So, how much do you know about tires? Could you answer the following questions? If the answer is no to any of them, this article is just for you!

• Do you know who made your tires?
• Do you know where your tires were made?
• Do you know when your tires were made?
• Do you know what size your tire is?
• Do you know how much weight your tire is rated for?
• Do you know what speed your tire is rated for?
• Do you know how much air pressure your tires need to work efficiently?

If you answered no to any of these questions, here is how you find out!

Lets start with the basics about tires. There are many different types of available for most vehicles depending on your specific application. There are soft compound race style tire for better traction, a harder compound highway tread to help the tire last longer. There are Different tread patterns that can be directional to help water move off the tire faster. Always consult your owners manual to find the specific type of tire that works best for your vehicle.

Getting into the numbers!

On most tires you will see numbers like the ones shown in the picture below. While it is just a mix on letters and numbers to you, to a tire store and the manufacturer, they tell a whole different story! Lets break it down so you can understand them better.

“P205/55R16 91S” – This number shows the use of the tire, tire size, tire type, wheel size, tire load index and speed rating.

When it comes to tire use, there are generally two types for most vehicles on the road, heavy duty equipment excluded. These are gong to be “P” for passenger or “LT” for light truck. You might sometimes see an “AP” or all purpose tire type.

“205/55” – This number tells you the width of your tire in MM and the height as a percent of the width. In other words, this tire is 205mm wide and 55% as tall or 112.75mm tall. Make sense? The tire size that is recommended for use on your vehicle is usually found on a sticker in the driver door jam that looks the picture shown below. You may also notice they even tell you what PSI to set your tires to!

“R” – Means this tire is of Radial construction. This is the most common type of tire driven on the road today. Other types of tires that you will see are Bias ply which were used on tractors and classic / antique vehicles.

“16” – This is the rim size by the diameter meaning that this tire is 16″ is diameter.

“91” – This is the load rating number given to a tire. To find the minimum load rating your vehicle needs. Add additional weight for cargo you are carrying (including yourself) and divide that number by the amount of tires on your vehicle. That is how you find the load rating. A load index can range from the number 70 up to 126.

“S” – S is the speed rating or the letter given to log the maximum speed this tire can be traveled on safely. These range greatly depending on the tire usage. See the link to tirerack.com at the bottom of this article to read more about the load index and speed rating given to tires.

When it comes to the manufacturer, and building plant information, that is found in the DOT ID numbers. Like the picture above, all tires will have a DOT ID. There will be three sets of four letters and numbers. The first two sets pertain to the manufacturer and how they code the tires, where they were made and what type of tire they are (based on the manufacturer sku#). The last set of numbers tell you the age of your tire! In the image, you can see this tire was made in the 29th week of 2010.

That pretty much sums up the meaning of the tire info available to you. If you every have any questions, be sure to ask a tire professional or give us a call and we will do our best to help.

TIRE RACK ARTICLE – LOAD INDEX & SPEED RATING.

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Where we are located in central Florida, we expect rain to arrive shortly after lunch and not let up til late afternoon. Before driving in these thunderstorms, it is important to remember a few things.

The reality of these rain storms is that they put down lots of water on the road surfaces in a very short time. If your driving to fast and your tires are at the wear indicators or lower, you could be in real trouble. That trouble bares the name; Hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning occurs when your tires are unable to wick the water or moisture away from their tread surface where the tire and pavement meet. As you drive, the amount of water is too much for the tires to move and eventually your vehicle is pushed up onto the water surface instead of moving the water from the path of travel. This is dangerous because as you glide on the water surface, you have little control over your vehicle!

Fortunately, there are ways to help prevent a hydroplane incident from occurring!

1. Properly Maintain Your Tires.
– Aside from keeping tire pressure to spec, if your tires are older than 5 years or have a tread depth of 4/32 inch or less (3mm), it is time to replace them for your safety and others on the road.

2. Avoid Puddles or Standing Water.
– Avoid the extra risk of encountering water if at all possible.

3. Drive Defensively.
– Slow down, let your tires do their job. Maintain enough space to stop promptly if needed!