Tire marking decoding

04.04.2021

In accordance with the rules of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, each tire is standardized (brought to certain indices and indicators), which are necessarily applied by the manufacturer to the side of the tire. Embossing on the outside is called marking, which can carry more than 30 different meanings, let's decipher what they mean together.

Tire size

The tire size indicates the physical parameters of the slope. This marking consists of three numbers and is applied on the outer part of the wheel. Example of such values: 175/70 R13, 185/60 R14, 195/50 R15, 195/65 R15C, 7.5/-R16 120L.

The first digit in the marking indicates tire width in millimeters for passenger tires (175, 195, 185, etc.) or in inches for trucks (6.45, 7.5, etc.).
On passenger slopes, it is customary to indicate the second number tire width to height ratio its sides as a percentage. For example, in the marking 175/70 R13, the number 70 means that the height of the side part is 70% of 175 mm, which means 175 * 70/100 = 122.5 mm.
Letter "R" means the radial design of the wheel (it is not put on diagonal tires), “C” after the inner radius is put on commercial vehicle tires that are designed for increased loads. Additional letters are put on tires for the American market: LT - "Light truck" ramps for light trucks or jeeps, P - "Passenger Car" for cars, ST - "Special Trailer" for trailers, and T - "Temporary" for spare wheels or proof.

Manufacturer and model information

In addition to the tire size, the brand name and model are applied on the side to identify the tires, for example: Nokian Hakka Green, Michelin Energy, Toyo Proxes, Good year Ultra Grip, Belshina BEL-347, Amtel NordMaster, Hankook K415 Optimo and others.

Inscription " Made in…» denotes the country of manufacture (Russia (Russia), Germany (Germany), USA (USA), France (France), China (China), etc.).

Year and week of issue on the tires is applied in a rounded oval with four numbers: for example, “0915” would mean that the tire was made on the 9th week of 2015.

Indices of allowable load and speeds

Load index(INS) - designation by numbers of the permissible load on the tire in kilograms. The value ranges from 0 (45 kg) to 279 (136000 kg). You can find out in detail which index you can in the table below:

INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg	INS	MAX, kg
0	45	40	140	80	450	120	1400	160	4500	200	14000	240	45000
1	46,2	41	145	81	462	121	1450	161	4625	201	14500	241	46250
2	47,5	42	150	82	475	122	1500	162	4750	202	15000	242	47500
3	48,7	43	155	83	487	123	1550	163	4875	203	15500	243	48750
4	50	44	160	84	500	124	1600	164	5000	204	16000	244	50000
5	51,5	45	165	85	515	125	1650	165	5150	205	16500	245	51500
6	53	46	170	86	530	126	1700	166	5300	206	17000	246	53000
7	54,5	47	175	87	545	127	1750	167	5450	207	17500	247	54500
8	56	48	180	88	560	128	1800	168	5600	208	18000	248	56000
9	58	49	185	89	580	129	1850	169	5800	209	18500	249	58000
10	60	50	190	90	600	130	1900	170	6000	210	19000	250	60000
11	61,5	51	195	91	615	131	1950	171	6150	211	19500	251	61500
12	63	52	200	92	630	132	2000	172	6300	212	20000	252	63000
13	65	53	206	93	650	133	2060	173	6500	213	20600	253	65000
14	67	54	212	94	670	134	2120	174	6700	214	21200	254	67000
15	69	55	218	95	690	135	2180	175	6900	215	21800	255	69000
16	71	56	224	96	710	136	2240	176	7100	216	22400	256	71000
17	73	57	230	97	730	137	2300	177	7300	217	23000	257	73000
18	75	58	236	98	750	138	2360	178	7500	218	23600	258	75000
19	77,5	59	243	99	775	139	2430	179	7750	219	24300	259	77500
20	80	60	250	100	800	140	2500	180	8000	220	25000	260	80000
21	82,5	61	257	101	825	141	2575	181	8250	221	25750	261	82500
22	86	62	265	102	850	142	2650	182	8500	222	26500	262	85000
23	87,5	63	272	103	875	143	2725	183	8750	223	27250	263	87500
24	90	64	280	104	900	144	2800	184	9000	224	28000	264	90000
25	92,5	65	290	105	925	145	2900	185	9250	225	29000	265	92500
26	95	66	300	106	950	146	3000	186	9500	226	30000	266	97500
27	97,5	67	307	107	975	147	3075	187	9750	227	30750	267	97500
28	100	68	315	108	1000	148	3150	188	10000	228	31500	268	100000
29	103	69	325	109	1030	149	3250	189	10300	229	32500	269	103000
30	106	70	335	110	1060	150	3350	190	10600	230	33500	270	106000
31	109	71	345	111	1090	151	3450	191	10900	231	34500	271	109000
32	112	72	355	112	1120	152	3550	192	11200	232	35500	272	112000
33	115	73	365	113	1150	153	3650	193	11500	233	36500	273	115000
34	118	74	375	114	1180	154	3750	194	11800	234	37500	274	118000
35	121	75	387	115	1215	155	3875	195	12150	235	38750	275	121000
36	125	76	400	116	1250	156	4000	196	12500	236	40000	276	125000
37	128	77	412	117	1285	157	4125	197	12850	237	41250	277	128500
38	132	78	426	118	1320	158	4250	198	13200	238	42500	278	132000
39	136	79	437	119	1360	159	4375	199	13600	239	43750	279	136000

Tires destined for the North American market are also embossed with the parameter "Maximum Pressure", which is measured in pounds per square inch (1 PSI = 0.068046 atmospheres) and "Max Load", in pounds or kilograms. Max. press. means the maximum allowable pressure in cold tires, and Max. load- load.

Speed index- an indicator of the maximum allowable speed to which you can accelerate on tires. The value is indicated in Latin letters from A to Z and, accordingly, the speed limit is 5-300 km / h (there is no marking over 300 km / h).

Index	m/h	km/h	Index	m/h	km/h
A1	3	5	L	75	120
A2	6	10	M	81	130
A3	9	15	N	87	140
A4	12	20	P	94	150
A5	16	25	Q	100	160
A6	19	30	R	106	170
A7	22	35	S	112	180
A8	25	40	T	118	190
B	31	50	U	124	200
C	37	60	H	130	210
D	40	65	V	149	240
E	43	70	Z/ZR	over 149	over 240
F	50	80	W	168	270
G	56	90	(W)	over 168	over 270
J	62	100	Y	186	300
K	68	110	(Y)	over 186	over 300

Tire design

All design features of the wheels are often also marked on the sidewall.

Radial or diagonal tires

As mentioned earlier, radial tires are marked with the letter “R” in the main size index or the inscription “Radial”, and for diagonal tires this letter is simply absent. The difference between these tires lies in the arrangement of the cords, which increase the torsional stiffness and stress on the tire. In diagonal tires, the steel threads go intertwined at right angles, and in radial threads they are evenly spaced from the edge of one bead to the other.

What is the best tire design?? Radial tires are more resistant to wear than diagonal tires - they are able to cover more than 60,000 km, while their competitor barely manages half as much mileage. In addition, the stability and handling of diagonal tires is worse, however, as is the rolling resistance, which affects increased fuel consumption. The design of the radial tire also includes a breaker that reinforces the rigidity of the sidewall. Such slopes help to achieve a more stable and larger contact patch with the road. Almost all modern tires are radial.

Tube and tubeless tires

Tires labeled "Tubeless" or TL are called tubeless. In such tires, air is directly pumped through the nipple.

Tube tires are labeled "Tube Type" or TT. In such slopes, air is pumped into a rubber chamber, which is installed inside the tire.

Tubeless tires have a number of advantages over their outdated counterparts:

Less weight due to the absence of a chamber and a simplified design.
When punctured, tubeless tires descend much more slowly.
They overheat less and, as a result, break down more slowly.

Other design features

Seasonality and type of coverage

All Seasons, As put on the outside of all-weather, that is, those that can be used both in winter and summer.
R+W (Road+Winter) marking of slopes intended for ordinary roads and winter conditions, another subspecies of all-weather
Any Weather tires designed for all weather.
M+S, M&S or M.S means "Mud and Snow" (Mud and Snow), tires designed for winter weather and melted snow in particular.
Snowflake- a badge against the background of three mountain peaks is applied to the sidewall of winter tires. Manufacturers whose tires have passed the grip test 10% better than the Uniroyal Tiger reference can apply for this marking.
Umbrella pictogram or inscriptions Aquatred, Aquacontact applied to tires designed for rain.

Wear

Many manufacturers took care of the end consumer and installed a wear indicator on tires. Its presence on the tire is indicated by the inscription Tread Wear Indication or TWI. Each brand in its own way decided to show the tread depth, for example:

Michelin install a triangle on the top of the sidewall, which shows exactly where the wear indicator is located.
Nokian, Matador and many other companies cut out numbers on the tread that indicate the depth of the tread in millimeters, as the tire gradually wears out, the layer is erased from one number to another
The rest of the brands in the tread grooves put a perpendicular partition, the height of which will indicate that the tire is completely worn out.

The minimum allowable wear for passenger cars is 1.6 mm, which is valid both in Russia and in all European countries. It is believed that this is the last frontier, which somehow prevents the tire from hydroplaning in puddles.

The tread depth of new summer slopes is usually 7-8 mm, winter 8-10, depending on the type of pattern.

Compliance

Tires that are produced in the CIS countries and Russia in particular have inscriptions indicating that they belong to state standards or certain technical conditions. On the sidewall, they are applied with a document code, for example: GOST 4754-97 or TU2521-036-00148984-98. In addition, tires certified in Russia are sometimes marked with the PCT mark, which indicates the presence of a certificate.

Tires destined for the European market are embossed with the UNECE N30 regulation mark. The number in the circle is the country code, and outside the standard designation, for example E4 0220984.

Tires produced for the North American market are marked DOT (Department of Transportation USA), which consists of an alphanumeric code that encrypts the manufacturer, slope size, manufacturer, for example DOT M746 JR1R.

Color markings

In addition, each manufacturer, for its own convenience or specific needs, can apply different own marks for each tire.

yellow marks put on the lightest part of the tire, as a place to install the nipple, simplifying the work of tire fitting.
Red mark on the tire indicates the place of the greatest heterogeneity or the heaviest part.
Colored stripes on the tread a variety of colors are created to simplify logistics and help distribute tires to warehouses.
white circle with number on the sidewall, this is a sign corresponding to the Soviet Quality Control Department (technical control department), which means a check in the warehouse by the supplier.

Tire sticker

One of the new tire marking trends is stickers that are stuck on the tread before being sold. On them you can find out the rolling resistance, noise and braking of a car on wet pavement.

rolling resistance or RRC (Rolling Resistance Coeficient) is measured in the letter A, B, C, D, E, F, G. A is considered the best, which means the lowest coefficient. The remaining letters increase the fuel consumption on the reference car with a consumption of 6.6 l / 100 km.
Braking on wet pavement as in the previous example, they are measured in letters of the Latin alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, where the letter A will mean the shortest braking distance on wet asphalt.
Tire noise is indicated by a speaker icon with a tire and an applied dB level. If all sound waves are filled with black, then the slope has 75 dB or more, which will be prohibited in the EU from 2016.

If you have read this article to the end, congratulations, you can confidently consider yourself an expert in tire markings.

Tire marking decoding was last modified: April 25th, 2017 by abc-tyre