Information on Automobile Tires
Premium tire manufacturers test and index their tires by performing every known on how to destroy a tire and, in doing so, what makes a tire last longer and what the tire's maximum safety parameters are. The first thing for anyone who is about to purchase new tires should know is how to read and understand what is on the tire's sidewall.
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Tire Basics
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The basics are about what a tire is, what a tire does and what is the right tire for a specific vehicle. A popular tire advertisement just about tells all: "Where the tire meets the road." It is all about the control a driver has over the vehicle.
The larger the footprint, the more stability the vehicle has. Most new tire designs are up-sizing the rim's diameter. This is to increase the tire's footprint and shorten the sidewall height, which in turn gives much better maneuverability.
Reading the Sidewall
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Molded into the tire's sidewall are its size, rim size, passenger or light truck type, its weight carrying capabilities and air pressure.
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Tire Specifications
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Example: "P225/60R16 97T M+S"
According to Michelin Tires, the letters and numbers have the following meanings.
The "P" indicates this tire was designed and tested for a passenger car.
The "225" indicates the overall tire's width mounted on the suggested size rim, and inflated to its maximum pressure. This is measured in millimeters.
The "60" is the aspect ratio, mathematically defined as "the relationship between the tire height and tire width." A tire with a "70" percent ratio will be more narrow than a tire with a "60" percent ratio.
"R" represents the tire's construction of carcass plies that run "at 90 degrees to the direction of travel."
"16" is the rim's overall diameter.
"97" is the tire's load index, indicating the maximum load "the tire is certified to carry at the maximum inflation pressure." The higher the load index number, the greater its load-carrying capabilities are.
"T" indicates the speed index. This should correspond with the speed capability of the vehicle.
M+S indicates the tire will perform in mud and snow, as well as on wet or dry pavement.
Tire Maintenance
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A good tire pressure gauge helps with maintenance. Tire maintenance should follow a few simple guidelines so that the vehicle owner can get the most out of the tire investment. First, purchase a good tire pressure gauge, because underinflation pressure is the biggest cause for tire failure. Tire underinflation causes a tire to generate heat that it cannot get rid of and causes much faster tire wear, as well as higher fuel costs.
Tire Wear
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Perform a visual inspection of the tread to see that the tires are wearing evenly across the tread, as well as the tire circumference wear. Front tires will wear faster on the shoulders because of making turns, while the back tires wear more evenly across the tire. This is the reason for periodic tire rotation. Further inspect any irregular tread wear. These wear patterns can be caused by imbalanced tires, the vehicle's alignment and possibly the vehicle's shocks. Immediate correction of the problem by the tire dealer can save the current tires and allow them to last longer.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Close-up of car tire to background image by Ragnarocks from Fotolia.com tire gauge image by Randy McKown from Fotolia.com
