How-To Read
a Tire - What Does the Sidewall Say?
information provided by
Goodyear
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The side
of your tire, known as the sidewall, contains all the
information you will need to know about your tire. Whether
your tire says "Goodyear" or some other name, all tires are
required to have this information.
"Tire Type" defines the proper use of the tire. P
means this is a passenger car tire. If the tire had an LT
then the tire would be for a light truck.
"Tire Width" is the width of the tire measured in
millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. This tire is 215
millimeters.
"Aspect Ratio" is the the ratio of the height of
the tire's cross-section to its width. 65 means that the
height is equal to 65% of the tire's width.
"Construction" tells you how the tire was put
together. The "R" stands for radial, which means that the
body ply cords, which are layers of fabric that make up the
body of the tire, run radially across the tire from bead to
bead. A "B" indicates the tire is of bias construction,
meaning that the body ply cords run diagonally across the
tire from bead to bead, with the ply layers alternating in
direction to reinforce one another.
"Wheel Diameter" is the width of the wheel from one
end to the other. The diameter of this wheel is 15 inches.
"Load Index" is a
number corresponds to the maximum load in pounds that a tire
can support when properly inflated. You will also find the
maximum load in pounds and in kilograms molded elsewhere on
the tire sidewall.
"Speed Rating" is a number that corresponds to the
maximum service speed for a tire. "H" means that the tire
has a maximum service speed of 130 mph. Please note that
this rating relates only to tire speed capability, and is
NOT a recommendation to exceed legally posted speed limits;
always drive within the legal speed limits.
"DOT" means the tire is compliant with all
applicable safety standards established by the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT). Adjacent to this is a
tire indentification or serial number; a combination of
numbers and letters with up to 12 digits.
"UTQG"
stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading, a quality rating
system developed by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
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