Tire Sidewall Markings

Information Contained:

• basic dimensions• week it was produced• types of materials used internally to reinforce

the rubber• maximum inflation pressures and loads • certifies the tire meets industry standards and

government regulations• not all information is branded on every tire

Tire Size – P215/65 R15• Tire Type: Identifies vehicle type. P denotes

passenger vehicle; LT denotes Light Truck. • Tire Width: Measured in millimetres. E.g. 215 • Aspect Ratio: The ratio of the height of the tire's

cross-section to its width. E.g. 65 • Construction: R denotes radial, whereas B

indicates a bias construction. • Wheel Diameter: The greatest distance across

the wheel from tread to tread , measured in inches. E.g. 15

Load Index and Load Capacity• Load Index: The

maximum load in pounds (lb.) that the tire can support when properly inflated based on the Load Index Chart. E.g. 89

Load Index Pounds Kilograms

75 853 387

76 882 400

77 908 412

78 937 425

79 963 437

80 992 450

81 1019 462

82 1047 475

83 1074 487

84 1102 500

85 1135 515

86 1168 530

87 1201 545

88 1235 560

89 1279 580

90 1323 600

91 1356 615

92 1389 630

93 1433 650

94 1477 670

95 1521 690

96 1565 710

97 1609 730

98 1653 750

99 1709 775

100 1764 800

101 1819 825

102 1874 850

103 1929 875

104 1984 900

105

Speed Rating• Speed Rating:

Indicates the maximum service speed for the tire based in the speed-rating chart. E.g. " H " indicates a maximum tolerable speed of 210 km/h (130 mph).

Rating Symbol Maximum Speed (km/h)

Q 160

S 180

T 190

U 200

H 210

V 240

* ZR W 270

Y 300

Over 300

UTQG Rating

• UTQG stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading. • based on treadwear, traction and

temperature capabilities

Treadwear

• based on the wear rate of the tire • E.g. a tire with a 200 treadwear rating would

wear twice as long as a tire with a 100 rating.

Traction and Temperature• Traction Grades: Identify the tire's ability to stop on

wet pavement E.g. Traction A – AA: Very Best– A: Best– B: Intermediate– C: Acceptable

• Temperature Grades: Denote the tire's resistance to the generation of heat. Excessive temperatures can lead to tire failure. E.g. Temperature A– A: Best– B: Intermediate– C: Acceptable

Severe Snow Tires• A mountain/snowflake symbol branded on the

tire's sidewall identifies tires that met the required performance in snow testing.

• M+S (Mud + Snow): Indicates this is an all-season tire.

Tire Identification Number

• Tires sold in Canada have a number with information about when and where the tire was produced.

• Example:– B3 : Indicates the manufacturer and plant code– CD : Tire size code– E52X : Optional– 2602 : Week and year of manufacture (in this example the

26th week of 2002)• The maple leaf symbol indicates this is a Canadian

made tire and certifies that it meets all of Transport Canada's requirements.

Load & Pressure Marking

• Tire pressures are normally measured in "pounds per square inch" (psi), Kilopascals (kPa), or bars of pressure (bars:

• MAX. LOAD 630 kg (1389 lbs)MAX. PRESSURE 300 kPa (44 psi)