A Guide to Tyre Markers

When you own a vehicle, you must know all the details about it. You, of course, do not need to remember them by heart. But they should be accessible whenever required. Most of this information is present in the manufacturer’s guidebook. However, since your tyres have to be change every few years, their specifications might vary. So, where will you find the details about them? As per the rules, they should be mentioned in the sidewalls of the tyre.

Every tyre bears some markings. In general, these indicate their features, such as diameter, height, etc. Aside from that, the symbols also represent the safety grades of the Tyres Lutterworth. In this article, we will elaborate on each of the different symbols found in tyres.

The Numbers and Letters on the Tyres:

When you look at a tyre, you will likely find a series of numbers and letters. It resembles the following pattern: 255/55 R 16. At a glance, these can feel random and meaningless. But they each indicate a certain feature of the tyres you are using.

• The first number, here 255, measures the width of the tyre in millimetres.

• Next comes another number, 55 in this case. It is an indicator of the aspect ratio of the tyre. That means it measures the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. So, 55 will mean the tyre height is 55 per cent of the width.

• After that, we encounter a letter, here R. That is used to mention the type of tyre construction. R stands for radial. Aside from this, there are two other types of constructions available. These include B, which means bias-ply construction and D, which means diagonal construction.

• Lastly, we have another number, which represents the diameter of the wheel. Here it is 16, and it is measure in inches. That means the tyre you have should ideally fit a wheel rim of 16 inches diameter.

Load and Speed Indices:

The above mix of letters and numbers represent the specifications of this particular tyre. Another mix of alphanumeric data will indicate another tyre.

• After the above-mentioned symbols, you might find some more in the same string. Typically, it is a number follow by a letter. Like before, these also denote some attributes of the tyres. The number, ranging from 65 to 108, represents the load index of the tyre. Wondering what that is? It is the property of a tyre that determines how much weight it can carry. If you load it up a bit too much, you risk permanent tyre damage and blowouts. The load index figures can be translate into weights in kilograms. So, for instance, if your tyre says 105, it is meant to carry 925 kilograms worth of load.

• Right beside the load index, you will find a letter or two. It can be anything between Q to T, H, V, VR, W, Y, and ZR. Again, each indicates a particular tyre feature, which is the speed index. It shows the maximum speed at which the tyre can be safe run. Why is this limit necessary? Well, above a certain speed, your tyres, which are made from rubber, can erode. To prevent this from happening, stick to the speed limit specified by your tyres. If the speed index symbol is V, the threshold rate would be 240 kilometres per hour. Going beyond this can not only damage your tyres but also cause you physical harm.

Other Markers:

The above represents all you need to know when it comes to their particulars. But apart from these, you will find several other markings sprinkled throughout the rubber in varying font sizes. We will mention the most common ones below.

1. Name of the Manufacturer:

Each brand has its distinct name or symbol mentioned on the tyre, which is a highlight among the rest of the markers.

2. Date and Place of Manufacture:

Your tyres can last anywhere between five to ten years if maintained correctly. If they wear out before that, you know something is wrong. So, you have to keep the date of manufacture in mind. You can find this date engraved in the sidewalls of your tyres in the form of a code. It usually looks something like this: DOTXXXXXXXX1017. Focus on the last four digits, which signify that the tyre was made in the 10th week of 2017. In addition, manufacturers mark the country of manufacture on their tyres. So, for instance, if the UK is mention in your tyres, it was made in the United Kingdom.

3. European ECE approval:

Your tyres are responsible for the safety of your vehicle to a large extent. So, it is good to know which tests they have passed. That is indicate in your tyres by a short alphanumeric code that resembles something like this: E11. That means this particular tyre received a European ECE type approval in the United Kingdom.

Conclusion:

In current times, tyres do not come cheap. So, before you invest in a new set of Car Tyres Leicester, you have to get a thorough idea about them. So, if they are on your to-buy list, check out the markers carefully!

Author: simplytyres