accordingly, such a tire will be heavier, and hence arises three negative factors.
The first is that the engine will be forced to expend additional effort (and hence fuel!) To rotate the heavy wheel. The second is that a heavy tire will be very stiff, so it will be uncomfortable to ride on it. The third - with heavy tires, the suspension of the car experiences an additional load, which means that its life normal operation is shrinking.
Next, we give you the promised table that will help you decipher the tire load index (here you will find tire values \u200b\u200bfor all types of cars - cars, SUVs, trucks, and so on). For cars and SUVs, tires with an index value from 60 to 125 are used (respectively, from “A” class cars to heavy SUVs).
| Load index | Maximum weight, kg | Load index | Maximum weight, kg |
| 0 | 45 | 100 | 800 |
| 1 | 46,2 | 101 | 825 |
| 2 | 47,5 | 102 | 850 |
| 3 | 48,7 | 103 | 875 |
| 4 | 50 | 104 | 900 |
| 5 | 51,5 | 105 | 925 |
| 6 | 53 | 106 | 950 |
| 7 | 54,5 | 107 | 975 |
| 8 | 56 | 108 | 1000 |
| 9 | 58 | 109 | 1030 |
| 10 | 60 | 110 | 1060 |
| 11 | 61,5 | 111 | 1090 |
| 12 | 63 | 112 | 1120 |
| 13 | 65 | 113 | 1150 |
| 14 | 67 | 114 | 1180 |
| 15 | 69 | 115 | 1215 |
| 16 | 71 | 116 | 1250 |
| 17 | 73 | 117 | 1285 |
| 18 | 75 | 118 | 1320 |
| 19 | 77,5 | 119 | 1360 |
| 20 | 80 | 120 | 1400 |
| 21 | 82,5 | 121 | 1450 |
| 22 | 85 | 122 | 1500 |
| 23 | 87,5 | 123 | 1550 |
| 24 | 90 | 124 | 1600 |
| 25 | 92,5 | 125 | 1650 |
| 26 | 95 | 126 | 1700 |
| 27 | 97 | 127 | 1750 |
| 28 | 100 | 128 | 1800 |
| 29 | 103 | 129 | 1850 |
| 30 | 106 | 130 | 1900 |
| 31 | 109 | 131 | 1950 |
| 32 | 112 | 132 | 2000 |
| 33 | 115 | 133 | 2060 |
| 34 | 118 | 134 | 2120 |
| 35 | 121 | 135 | 2180 |
| 36 | 125 | 136 | 2240 |
| 37 | 128 | 137 | 2300 |
| 38 | 132 | 138 | 2360 |
| 39 | 136 | 139 | 2430 |
| 40 | 140 | 140 | 2500 |
| 41 | 145 | 141 | 2575 |
| 42 | 150 | 142 | 2650 |
| 43 | 155 | 143 | 2725 |
| 44 | 160 | 144 | 2800 |
| 45 | 165 | 145 | 2900 |
| 46 | 170 | 146 | 3000 |
| 47 | 175 | 147 | 3075 |
| 48 | 180 | 148 | 3150 |
| 49 | 185 | 149 | 3250 |
| 50 | 190 | 150 | 3350 |
| 51 | 195 | 151 | 3450 |
| 52 | 200 | 152 | 3550 |
| 53 | 206 | 153 | 3650 |
| 54 | 212 | 154 | 3750 |
| 55 | 218 | 155 | 3875 |
| 56 | 224 | 156 | 4000 |
| 57 | 230 | 157 | 4125 |
| 58 | 236 | 158 | 4250 |
| 59 | 243 | 159 | 4375 |
| 60 | 250 | 160 | 4500 |
| 61 | 257 | 161 | 4625 |
| 62 | 265 | 162 | 4750 |
| 63 | 272 | 163 | 4875 |
| 64 | 280 | 164 | 5000 |
| 65 | 290 | 165 | 5150 |
| 66 | 300 | 166 | 5300 |
| 67 | 307 | 167 | 5450 |
| 68 | 315 | 168 | 5600 |
| 69 | 325 | 169 | 5800 |
| 70 | 335 | 170 | 6000 |
| 71 | 345 | 171 | 6150 |
| 72 | 355 | 172 | 6300 |
| 73 | 365 | 173 | 6500 |
| 74 | 375 | 174 | 6700 |
| 75 | 387 | 175 | 6900 |
| 76 | 400 | 176 | 7100 |
| 77 | 412 | 177 | 7300 |
| 78 | 425 | 178 | 7500 |
| 79 | 437 | 179 | 7750 |
| 80 | 450 | 180 | 8000 |
| 81 | 462 | 181 | 8250 |
| 82 | 475 | 182 | 8500 |
| 83 | 487 | 183 | 8750 |
| 84 | 500 | 184 | 9000 |
| 85 | 515 | 185 | 9250 |
| 86 | 530 | 186 | 9500 |
| 87 | 545 | 187 | 9750 |
| 88 | 560 | 188 | 10000 |
| 89 | 580 | 189 | 10300 |
| 90 | 600 | 190 | 10600 |
| 91 | 615 | 191 | 10900 |
| 92 | 630 | 192 | 11200 |
| 93 | 650 | 193 | 11500 |
| 94 | 670 | 194 | 11800 |
| 95 | 690 | 195 | 12150 |
| 96 | 710 | 196 | 12500 |
| 97 | 730 | 197 | 12850 |
| 98 | 750 | 198 | 13200 |
| 99 | 775 | 199 | 13600 |
The designations of the load index and tire speed on the lateral surface of the rubber are located nearby. And this is no accident, because they are interconnected. Unlike load, the speed index has letter designation letters of the Latin alphabet (from A to Z). For example, you can find the values 92S or 88T on the tire, which will just be the combined designation of the two mentioned indices.
The speed index is specially placed next to the load index. This information gives an idea. what kind of load can the tire withstand at its maximum speed.
Deciphering the tire speed index is very simple. The closer to the end of the alphabet the letter - the great speed cover calculated. The only exception is the letter H, located between U and V. So, we give you a similar table with which you can clarify what maximum speed this or that tire is designed for.
| Maximum speed, km/h | |
| A | 40 |
| B | 50 |
| C | 60 |
| D | 65 |
| E | 70 |
| F | 80 |
| G | 90 |
| J | 100 |
| K | 110 |
| L | 120 |
| M | 130 |
| N | 140 |
| P | 150 |
| Q | 160 |
| R | 170 |
| S | 180 |
| T | 190 |
| U | 200 |
| H | 210 |
| V | 240 |
| W | 270 |
| Y | 300 |
| VR | >210 |
| ZR | >240 |
| (W) | >270 |
| Z | >300 |
How to choose load and speed indices
Deciphering load and speed indices
European regulations ECE-R54 require all tire manufacturers to put load and speed index values on them. In this case, the load index is usually indicated for single installation wheels on an axle on one side. If the rubber can be used for a double installation, then two values \u200b\u200bare indicated through a dash. For example, 102/100R. The first number is for a single installation, the second is for a dual installation. Tires have such a double designation Commercial class, which, in accordance with the same rules, can be installed not only on cars, but also on small trucks and vans (that is, on commercial transport). Such tires are additionally indicated by the letter C or the word Commercial.
It is impossible to install tires with load and speed indexes lower than those prescribed in the documentation.
As for the speed index, it does not only affect the maximum allowable speed for which the tire is designed. The point is that you can't for a long time(more than half an hour) to drive at this very maximum speed. This is due to excessive tire wear. In addition, it is life-threatening, because at high speeds the rubber should work in normal, not critical modes. Therefore, it is allowed to drive for a long time at speeds 10 ... 15% lower than the maximum allowable. Such considerations are especially relevant for bad roads when the rubber constantly gets into pits, potholes and runs into bumps.
Do not exceed speed mode and do not drive for a long time at the maximum permissible speeds for rubber.
When choosing tires based on the speed index, as in the case of a load, you cannot choose very “fast” tires. The fact is that the faster the tire is designed for, the softer it is. Accordingly, it will have better and more reliable grip on the road surface. However, this is much wears out faster(remember how often tires are changed at Formula 1 races). That is why it is not recommended to buy very high-speed tires for ordinary cars used in urban areas.
Results
We are sure that the above information will help you understand what the load and speed indices of tires mean, whose designations are located behind the tire size value. This will help you make the right choice. At the same time, do not forget to leave a small margin of 10 ... 20% for both indices in order to ensure driving comfort and safety on the road.
In order to buy good car tires, it is not enough to know only their dimensions and seasonality. Of course, this is basic information that the owner of the car should have, without it it is simply impossible to choose a tire. Some, when choosing tires, are repelled by the brand name, and to some extent this is correct. But if you take the tire itself the best firm, which fits the car and corresponds to the season, then in this situation you can make a serious mistake, and its consequences can be the most sad.
What does the label hide?
Of course, the tread pattern and the cost of rubber also largely determine our choice, but the load index and tire speed, the decoding of which will be presented below, play a much larger role. On the side surface of each of the wheels, even the most inexpensive, there is a bunch of various information that is hidden in symbols and numbers, its importance should never be underestimated.
For example, from this encryption you can find out the following information:
Tire model and tread type. This is very important information, since each type of tread corresponds to a certain rigidity of the rubber material. Tire of the same model, but with different type tread, there may be different stiffness of the central and lateral parts of the contact area.
The most famous inscription is the dimension of the tire, its landing diameter, height, width (ratio of height to width).
Tire production date.
Designations of the type of construction (radial or diagonal), type of tire (chamber, tubeless).
Direction of wheel rotation.
Speed index.
Load index.
by the most capital letters, of course, the name of the manufacturer and the logo are applied, which is what they pay attention to first of all.
Why know the load index
In each of the countries where tires are produced, the load index can be called differently, this is load index, maxload, load index, but the meaning does not change. Moreover, the load is indicated not by a number, but by a letter, which most often misleads inexperienced motorists. Also, many believe that this information is important mainly for truck tires, but this is fundamentally wrong. This indicator plays a huge, if not even more important role for car tires, motorcycles, mopeds and that's why.
Simplified, this is the maximum load on one wheel, at which the manufacturer guarantees the safety of rubber characteristics. The load is indicated in kilograms, and at the maximum speed allowed for the tire and in case of compliance with optimal pressure. But what about working conditions, weather, side load, driving style, technical condition car, it will also affect the endurance of rubber? Of course, that's the whole point.
Index tables and how to use them
Everything seems to be simple. Here is the tire load index table (Table 1), here is the speed load rating table (Table 2). These values are exactly the same for all manufacturers and are standardized worldwide. The letter (or number) indicates the index, and the table indicates the value of the load in kilograms. It remains only to calculate the load on one wheel and buy tires that match the index.
But the fact is that we can hardly calculate the exact load on the wheel. It is not enough just to take and divide the mass of the car by four. First, the load on the front and rear axle will be completely different, and secondly, it constantly intervenes whole line conditions:
rubber surface temperature;
instantaneous speed of the machine;
how badly the wheel is worn;
dependence of pressure on temperature.
And this list goes on. It is for this reason that the manufacturer gives a margin of safety in the range of 25-30%, and the driver must add the same amount when buying a wheel. However, in choosing a tire, the last word will always remain with the car manufacturer, who calculated the load index not with a calculator in hand, but according to the results of lengthy tests.
Dependence of speed and load indices
In the second table, presented just above, the maximum speed index is indicated. By analogy with the load index, the tire does not have a number, but an alphabetic symbol. It seems to be, and here everything is simple - I looked at the letter, compared it with the table data, bought rubber. It remains only not to exceed the permissible speed. Only here everything is not so smooth. Both indicators greatly affect not only the handling of the car and its carrying capacity, but also the comfort of movement in the cabin. After all, the harder the tire, the lower the speed index, and the softer the tire, the less load it can withstand.
Therefore, both indexes are closely intertwined with each other, and this is not counting the roads on which we have to travel, and this fact again refers us to the car manufacturer. He tested the car, only he knows what maximum values the wheel should withstand. Ideally, it would be good to build on the parameters of the rubber that was installed on the car from birth, from the assembly line. Nevertheless, no one interferes with analyzing the tire wear rate and comfort in the cabin, handling and price adequacy on your own. Therefore, the more we know about our tires, the more comfortable and safer it will be to use them. Good luck choosing, velvet roads to all!
Many drivers do not always bother to get acquainted with the information contained directly on the purchased tires, as a result of which their operation will not meet the recommended parameters and will quickly fail. Meanwhile, the data indicated on the tires must be carefully compared with the indicators of the technical characteristics of the car. Indicators such as the size and type of tires, speed and load indexation are the main indicator of the purchased product.
The tire speed index is a value indicating the maximum speed with a normal load on 1 wheel. It is determined by the kilometers traveled per hour and is indicated by letters from A-Z on the side of the wheel. The calculation of the index is made only by the manufacturer and if there is no designation on the rubber, maximum speed must not exceed 110 km/h.
When determining the tire speed index, there is a decoding of the letter indicators, which contributes to right choice tires for a specific car, delimited by speed data, quality and structure of rubber. There are also dual indexing designations that allow tires to be used in a wider range. Tires with speed indicator"ZR" can only be used on autobahns with an approximate V = 240-400 km / h.
Deciphering the speed index
It is important to know that the speed index is closely related to the tire load index when determining the load capacity at maximum speed and is indicated by a digital equivalent. This index greatly affects the life of the tire and the nature of traffic. A low tire load index allows the car to drive smoothly and silently, and a high one, on the contrary, but at the same time, the service life of such a tire is quite high.
Tire load index decoding table
| Index | 70-80 | 80-90 | 90-100 | 100-111 |
| Weight (kg) | 335-450 | 450-600 | 600-800 | 800-1090 |
Effect of load on speed index
The tire load indicator shows the weight that is the maximum allowable at the maximum speed of the car, so these two indices are interconnected and must be taken into account when buying them. Let's say V auto > 240 km/h and is marked with the index "W", then the maximum load should be limited and reduced by 3 percent for each subsequent 10 km/h. If there is a discrepancy between load indexing and speed, the use of rubber can lead to its rupture, deformation of the wheel and the entire suspension as a whole.
Features of the application of the speed index
Every motorist should know that deciphering the speed index shows the speed at which the rubber will retain its characteristics. And when choosing tires for both cars and truck it is always necessary to take into account this indicator, since it is he who, together with the load index, has big influence on traffic safety.
Tires for a car are like human shoes: they must correspond not only to the season, but also to the technical characteristics of the vehicle. The concept of "uncomfortable shoes" is familiar to everyone. The same thing happens with incorrectly purchased tires.
One of important indicators automotive rubber is the index of the tire, which determines the maximum load and allowable speed per wheel.
Tire Selection Criteria
Sometimes it seems that choosing car tires is not difficult: I came, I saw, I bought. In practice, things are quite different. To really find good tires, you need to follow a number of rules. Do not be tempted by little-known brands. They will cost, of course, several times cheaper, as evidenced by the dubious quality. You need to choose only proven brands.
Tires should be changed on all four wheels at the same time. In this case, tires must be from the same manufacturer and have the same technical characteristics.
"Seasonality" of tires
Winter, summer or "all-weather" - each of these types of tires is characterized by its own advantages and disadvantages. It is best to buy two sets of tires - one for winter and one for summer. Winter tires softer, so it tolerates well very coldy and performs well in the snow. Summer tires have a hard rubber compound designed specifically for hot asphalt. The all-season tire type is suitable for both winter and summer, but differs in quality from seasonal tires. They wear out faster and lose their characteristics.
Tire size
This is the main criterion when choosing tires. The manufacturer recommends several tire sizes for each brand of car. It all depends on the radius of the car disks, engine power, as well as the season of use. You can find out the right size for your vehicle from its technical specifications.
Tire index
In addition to the main criteria, you should also pay attention to:
- Tread pattern.
- The presence or absence of spikes.
- The location of the cords.
Not last place when choosing tires, takes financial side question. It is better not to save on tires. Often accidents on the roads happen precisely because of the low handling of tires.
Tire load index (table)
This indicator determines the most permissible load on a car tire at The tire index is indicated with a number from 50 to 100. Depending on the brand of the manufacturer, the load indicator can be expressed both in kilograms and pounds.
Load index |
Load index |
Load index |
|||
The tire load index affects the life of the tire, as well as the nature of the movement of the car. So, rubber with a low load index softens the ride on the road and behaves almost silently. The disadvantage of such tires is that they wear out quickly. Tires with a high load index are less susceptible to wear, but are very noisy on the road.
The load index is an indispensable indicator for drivers who are engaged in cargo transportation. Thanks to him, you can choose the rubber that best suits the load of the car.
Speed index
The speed indicator is closely related to the load index. The speed index on the tires is indicated on the side and means what maximum speed is allowed at a certain load on one wheel.
You need to choose tires with such a high-speed index, which is recommended by the car manufacturer. Otherwise, the controllability of the machine may decrease, and at the same time the safety of passengers will deteriorate.
The tire speed index is indicated by the letter:
I - 100 km / h, K - 110, L - 120, M - 130, N - 140, P - 150, Q - 160, R - 170, S - 180, T - 190, Y - 200, H - 210 , V - 240, W - 270, VR > 210, ZR > 240, Z > 300.
Basic tire markings
Any self-respecting driver should be able to "read" tire markings. After all, all the necessary information about the tire can be found not only from the sales assistant, but also directly from the tire itself. To do this, you need to remember what letters and numbers the tires are marked with and what they mean.
The marking is always applied to the sidewall of the tire. On each tire you can see something like this code - 225/45 R 16 90V. It is deciphered quite simply.
225/45 - tire width and height. The width is in millimeters and the height is percentage width (225*45%). To find out what width and height a tire needs, just look at technical specification car.
The letter R means that the tire model is radial. Rubber for cars can be with a diagonal and radial arrangement of cord threads. Most passenger cars have radial tires- They are more comfortable to drive, and also have less weight.
16 is the tire diameter in inches.
90 is the tire index (load), and the letter V is the maximum allowable speed(240 km/h). The tire index table is one thing that every driver should know. So you can protect yourself from inappropriate recommendations from inexperienced sellers.
Additional markings on tires
In addition to the main marks, you can also see other information on the tires that carry Additional information. These include the brand of the manufacturer, the direction of the tread pattern, the date of manufacture of the tire, etc.
American-made tires often have the letters "P" or "LT", where the first indicates that the tire is designed for passenger car, and the second combination is tires for light trucks.
Additional information also includes:
M+S - off-season or winter tires. The fact that tires are designed for winter is also indicated by the inscription "Winter" or symbol in the form of a snowflake. If there are no such inscriptions - summer tires.
The phrase "All Season" means that the tires can be used in any season.
On some tire models, there may be inscriptions Left / Right (left / right) or Outside / Inside (outer / inner side). Such tires must be installed following these recommendations.
The word Tubeless means that the tire is tubeless. even with the most severe puncture, they will allow the driver to reach the nearest service station without any problems. However, the disadvantage of such models is that if the rubber is damaged, the discs can be severely degraded.
The inscriptions Rain, Weather or a picture with an umbrella indicates that the tires are designed specifically for rainy weather. Special composition Such rubber provides high grip on wet roads and minimizes the effect of sliding.
Tires that meet all standards and are not a fake will definitely have information about the manufacturer on the sidewall, as well as an ECE conformity number.
A few last words
Choosing tires for your car is a common thing. However, it should be treated with responsibility. After all, not only comfortable driving, but also the safety of passengers depends on the quality of rubber.
In order for the purchase of a new set of rubber to be quick and as successful as possible, you should remember the main designations on the tires. The height and width of the profile, tire diameter, size, tire index - the driver should always have a transcript of all these indicators at hand.
