Deciphering Sidewall Graffiti - What Those Tire Codes Mean

Does sidewall graffiti on tires hold any secrets? Author Douglas Adamsmay very well be intrigued at the notion, but the truth is that tire codes tell consumers about the tire’s size, wear, construction and speed rating, among other things. Using properly sized and rated tires for your automobile is an essential part of getting the most from your automobile and increasing mpg. Thanks to our friends at Edmunds, here’s your official cheat sheet for breaking down the mystery of the tire codes on your daily commuter or weekend joy-rider. You won't have to go to a Car Deal Expert unless you need an auto loans with bad credit since you’ll have the code cracked in no time.

Article Resource: Deciphering sidewall graffiti – What those tire codes mean?

If your tires could talk – sidewall graffiti

Let’s use this tire code as our sample -205/55R 16 89V. Let’s see how that breaks down:

• First there's 205 – This is the tire’s section width, which measures the millimeter distance between sidewall edges. The tire is fatter if the number is larger.
• 55 – This is the aspect ratio that compares section height to width. The section height is 55 percent of the section width in this case. Lower numbers (under 55, for example) mean a shorter sidewall, which grants improved handling.
• 3rd R – This is the tire’s construction, in this case radial. Radial has been the standard in the last 20 years, but some trucks nevertheless use the same old bias-play construction.
• 16 ­– This represents the rim diameter in inches. If you choose to buy new tires, this number will nevertheless have to match.
• Fifth there's 89 – The load index, which represents the Maximum Load-Carrying Capacity Per Tire chart. 89 equates to 1,279 pounds per tire. Multiply the result by four to get total weight capacity for a set of tires.
• Sixth is V – This represents the speed rating, which tells you maximum speed a tire can go over an extended time frame. “V” means the tire can safely run at up to 149 mph for a period of time. If you go over that more than a couple of minutes, your tires might explode. For more speed codes, see the link at the bottom of the article.

Other things to consider as part of your sidewall graffiti

In the case of a recall, Edmunds says there might be other details such as a DOT (Department of Transportation). A traction rating might be there too with A,B, or C, A being the best. The term “TREADWEAR” may also be visible among the tire codes, alongside a number like 120 or 180. 180 can maintain tread for 80% longer as standard is 100. Sometimes you will find other scales used but usually the higher the number, the longer the tread life.

Additional information at these websites

Douglas Adams

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams

Edmunds

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/43859/article.html

radial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_tire

Maximum Load-Carrying Capacity Per Tire

http://www.kaltire.com/retail/about_your_tires/loadchart.php

speed codes, see the link at the bottom of the article

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35