Have you ever wondered what the numbers and letters on the side of your tires mean?
Tires come in all shapes and sizes and specialize in different terrain types.
From different compounds to tire styles, the right tire is available for you.
As such, tires come in different sizes, which can be derived from the numbers on your sidewall.
Starting from how it’s derived, here’s how tire sizes work.
This is determined by the number phrase as shown: 96W.
Image Credit: Michelin USA/YouTube
The “96” represents the tire’s max load, and the W is the speed rating.
Each tire’s speed rating can be determined by the information on the chart as shown.
Thus, winter tires contain softer rubber compounds to adapt to colder climates.
Similarly, track tires also consist of softer rubber compounds to provide maximum grip to the asphalt.
The treadwear rating on a tire is just as important as the compound.
Treadwear ratings range from 100 to 500, with the larger numbers indicating longer-lasting tires.
This is different from the tread of the tire, which merely refers to the pattern on it.
How Old Are Your Tires?
Every tire manufactured has its manufacturing date printed on the tire.
The important thing here is the last four digits in the series, as indicated above.
The first two digits represent the week, and the last two represent the year.
This allows you to identify the manufacturing period of your tires.
Since rubber dry rots over time, this ensures the rubber on your wheels is up-to-date.
From gasoline-powered toelectric vehicles, each tire has its own purposeand composition to maximize its efficiency during use.
Inadequate or varying tire pressure can cause vibrations, uneven wear, and even poor driving characteristics.
