Tyre Sidewalls - What does it all mean?
Tyre sidewalls are a strange creation. Words, acronyms, numbers, letters and symbols adorn the side of each tyre. Fortunately, only a small portion of the sidewall is of any relevance when it comes to replacing a tyre.
Key information - 195/65 r15 91v
| 195 | The width of the tyre in MM |
| 65 | The aspect ratio of the tyre as a percentage of the width. In this case the sidewall is 45% of 205mm, or 92.25mm |
| R | Radial construction, as all modern tyres are |
| 15 | The size of the wheel in inches |
| 91 | The load index of the tyre in kgs (see table 1) |
| V | The speed index of the tyre (see table 2) |
Other useful information
| E13 | The E-Marking. |
| XL | Denotes whether the tyre is an extra load version |
| Date of manufacture | The recommend life for a tyre is around 6 years (depending on storage conditions.) The first 2 numbers in the date code refer to the week the tyre was made, and the 3rd and 4th numbers refer to the year |
| Rotation direction | If the tyre is directional this shows which way the tyre should rotate when mounted |
| Side | If the tyre is asymmetric the tyre will have 'inside' or 'outside' printed on the tyre wall, showing which way round it should be mounted on the car. |
| US Consumer information | Treadwear, traction and temperature are rated on the side walls. These values can only be used as a comparison for tyres within the same brand as there is no common reference between brands. |
Tweet
Discussion:
comments powered by Disqus
Want this tyre? TyreReviews has joined forces with lovetyres.com to offer unbeatable prices on the best rated tyres. Combine the trust of your local fitting centre with these great prices on the best tyres on the market!
