Tyre Markings
If you’re looking for new tyres and you don’t know where to start, the best place to begin is with your current tyres. The tyres you currently have can give you a wealth of information that you will need, to make sure you buy tyres 100% compatible with your vehicle.
So, you’re looking at your tyres and see nothing but numbers and letters. What on earth could they mean? To the untrained eye, these markings can seem random and not important. However, each number and letter represent an important detail about the tyre for a person to read, like shorthand for vehicles. At G&H Tyre Services, we’ve put together a helpful guide so you can easily read your tyre wall marking and make the correct choice first time.
1
Tyre Width
The first three numbers on a tyre represent the tyre’s nominal width in millimetres from one sidewall to another.
2
Aspect Ratio
Next is a forward slash, followed by two digits. This represents the tyre’s aspect ratio, the profile height of the tyre sidewall, as a percentage of the tyre width. For example, if the aspect ratio is 45%, that would mean the height is 45% of the width. This calculation is made by dividing the tyre’s section height by the tyre’s section width.
3
Construction
Next digit along is a letter. This letter represents the type of construction used within the casing of the tyre. This can be ‘R’ for Radial Construction, ‘B’ for Bias-ply or ‘D’ for Diagonal Construction. The most common tyre construction type on the road today is the radial tyre.
4
Rim Diameter
The next two digits along show the tyre wheel rim diameter in inches.
5
Load Index
The next digit in the markings is a letter between A-Z. Each letter represents the maximum speed the tyre can undergo with its recommended load capacity. The tyre’s speed rating letter and corresponding speed limit must be at least equivalent to the maximum speed of the vehicle. Even though the speed rating and vehicle maximum speed may be high, you must not exceed legal speed limits when driving, nor consistently put your tyre’s under stress from speeding.
6
Manufacturing
will also notice in smaller print, other details about the tyre such as when and where the tyre was manufactured. You will notice these details by the initials DOT (Department of Transport Safety), which means the tyre has met the legal regulatory standards. The following 8 digits are a form of serial number which can trace the tyre back to the manufacturer. The last four digits, inside a window, shows the date in week and year in which the tyre was made. For example, ‘3416’ signifies the tyre was produced in the 34th week of 2016.
G & H Tyres
G&H Tyres, we carry tyres for all vehicle brands such as Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Ford, Land Rover, Volkswagen, Toyota and other household named brands. If you have any questions about your tyre markings or want to find out more about how G&H Tyre Services can help you call 07739 634 929 today. Alternatively, you can contact us online by selecting Contact at the top of the page. One of our expert and friendly team will get back to you as soon as possible.
