As a driver or a car owner, it is very important to be able to read your tire. In fact, it is a helpful skill, especially when you want to shop for the right tire that meets your needs. In order to carry out a successful shopping for tires, it is important to understand what the numbers printed on the sidewall mean.
Let’s take as example, this typical truck tire size 265/70R17 115T All-Season tires means the following:
265 specifies the width of the tire from one sidewall to the other in millimeters. This is to say, the tire is 265 millimeters wide.
70 specifies the aspect ratio, or sidewall height, as a percentage of the tire’s width. In this case, it is 70 percent of the tire’s width.
R means radial tires. Radials are the most common types of automotive tire and have fabric woven in at various angles with tread that is strengthened with additional layers of rubber.
17 specifies the wheel’s diameter.
115 is the tire’s load rating.
T is the tire’s speed rating. T-rated tires have a maximum top speed of 118mph.
Leave a Reply