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How to read a tire
For the P195/65R15-size tire shown here:
(1)
P designates passenger-car tires
(light-truck tires have an LT designation);
195 is the tire's cross-section width in
millimeters; 65 is the ratio of sidewall
height to cross-section width (here, sidewall
height is 65 percent of that width);
R means radial-ply construction; 15 is
the diameter, in inches, of the wheel
the tire fits.
(2)
89 is a code for the maximum load
the tire can safely carry (1,279 pounds
for this one).
(3)
H is the speed rating--130 mph--the maximum that the tire can safely
sustain. Other common speed ratings
include S, 112 mph; T, 118 mph; V, 149;
and ZR, 150-plus. Tires with higher speed
ratings tend to handle better at normal
highway speeds.
(4)
Maximum air pressure when cold--35 pounds per square inch for this tire.
Stick to the air pressure recommended on
the placard on the vehicle's door jamb or
in the glove compartment or fuel-filler
door; underinflation can make a tire run
too hot.
(5)
Traction and temperature ratings
are scores for government-specified tests
that gauge a tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement and resist overheating, which
could cause a failure. AA is the best for
traction; A, for temperature.
(6)
The tread-wear rating compares a
tire's tread life with that of a reference
tire. A 440 rating (shown here) indicates
a tread life of more than four times that
of a tire graded at 100. Winter tires aren't
required to have traction, temperature,
and tread-wear ratings because they are
intended for winter use only.
(7)
The DOT (Department of Transportation)
code tells you when and where
the tire was made--important if there's a
recall. In this code, the first two characters
after "DOT" indicate the plant where
the tire was made. The last three or four
characters give the week and year the tire
was made--in this case, the 49th week
of 2001.
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