Time to change tires! What you didn't know about the tyre label.

If you have a car, read this article certainly! Not for idle interest: information on the tyre label will help to save a good amount and make the right choice among a diverse range of such an important automobile equipment. Important to read before the winter season!





Marking tires

1. Tyre size
   The most important parameter! The first digit in the index is the width of the tire in millimeters, the second profile height in percentage of width. Followed the letter, informing about the structure of the tyre, and figure, talking about landing diameter of the tyre in inches. For example, the designation 195/65 R15 stands for: bus width 195 mm, height — 126,75 mm (65% of width), R — radial tyre construction (there is still the diagonal, but today they almost never occur), rim diameter for installation on a disk 15 inches.
   
   Sometimes such index is no indication of the height of the profile (for example, 195 R15). This means that its value exceeds 80 %. Such tires are called full-profile. Often they are vans and small trucks.
   
   
2. Index or load factor
   Designated numbers from 0 to 130, but the most common range is from 71 to 110. And each combination has its own maximum load on the tire in kilograms. Sometimes manufacturers specify directly on the tire its carrying capacity (in particular, it is obligatory for tyres approved for sale in the USA). In this case, on the sidewall you can see the inscription Ma Load and the load value in kilograms and British pounds. For example, Ma Load 515 kg (1135 lbs).
   
   
   
   
   
3. Speed index
   Denoted by Latin letters, on the movement with what maximum speed the tyre is designed.
   
   
   
4. Rainforced
   The inscription announces enhanced the tyre's carcass, which is important for tyres destined for commercial vehicles. So often instead of the word Reinforced on the sidewall, the manufacturer simply adds the letter s (meaning commercial) in marking the tire. For Example, 195/65 R 15 C.
5. Country-manufacturer of tires
   For example, made in France — made in France, made in Germany — made in Germany.
6. The outer side of the tire
   The tires with asymmetric tread pattern on the sidewall marking is applied external to the body side. It is marked with the word Outwards, Out, Side facing outwards, etc.
7. Optimal conditions for the operation of the bus
   M + S — Mud + Snow: the dirt plus the snow.
   As — All Season: all season.
   Aw — Any Weather: any weather.
   Aquatred, Aquacontact or pictogram in the form of an umbrella — special rain tires.
   The pictogram in the form of snowflakes — tyre for harsh winter conditions. If on the sidewall there are no such symbols, then the bus can be used only in the summer, in warm weather.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Performance tires
   Can be tube or tubeless. Indicated by Tube Type (TT) or Tubeless (TL), respectively.
9. Sign certification
   The tires that are approved for use in Europe according to the Rule No. 30 of the UNECE, it is a inscribed in a circle, the letter E and the digital code corresponding to the country that issued the permit. For example, for Russia in the pinned list, No. 22. Followed by a long string of numbers — the number of the certificate of compliance. Tires comply with U.S. standards, in addition bear the symbol DOT, which is encrypted data not only on the number of the test Protocol, but about the manufacturer of the tire. For example, DOT МКR4 AJOR.
   
   
10. The name or logo of the manufacturer of the tire
    For Example, Michelin, Good Year, Yokohama.
11. Bus model
    For example, Energy, SP Sport 9000, Turanza ER300.
12. Additional symbols
    Date of issue of the tire. This is a four-digit figure like the 1109, which means the 11th week of production in 2009. Regrooveable — bus with the possibility of additional deepening of the tread.
    
    TWI (Tread Wear Indication — flat track wear) — this mark on the tyre sidewall indicates the location of the wear indicator on the tread (recall that in Russia, its depth should be not less than 1.6 mm). Usually this symbol is applied on the circle at the six locations.
    
    It can be executed in different ways. Many manufacturers indicator is a simple protrusion in the groove of the tread. When they become equal to the height of the tire needs to go for processing.
    
    In more advanced models, the light looks like a set of numbers denoting the residual height of the tread. As the wear number gradually erased.
    
    
    
    
    
    Maimum Pressure — the maximum pressure in a cold tire. Usually stated in pounds per square inch (1PSI = 0,0069 MPa) or bar units, almost equal to the atmosphere.
    
    Arrow, sometimes labeled Rotationshows the required direction of rotation tires with directional tread pattern.
    
    Tread Wear Index — the index of wear resistance. A conventional measure of how durable the tire. For example, a tire with the designation 200 theoretically should have twice as long service life than analog with an index of 100. But in practice this is achievable only in ideal conditions, landfill or laboratory where there is no influence of factors such as the driving style of the driver, road conditions, etc.
    
    Traction Inde — the index of the grip properties of the tyres (A — excellent, B — average, C — satisfactory). Is determined in the process of testing on a special test site by a special technique. It mainly assesses the quality of braking, not cornering stability
    
    Temperature Inde — temperature index (A — excellent, B — average, C — satisfactory). This index indicates the tires resistance to high temperatures. The higher the score, the less the tyre changes its properties when heated. The tests are carried out in the laboratory on a special stand.
    
    Colored dots (white, red, yellow) on the sidewall to indicate the lightest spot of the tire relative to the center of rotation. According to the source, it is necessary to install the valve. If the tire are simultaneously present yellow (white) and red labels, the latter is in a very difficult place tires.
    
    Also the tire sometimes contain a notation indicating its special properties. In particular, tires RunFlat (RSC — RunFlat System Component) allow some time to move to a punctured wheel. In addition, there are models, providing protection of the rim flange. As a rule, such tires are used by car manufacturers of premium cars.
    
    

Transcript of marking car tires can be useful to your fellow motorists! Make sure you tell them this useful article.

The author

Alexander Klimchuk Since childhood, interested in medicine, grew up in a family of doctors. Knows how to make a fancy Breakfast out of nothing, is not afraid to experiment in the kitchen, making pies without flour, low-fat mayonnaise, healthy sweets. Never give up and believes that people are created to help each other! In all its domestic Affairs the assistant to the son Sasha. Alexandra's favorite book — "the Art of loving" by E. Fromm.