From right choice shoes for cars depends a lot. When deciding to buy a kit, you can be guided by various comparative tests. However, it is worth remembering that their characteristics must correspond to the operating conditions. In this case, the information indicated in the marking on the sidewall of the tire will help. Such inscriptions on the tire indicate the size of the product and its technological characteristics. Below we will decipher the symbols and try to figure out what the numbers and letters in the rubber marking mean.
There are mandatory and optional designations in tire marking. So, on each tire the manufacturer, the brand of the rubber itself and the size of the tires will be indicated. The designation of three numbers on the tires indicates the dimension of the wheel in inches, the width of the rubber and the height of the profile. The numbers are on the outside.
We have a wheel with parameters, for example, 195 60 R16. This means that we have rubber in front of us, with a tread width of 195 mm. The second number is the ratio of the picture's height to width. The larger this parameter, the more “hooky” the rubber will be. This value is usually referred to as the profile index.
The third number is the inner diameter of the tire in inches. In general, a common mistake is that motorists purchase wheels without paying attention to some data on changes in external parameters. For example, size 185 65 r15 will differ in height from 210 65 r15 with the same bore diameter. The ratio of the profile to the width in our case can interfere with the installation of tires on the car. This factor should be understood and taken into account. And a special calculator will help you correctly calculate the size of the tires.
Speed Indices
Also, tire manufacturers in without fail provide all tires with a speed index. This sign can be found immediately after the wheel size indicator. He talks about how top speed you can move on the roads. A table deciphering the tire speed index will help you read this sign correctly. cars.
| Tire classification by speed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | H | V |
| Speed | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 210 | 240 |
Load indices
Immediately after the speed index on the tires of the car there is an index of the permissible load on each wheel. For example, tire marking contains an indicator of 88t. This indicates that the machine can travel at a maximum speed of 190 km / h, and the maximum allowable load on each wheel is 560 kg.
On certain tires, you can find designations in the form of the letters XL or the words Reinforced. This marking is usually awarded to tires, the load index of which is higher, standard values. If the number 88 is written on the sidewall of an xl or extra load tire, then 3 should be added to the value. to decipher this figure is as 91 or 615 kg per wheel.
| Numerical designation | load in kg one wheel for cars |
|---|---|
| 60-70 | 250-335 |
| 71-80 | 345-450 |
| 81-90 | 462-600 |
| 91-100 | 615-800 |
| 101-110 | 825-1060 |
| 111-120 | 1090-1400 |
| 121-129 | 1450-1850 |
Explanation of the American size designation
American tire manufacturers resort to a different tire marking. The first one is very similar to the European one, only before the dimension there are additional letters P - passenger, LT - light truck or T - truck. For example, 185 r14c P means that this is a wheel with a tread width of 185 mm, a diameter of 14 inches and designed for passenger cars.
The second system of classification of their products has a completely different look. If the European system measures the dimensions of car tires in millimeters, then the American system measures in inches. However, it is quite easy to understand. For example, there are numbers on tires 27*11*r15. The first number is the outside diameter of the tire, the second number is the tread width, and the last number is the inside diameter.
Tire marking with colored marks
To facilitate the mounting of wheels on wheel disks, manufacturers sometimes equip with additional color marks that carry their own information. How to decipher such icons - below.
Yellow tire marking
Sometimes on tires you can find a yellow dot or triangle, which means the easiest place on the tire. When mounting, it is necessary to align the mark with the heaviest part of the disc to facilitate balancing.
Red marking of rubber
TO additional options tires include the symbols of the red circle or triangle, which can be found on the sidewall of the rubber. This is the designation of the most rigid place of the tire wall. It must be aligned with the “L” mark on the disk.
White stamp with number
A white stamp with a number, located on the outer sidewall, carries information about the inspector who carried out the final "acceptance" of the goods.
colored stripes
Some tires are equipped with radial colored stripes. They help to identify tires of certain brands in the store, quickly look for them in the warehouse. Sometimes the color of the strip indicates the date of issue or the country of manufacture, and also indicates the passage of a run-in.
Additional markings on the sidewall of the tire
On many passenger tires, in addition to the designation of the model and type of tread, there is an additional marking:
- the letter R indicates that the rubber is a radial design - older models are indicated by other letters;
- the presence of the word steel in the construction means the presence of a steel cord;
- E in a circle indicates compliance with the European requirements ece;
- Aqua - tires with improved behavior on wet pavement and under aquatred aquacontact rain conditions;
- TL (TubeLess) - tubeless tire, in the absence of this marking, the presence of a camera is mandatory;
- Outside - the outside of the installation. Differs from inner sides with an asymmetric tread. It will help you figure out which side should be outside when installing a set of rubber on a car;
- DOT - compliance with the safety requirements of standardization countries;
- Rotation - applied to kits with a directional pattern. The wheels must rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow;
- Treadwear is an indicator of wear resistance. On many tires, wear markings are made in the form of grooves. An increased number of layers is indicated by the letter C;
- RF (RunFlat) - rubber with a reinforced cord. Able to travel more than 80 km at the lowest pressure - 0 atmospheres. There are cases when both punctured wheels kept the road well at speeds up to 80 km / h.
seasonality
It is also worth understanding what the seasonal badges on the wheels mean.
- Winter - designation of winter tires. It features a soft rubber compound, and some tires are equipped with spikes, 1.6 mm high, providing better grip on icy roads;
- M+S badges are found on many winter and summer kits. This marking stands for Mud+Snow. Tires have a pronounced pattern and are able to behave well in bad weather. However, universal tires behave worse than profile kits.
Date of manufacture
Next to the place of the wheel size, there are four more digits indicating the date of manufacture of the kit. Reading it is quite simple if you understand the calendar. The first two digits are the serial number of the week, and the second are the year of production. That is, the number 4215 indicates that the kit was produced on the 42nd week of 2015.
Permissible loads
A few more words on how to read the load capacity index. To achieve the maximum value, the pressure must also be maximum. The designation is given in psi and is indicated as Max Pressure on the sidewall of the tire.
P- means it is car tire(as opposed to a truck or some other tire). P-metric is the U.S. version of the metric tire classification system, and on European tires does not apply;
185 - tire width from side to side in millimeters;
60
- the height of the tire profile, indicated as a percentage of the width. In our case, the height is 60% of the width, i.e.
101 mm. Profile height is often referred to as a series. Some sizes do not have a serial number, such as 195 R16 C. Such designations are found on full-section tires in which the height-to-width ratio is 80% or 82%;
R- tire construction: radial (R), diagonal (D), with belt cord (B);
14 - mounting diameter of the rim, in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm);
82 - index or load factor. This is a conditional indicator indicating the permissible load on the tire in kg. The most common coefficients with decoding are given in the table of load indices.
Load index table
The first digit is the load factor, the second digit is the actual load value in kg.
Max Load - maximum load in lbs (English feet) and in kg (kilograms);
Max Pressure- the maximum inflation pressure in the tire in PSI (feet per square inch) and in kPa (kilopascals);
H- speed index indicating the maximum allowable speed, at which the manufacturer guarantees the preservation of the pledged performance characteristics tires. The decoding is given in the table of speed indices. Tires using the old European system have a speed index in the size description: 215/65HR15.
Speed index table
The speed category means top speed supported by the tire. And for operation, a "sparing" mode is set, i.e. the car must move at a speed 10-15% less than that which the tires "allow".
Treadwear 220- wear resistance coefficient, determined in relation to the base value equal to 100;
TWI- Tread wear indicator - tread wear indicator - a sign on the sidewall of the tire, showing the location of the marks of the residual height of the pattern in the tread grooves. The label can be either an abbreviation - TWI, or TWI with an arrow, or just an arrow without letters. In all countries belonging to the European Community (EEC) and in Russian Federation required to residual height the tread pattern of tires for passenger cars was equal to at least 1.6 mm;
Traction A- coefficient of adhesion, characterizes the ability of the tire to brake on wet road. has the values A, B, C;
Temperature A - temperature regime, an indicator characterizing the tire's ability to withstand temperature effects, has the values A, B, C;
PR(Ply rating) - strength (bearing capacity) of the carcass, conditionally estimated by the so-called ply rating. For passenger cars, tires with a ply rating are used. 4PR and sometimes 6PR, and in this case the latter have the inscription Reinforced- reinforced. Tires with markings 6PR And 8PR most suitable for light trucks and minibuses, so often after the designation landing diameter(for example, 185R14C) they are marked with the letter "C" (commercial);
TUBELESS for tubeless tires, TUBE TYPE tires must be mounted with cameras;
RAINFORCED or "EXTRA LOAD (XL)" for reinforced tires;
M+ S - Mud+ Snow - mud + snow for winter tires;
SSR, RFT, Run Flat - special designation of tires designed to continue driving in a deflated state (Self Supporting Runflat);
Steel or Steel belted - on tires with steel cord in the breaker;
Materials used and the number of layers of them in the breaker and carcass, for example, TREAD: 4 PLIES (2 PLIES RAYON + 2 PLIES STEEL) SIDEWALL: 2 PLIES RAYON;
outside (side facing awards) or Inside (side facing awards) - on tires with asymmetrical pattern protector. These inscriptions indicate which sidewall of the tire should be on the outside and which sidewall should be on the inside in relation to the car. Sometimes at the same time, an arrow or marking is depicted on the tire<<, показывающие направление вращения шины при движении автомобиля вперед, маркируют и слова "rotation" (direction of rotation).
Often, inexperienced tire fitters confuse such arrows with the logo of a well-known tire manufacturer - Dunlop, made in the form of a stylized arrow;
Balancing marks - a yellow circle with a diameter of 5-10 mm, indicating an easy place in determining tire imbalance, is combined with a valve. The red circle is aligned with the “L” mark on the disk during installation. The circle is white, 180 degrees from the "L" mark. As a rule, there are two dots on the tire: red/yellow or white/yellow;
E 4- tire labeling complies with the requirements of the European Economic Commission. The number following the circle with the letter E indicates the country of origin (4 - the Netherlands);
2205 - production date code, 22 means the twenty-second week, 05 means 2005;
DOT- a designation consisting of an alphabetic or alphanumeric code assigned by the US Department of Transportation to a particular tire manufacturer, the encoded address of the manufacturer and its main office, the tire size code and confirmation that this tire has been tested, certified to meet the requirements of the federal safety standard;
Made inCountry - designation of the country of origin.
The following notation also occurs:
A. G. T. - (All Grip Traction) - all-weather tire.
N.D.- (Non Directional) - non-directional tire.
S.A.G.- (Super All Grip) - off-road tires.
TL- (TubeLess) - tubeless tire.
TT- (Tube Type) - tube tire.
Each tire has a number of parameters that you should pay attention to when buying. All indicators are of great importance, because from them you can learn about the age of rubber, its characteristics. This will help you choose the most suitable shoe for your car, based on the characteristics of operation.
This article is devoted to the load index of passenger car tires. We will look at the decoding of the parameters, what these numbers mean, where they are printed and how to choose a tire for your car.
All tire manufacturers need to specify a number of parameters on their products. These include the dimension of the wheel itself. Depending on the type of marking, these indicators can be indicated in millimeters or inches.
Look at the sidewall of the tire. If there are parameters, for example, 225*55*R17, then this indicates that the kit was produced for consumers from European countries. Tire manufacturers for Europe apply a certain series of numbers indicating the following sizes:
- the first number denotes the distance from one side to the other, i.e. tread width - 225 mm;
- the second is the ratio of tire profile to width or tread height. It is important to understand here that this indicator is variable and depends on the width of the tire. That is, tires 225 * 55 * R17 and 185 * 55 * R17 differ in their size;
- the third - stands for inner diameter - 17 inches;
- the letter r indicates that we have a tire with a radial weave cord. There are also diagonal tires, where instead of a letter there is a “\” icon.
American companies have developed their own labeling of their products, where the tire size is indicated in inches. The overseas type of designation has the format, for example, 33*11*R17, and such an index is interpreted as follows:
- The first number indicates the outer diameter of the wheel - 33 inches. This indicator is static and convenient to use, as it does not depend on the width, as in the European format;
- the second digit is the tread width - 11 inches;
- the third - carries information about the inner diameter of 17 inches. This method is more convenient, because all indicators are indicated separately and do not depend on each other. If you get used to the calculation in inches, then it becomes easier to select the right kit.
Along with the dimension indicators, other mandatory parameters are applied on the sidewall of the tires - load and speed index, manufacturer's brand, rubber model, production date and maximum allowable pressure.
The presence of colored marks indicates tips when mounting the wheels. The yellow triangle tells where is the lightest spot in the sidewall of the tubed tire, which should be aligned with the special mark on the rim. The red triangle indicates the hardest spot on the tubeless tire and is also aligned with the corresponding mark.
Additionally, on car tires you can see different markings and pictograms indicating seasonality (4 season, all season), the direction of rotation of the wheels (rotation + arrow), marking the outer or inner side (outside or inside) for rubber with an asymmetric tread. All these indicators, including the load index, will help you calculate and choose the right shoes for the car, and will also be able to guarantee a safe ride.
Load designation
One of the most important parameters is the tire load index. This indicator indicates the maximum weight that the tire must withstand. The designation of the load index marking is expressed in a numerical value and is located near the dimension of the wheel.
Therefore, when choosing rubber, it is worth looking at this indicator. For a competent calculation of the load index value, the total mass of the car with luggage and passengers in the cabin should be taken into account.
Separately, you need to remember about some of the nuances. For example, a wheel may be suitable for carrying capacity, but due to uneven distribution of luggage or passengers, the load may exceed the allowable limits. Therefore, it is worth playing it safe and taking a kit with a higher rate. This will provide an additional margin of safety and will allow you to be confident on the road.
Sometimes the tire load index has a double meaning, which is written with a hyphen. This means that the wheels are homologated for cars with twin tires. The first number on the tires indicates the load indexes in a single state, the second - in a paired state. For example, the numbers 106 * 102 mean that if you use the tire in paired form, then the maximum load will be 850 kg, and with a single wheel installation, it can withstand 950 kg. 
You can often find additional designations next to the tire load index in the form of the letters EL, which stands for Extra Load or the words Reinforced. Such tires are distinguished by a reinforced structure, which implies additional layers of cord and breaker. The labeling of these kits is somewhat different. It is worth adding 3 more units to the indicated tire load index.
It should also be remembered that the calculation of the vehicle load index coefficient is carried out on the basis of the maximum pressure in the wheels. Information about what pressure should be in the tires is contained on the side of the product, closer to the inner circumference. The parameter is measured in atmospheres or kilopascals.
Tire load index table
| Table | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | |||||
| 85 | 515 | 97 | 730 | 109 | 1030 |
| 86 | 530 | 98 | 750 | 110 | 1060 |
| 87 | 545 | 99 | 775 | 111 | 1090 |
| 88 | 560 | 100 | 800 | 112 | 1120 |
| 89 | 580 | 101 | 825 | 113 | 1150 |
| 90 | 600 | 102 | 850 | 114 | 1180 |
| 91 | 615 | 103 | 875 | 115 | 1215 |
| 92 | 630 | 104 | 900 | 116 | 1250 |
| 93 | 650 | 105 | 925 | 117 | 1285 |
| 94 | 670 | 106 | 950 | 118 | 1320 |
| 95 | 690 | 107 | 975 | 119 | 1360 |
| 96 | 710 | 108 | 1000 | 120 | 1400 |
Selection of high quality and safe tires
Another important indicator that you should look at when choosing rubber, in addition to the tire load index, is the speed index. It is indicated by a Latin letter and indicates the maximum permissible speed of the selected kit. Speed and load indicators are indicated together and influence each other. The greater the load capacity, the greater the margin of safety.
The minimum value acceptable for modern cars is N. This implies that the maximum speed at which you can drive is 140 km / h. Driving the car at a given speed for several hours will not damage the tread structure. Exceeding this speed will result in severe tire wear and possible wheel damage.
Every 10 km / h, the kit receives the next letter, closer to the end of the Latin alphabet. If you need to move to high speeds on good roads, then the tires should have an H, V, W or Y index.
For winter tires, this indicator is not so relevant. The operating conditions of the car do not allow to reach the maximum speed. Therefore, it is worthwhile to understand that it is necessary to build on the class of car and choose a winter kit based on the tread pattern and the characteristics of operation and weather conditions.
The same is true if you are thinking about which index for an SUV is best. Here it is preferable to abandon high-speed tires in favor of rubber with a high load index. The full classification of the tire speed index is shown below.
| Tire table | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Litera | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | H | V | W | Y |
| Speed | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 210 | 240 | 270 | 300 |
In conclusion, it is worth saying that new rubber clings to the surface better than old, worn tires. The load index of such products can also become smaller with age. Therefore, as it is better to fill in fresh fluids in a timely manner for the full operation of all systems, it is preferable to change tires every three years.
Without good and high-quality shoes, a person will not go much if it is a cold season outside. And in the summer it is uncomfortable to move barefoot on the asphalt hot by the sun. It is the same with a car - without well-chosen tires, it will not go far.
However, choosing them correctly is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. From the abundance of tires presented in the store, you need to clearly define the category, size, be able to decipher load index And tire speed index, adhesion and wear indicators. I am glad that it is not necessary to be a specialist, because the tire marking, the decoding of which is available even to a novice motorist, contains all the necessary information.
Of course, first you need to choose the “shoes” for the car in size - the tire size is one of the most visible marking details:
To decipher, let's take the last example from the photo: 175/70 R13 82T:
- 175 - an indicator of the width of the tire in millimeters, that is, the width of this tire is 175 mm.
- 70 - its proportionality (also called a similar value profile), that is, the height of the profile in relation to the width in this case is 70%. The larger the aspect ratio, the taller the tire, regardless of its width.
- R is the radial cord of the tire. This is a design feature of the tire, when the rubberized threads on the carcass cord run parallel to each other, without overlapping. Now the radial type is predominantly produced, but sometimes you can also find a diagonal cord (D), when the rubberized threads on the frame are located at an angle to the radius of the wheel. Or diagonally belted type (B).
- 13 - the value is indicated in inches and indicates the diameter of the wheel.
- T - the letter designation of the speed at which you can drive without problems with this tire. It is easy to calculate a similar tire speed index by looking at the table below. In this case, we see the speed index T, which means that the maximum permissible speed is 190 km / h. This is a common type, as is the q speed index (up to 160 km / h).
- 82 - this figure indicates the maximum allowable load on the wheel. In this case, this tire index means that the maximum permissible load is 475 kg. A little lower in you will see a table where all the values \u200b\u200bof the tire load index will be indicated.
Tire speed index
Load index (carrying capacity) of tires
| Index | KG | Index | KG | Index | KG | Index | KG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 190 | 71 | 345 | 92 | 630 | 113 | 1150 |
| 51 | 195 | 72 | 355 | 93 | 650 | 114 | 1180 |
| 52 | 200 | 73 | 365 | 94 | 670 | 115 | 1215 |
| 53 | 206 | 74 | 375 | 95 | 690 | 116 | 1250 |
| 54 | 212 | 75 | 387 | 96 | 710 | 117 | 1285 |
| 55 | 218 | 76 | 400 | 97 | 730 | 118 | 1320 |
| 56 | 224 | 77 | 412 | 98 | 750 | 119 | 1360 |
| 57 | 230 | 78 | 425 | 99 | 775 | 120 | 1400 |
| 58 | 236 | 79 | 437 | 100 | 800 | 121 | 1450 |
| 59 | 243 | 80 | 450 | 101 | 825 | 122 | 1500 |
| 60 | 250 | 81 | 462 | 102 | 850 | 123 | 1550 |
| 61 | 257 | 82 | 475 | 103 | 875 | 124 | 1600 |
| 62 | 265 | 83 | 487 | 104 | 900 | 125 | 1650 |
| 63 | 272 | 84 | 500 | 105 | 925 | 126 | 1700 |
| 64 | 280 | 85 | 515 | 106 | 950 | 127 | 1750 |
| 65 | 290 | 86 | 530 | 107 | 975 | 128 | 1800 |
| 66 | 300 | 87 | 545 | 108 | 1000 | 129 | 1840 |
| 67 | 307 | 88 | 560 | 109 | 1030 | 130 | 1900 |
| 68 | 315 | 89 | 580 | 110 | 1060 | ||
| 69 | 325 | 90 | 600 | 111 | 1090 | ||
| 70 | 335 | 91 | 615 | 112 | 1120 |
seasonality
Also, tire marking necessarily includes a mandatory indication of seasonality:
| Designation | Description |
|---|---|
| W+S | With such tires, it is possible to drive on a road on which there is mud and snow. |
| Snow or M+S | Winter tires for snow and ice. |
| As All Season | all season |
| Any Weather | all weather |
| Rain, Water, Aqua, Aquatred, Aquacontact | Perhaps the tire may have an “umbrella” in the marking. This marking indicates that the tire has a hydroplaning effect, that is, it was created specifically for rainy weather. |
| HIGHWAY | Road - designed for paved roads, but only in wet or dry form. Due to the low grip with the surface, driving on snow or ice in such an automobile “shoe” is undesirable. |
| PERFORMANCE | High-speed - for high-class cars. They withstand high temperature loads, have excellent grip properties and provide impeccable car handling. |
| ALL SEASON PERFORMANCE | High-speed all-weather. |
Studding
For those who prefer studded tires in the cold season, it is important to know the following:
Additional designations
In addition, there are a lot of additional designations that are not always indicated:
| Designation | Description |
|---|---|
| rotation | Directional, where the direction is indicated by an arrow. |
| outside and inside | (possibly Side Facing Out and Side Facing Inwards) Asymmetrical, therefore, with this designation, it is imperative to follow the instructions for installing the tire on the rim: Outside (outer side of the car), Inside (inner side). |
| Left/Right | Depending on the designation, install the tire on the side of the machine that is indicated in the marking: left or right. |
| Tubeless | Tubeless. |
| Tube Type | Operate only with the camera. |
| MAX PRESSURE (kPa) | The maximum allowable tire pressure. |
| Vmax | The speed that the tires can withstand can be more than 360 km / h. |
| SSR | When pressure is lost, the emergency protection system is activated. |
| M3 | Designed specifically for BMW. |
| N1, N2, N3 | Designed specifically for Porsche. |
| MO | Designed specifically for Mercedes-Benz. |
| ML | Designed specifically for Mercedes-Benz or Audi, with disc rim protection. |
| MFS | Maximally protect the edge of the car disk. |
| RF, Reinf, C, LT, XL | Reinforced tyres. |
| E17 | Entirely and fully comply with European standards. |
| DOT | Entirely and fully comply with US standards. |
| PLIES: TREAD | The tread layer consists of... |
| SIDEWALL | The side layer is... |
| MAX LOAD | Tire load index (kg or English feet). |
| DA | Minor manufacturing defects that do not interfere with normal use. |
| MADE IN… | Made in... |
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 stands for radial tire (in fact, almost all tires are made this way these days).
Many mistakenly believe that R - means tire radius, 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 its performance is noticeably worse.
16 wheel (rim) diameter 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. is the inside size of the tire or the outside of the rim. You can read more about disc labeling in the Disc Labeling section.
H tire speed index. The larger it is, the faster you can ride 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 the normal operation of the rubber when the car is constantly moving at the specified speed for several hours.
Speed index table:
| Speed index | J | K | L | M | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | H | V | VR | W | Y | ZR |
| Max. Speed (km/h) | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 210 | 240 | >210 | 270 | 300 | >240 |
94 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, ID 94 670 kg.). For minibuses and small trucks, this parameter is very important and must be observed.
Tire load index table:
| Load index | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 250 | 257 | 265 | 272 | 280 | 290 | 300 | 307 | 315 | 325 |
| Load index | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 335 | 345 | 355 | 365 | 375 | 387 | 400 | 412 | 426 | 437 |
| Load index | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 450 | 462 | 475 | 487 | 500 | 515 | 530 | 545 | 560 | 580 |
| Load index | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 600 | 615 | 630 | 650 | 670 | 690 | 710 | 730 | 750 | 775 |
| Load index | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 800 | 825 | 850 | 875 | 900 | 925 | 950 | 975 | 1000 | 1030 |
| Load index | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 1060 | 1090 | 1120 | 1150 | 1180 | 1215 | 1250 | 1285 | 1320 | 1360 |
| Load index | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 1400 | 1450 | 1500 | 1550 | 1600 | 1650 | 1700 | 1750 | 1800 | 1850 |
Attention!
The load index in the table is indicated for one wheel of the vehicle. To calculate the maximum allowable weight machines need to be multiplied Weight Limit load of one wheel per number of wheels (for example, passenger car must be multiplied by 4).
American designations: standard size (decoding)
There are two different markings for American tires.
The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letters “P” are put in front of the size (Passanger - for 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 standard size 265/75 R15)
31 is the outside diameter of the tire in inches.
10.5 is 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.
To convert one type of standard size to another, you can use the tire calculator in inches.
Colored labels used for marking
Yellow marking on the tire(round or triangular mark) on the sidewall indicates the lightest spot on the tire. During installation new tire to the disk, the yellow mark must be aligned with the heaviest place on the disk. This is usually where the nipple is attached. This allows you to improve the balance of the wheel and put weights of less weight.
On tires with mileage, this yellow marking is not so relevant, since, as a rule, when the tire wears out, its balance shifts.
Red dot on the tire- means the place of maximum power heterogeneity, the manifestation of which is usually associated with various connections of different layers of the tire during its manufacture. These irregularities are completely normal and all tires have them. But usually only those tires that go to the primary equipment of cars are marked with red dots, i.e. when the car leaves the factory.
This red mark is combined with white marks on the discs (white marking marks on the discs are also placed mainly for the original configuration of the car), which indicate the closest place to the center of the wheel. This is done so that the maximum inhomogeneity in the tire is minimally affected when driving, providing a more balanced power characteristic wheels. During normal tire fitting, it is not recommended to pay attention to the tire marking with a red mark, but to be guided by the yellow mark, combining it with the nipple.
Marking - white stamp with number means the number of the inspector who carried out the final inspection of the tire at the manufacturing plant. This is done to improve product quality control.
colored stripes tires are made on the tread to make it more convenient to “identify” the tire in the warehouse. All tire models and different sizes have different markings. Therefore, when tires are stacked in warehouses, it is immediately clear that a given stack of tires has the same size and model. These colored stripes on the tire have no other semantic load.
Additional information on the tire sidewall
XL or Extra Load reinforced tire, the load index of which is 3 units higher than that of conventional tires of the same size.
M+S or tire marking M&S (Mud + Snow) mud plus snow and means that the tires are all-weather or winter.
On many summer tires for SUVs, M&S is indicated. 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 harsh 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 tyres.
Outside and Inside asymmetric tires. When installing, the inscription Outside must be on the outside of the car, and Inside on the inside.
RunFlat, 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. Read more about RunFlat technology on the Runflat Tires page.
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 tire sidewall 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 tyre. In the absence of this inscription, the tire can only be used with a camera.
Tube Type indicates that this tire must be used with a tube only.
Max Load the maximum allowable load on each wheel of the vehicle, in kg.
Reinforced or the letters RF in the size (for example 195/70 R15RF) means that this is a reinforced tire (6 layers). Letter WITH at the end of the size (for example 195/70 R15C) denotes 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 complies with the European requirements of ECE (Economic Commission for Europe).
DOT (Department of Transportation US Department of Transportation) American quality standard.
Temperature A , B or C heat resistance of tires at 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 Indiration) - tire tread wear indicators. The marking on the TWI wheel can also be with an arrow. The pointers are evenly spaced in eight or six places around the entire circumference of the tire and show the minimum allowable depth protector. 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).
You can read more about tire wear on the Tire Wear page.
How to find out the date of manufacture of a tire
To determine the age of a tire, there is a special marking on its sidewall, which is applied during production.
The date of manufacture of the tire is written as four digits in an oval (for example 1805) the first two digits are the week of manufacture, the next two are the year of manufacture (in our example, April 2005).
