What does 88 n mean on tires. Tire size and marking. Additional designations on tires

What are the letters? what are the numbers on the wheels? Reading, enlightening...

In the description of any tire model, there are values \u200b\u200b" SIZE" And " INDICES».
For example: 195/65 R15 91T
Let's decode these values:
195 - tire width in mm.
65

R15- meaning 15 MEANS DIAMETER in inches!, not RADIUS! a beech R

15
91 - index of maximum load per tire in kilograms.

Some tires have MAX LOAD(maximum load) followed by the values in kilograms and pounds.

Load index table.

62	265	95	690	128	1800	161	4625
63	272	96	710	129	1850	162	4750
64	280	97	730	130	1900	163	4875
65	290	98	750	131	1950	164	5000
66	300	99	775	132	2000	165	5150
67	307	100	800	133	2060	166	5300
68	315	101	825	134	2120	167	5450
69	325	102	850	135	2180	168	5600
70	335	103	875	136	2240	169	5800
71	345	104	900	137	2300	170	6000
72	355	105	925	138	2360	171	6150
73	365	106	950	139	2430	172	6300
74	375	107	975	140	2500	173	6500
75	387	108	1000	141	2575	174	6700
76	400	109	1030	142	2650	175	6900
77	412	110	1060	143	2725	176	7100
78	425	111	1090	144	2800	177	7300
79	437	112	1120	145	2900	178	7500
80	450	113	1150	146	3000	179	7750
81	462	114	1180	147	3075	180	8000
82	475	115	1215	148	3150	181	8250
83	487	116	1250	149	3250	182	8500
84	500	117	1285	150	3350	183	8750
85	515	118	1320	151	3450	184	9000
86	530	119	1360	152	3550	185	9250
87	545	120	1400	153	3650	186	9500
88	560	121	1450	154	3750	187	9750
89	580	122	1500	155	3875	188	10000
90	600	123	1550	156	4000	189	10300
91	615	124	1600	157	4125	190	10600
92	630	125	1650	158	4250	191	10900
93	650	126	1700	159	4375	192	11200
94	670	127	1750	160	4500	193	11500

Index 91 corresponds to the load 615 kg on one wheel.

For minibuses and light trucks, special, multi-layer reinforced tires with high indices loads. And they are indicated depending on the load index - the inscription REINFORCED(6 layers, reinforced tire) or the letter " WITH» after the tire diameter, for example: 195/70R15C, (8 layers, truck tire).

T- speed index - maximum allowable speed movement in km/h.

Speed index table.

Speed index	Maximum speed, km/h	Speed index	Maximum speed, km/h	Speed index	Maximum speed, km/h
A1	5	E	70	S	180
A2	10	F	80	T	190
A3	15	G	90	U	200
A4	20	J	100	H	210
A5	25	K	110	V	240
A6	30	L	120	W	270
A7	35	M	130	Y	300
A8	40	N	140	VR	over 210
B	50	P	150	ZR	over 240
C	60	Q	160	ZR(Y)	over 300
D	65	R	170

Index T corresponds top speed 190 km/h.

Additional designations in the markings used by tire manufacturers.

M&S(Mud + Snow - mud plus snow) - This marking on the tire means that these tires are specially designed for winter or all-season.

All Season- All-season tire designed for year-round use.

rotation- Directional tire, the direction of rotation of which is indicated by an additional arrow on the sidewall of the tire.

outside And Inside(or Side Facing Out and Side Facing Inwards) - Asymmetric tires, when installing which you must strictly follow the rule of installing a tire on a disk. Inscription outside(outer side) must be on the outside of the vehicle, and Inside(inner side) - from the inside.

Left or Right- Means that the tires of this model are left and right. When installing them, you must strictly follow the rule of installing a tire on a car, the left ones only on the left, and the right ones, respectively, only on the right.

Tubeless or TL- Tubeless tire. If this inscription is not in the marking, then the tire can only be used with a camera.

Tube Type or TT- The tire must be operated with a tube.

MAX PRESSURE- The maximum allowable pressure in the tire, in kPa.

PSI- Pressure index from 20 to 85 (only for tires with index " WITH»).

Steel- Designation of the presence of steel cord.

E enclosed in a circle - The tire meets the requirements of ECE R30 (ECE regulation).

DOT- American safety standard.

XL or extra load, EL- the strengthened tire with the increased loading capacity.

RAIN, WATER, AQUA(or the "umbrella" icon in the sidewall marking) - Indicates that these tires are specially designed for rainy weather and have a high degree of protection against the effect of aquaplaning.

TWID- Projector wear indicator pointer. The indicator itself is a protrusion at the bottom of the tread groove. When the tread wears down to the level of this ridge, it's time to change the tire.

Energy- Tires with low rolling resistance, characterized by reduced fuel consumption.

American size designation.

There are two types of American tire markings.

The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letter “ P» ( Passanger- For passenger car mobile) or the letters " LT» ( light truck- light truck). For example: P 195/65 R 15 or LT 185/75 R 16.

And another marking, which is fundamentally different from the European one.

For example: 31х10.5 R15
Let's decode these values:
31 is the outside diameter of the tire in inches.
10.5 - tire width in inches.
R- tire of a radial design.
15 is the inner diameter of the tire in inches.

Truck tire marking

Truck tire marking - radial

For example: 10.00R20 146/143M
Let's decode these values:
10.00 - Tire profile width (in inches); .00 - designation of a full profile tire for trucks.
Also the width is: 6.00 or 8.25 or 9.50 etc. - tire section width (in inches) - this is also a full section tire.
R- Radial.
20 - Tire mounting diameter (in inches).
146/143 - Load index. 146 - for a single wheel, 143 - for double (load on each wheel). (see load index table). The difference in the indexes of twin and single wheels is due to safety reasons, in case one of the four wheels on the axle fails, the remaining tire could withstand the additional load.
M- speed index - the maximum allowable speed in km/h. (see speed index table). Letter M corresponds to a maximum speed of 130 km/h.
Marking 146/143M means that with a single tyre, the load capacity of the tire is 3000 kg, and with a dual tyre, it is 2725 kg at a maximum speed of 130 km/h. At the same time, if the car moves at a lower speed, the bearing capacity of the tire can increase, in other words, the car can carry more weight.

There may also be values ns12, ns14, ns16 etc. - plyness of the tire. The number is the number of layers.

For example: 385/65R22.5
385 - tire profile width in mm.
65 - the ratio of the height of the tire (from the landing rim to the outer edge of the wheel) to its width in percent.
R- radial cord construction, cord threads in carcass layers have a radial (meridional) arrangement, i.e. directed from side to side.
22,5 - mounting size of the rim in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm).

If this ratio is not indicated (for example, 185/R14С), then it is equal to 80-82% and the tire is called full profile. Reinforced tires with this marking are usually used on minibuses and light trucks, where a large maximum wheel load is very important.

R means tire with radial cord(in fact, now almost all tires are made this way).
Many mistakenly believe that R - means tire radius, but this is precisely the radial design of the tire. There is also a diagonal design (indicated by the letter D), but recently it has practically not been produced, since it performance characteristics noticeably worse.

16 wheel (rim) diameter in inches. (It is the diameter, not the radius! This is also a common mistake). This is the “landing” diameter of the tire on the disk, i.e. is the inside size of the tire or the outside of the rim. You can read more about disc labeling in the Disc Labeling section.

H tire speed index. The larger it is, the more speed You can drive on this tire, (in our case IS H up to 210 km/h). Speaking about the tire speed index, I would like to note that with this parameter, the tire manufacturer guarantees the normal operation of the rubber when the car is constantly moving at the specified speed for several hours.

Speed index table:

Speed index	J	K	L	M	N	P	Q	R	S	T	U	H	V	VR	W	Y	ZR
Max. Speed (km/h)	100	110	120	130	140	150	160	170	180	190	200	210	240	>210	270	300	>240

94 load index. This is the ultimate level permissible load on one wheel. For passenger cars, it is usually done with a margin and is not a decisive factor when choosing tires (in our case, ID 94 670 kg.). For minibuses and small trucks, this parameter is very important and must be observed.

Tire load index table:

Load index	60	61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69
250	257	265	272	280	290	300	307	315	325

Load index	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79
335	345	355	365	375	387	400	412	426	437

Load index	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89
450	462	475	487	500	515	530	545	560	580

Load index	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99
600	615	630	650	670	690	710	730	750	775

Load index	100	101	102	103	104	105	106	107	108	109
800	825	850	875	900	925	950	975	1000	1030

Load index	110	111	112	113	114	115	116	117	118	119
1060	1090	1120	1150	1180	1215	1250	1285	1320	1360

Load index	120	121	122	123	124	125	126	127	128	129
1400	1450	1500	1550	1600	1650	1700	1750	1800	1850

Attention!

The load index in the table is indicated for one wheel of the vehicle. To calculate the maximum allowable weight of the machine, multiply Weight Limit the load of one wheel by the number of wheels (for example, for a passenger car, you need to multiply by 4).

American designations: standard size (decoding)

There are two different markings for American tires.

The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letters “P” are put in front of the size (Passanger - for passenger car) or "LT" (Light Truck - light truck). For example: P 195/60 R 14 or LT 235/75 R15.

And another tire marking, which is fundamentally different from the European one.

For example: 31x10.5 R15 (corresponds to European standard size 265/75 R15)

31 is the outside diameter of the tire in inches.
10.5 is tire width in inches.
R - a tire of a radial design (older models of tires were with a diagonal design).
15 is the inner diameter of the tire in inches.

Generally speaking, if we do not count the inches that are unusual for us, then american labeling tires is logical and more understandable, unlike the European one, where the height of the tire profile is not constant and depends on the width of the tire. And here everything is simple with decoding: the first digit of the standard size is the outer diameter, the second is the width, the third is the inner diameter.
To convert one type of standard size to another, you can use the tire calculator in inches.

Colored labels used for marking

Yellow marking on the tire(round or triangular mark) on the sidewall indicates the lightest spot on the tire. When installing a new tire on a rim, the yellow mark must be aligned with the heaviest spot on the rim. This is usually where the nipple is attached. This allows you to improve the balance of the wheel and put weights of less weight.
On tires with mileage, this yellow marking is not so relevant, since, as a rule, when the tire wears out, its balance shifts.

Red dot on the tire- means the place of maximum power heterogeneity, the manifestation of which is usually associated with various connections of different layers of the tire during its manufacture. These irregularities are completely normal and all tires have them. But usually only those tires that go to the primary equipment of cars are marked with red dots, i.e. when the car leaves the factory.

This red mark is combined with white marks on the discs (white marking marks on the discs are also placed mainly for the original configuration of the car), which indicate the closest place to the center of the wheel. This is done so that the maximum inhomogeneity in the tire is minimally affected when driving, providing a more balanced power characteristic of the wheel. During normal tire fitting, it is not recommended to pay attention to the tire marking with a red mark, but to be guided by the yellow mark, combining it with the nipple.

Marking - white stamp with number means the number of the inspector who carried out the final inspection of the tire at the manufacturing plant. This is done to improve product quality control.

colored stripes tires are made on the tread to make it more convenient to “identify” the tire in the warehouse. All tire models and different sizes have different markings. Therefore, when tires are stacked in warehouses, it is immediately clear that a given stack of tires has the same size and model. These colored stripes on the tire have no other semantic load.

Additional information on the tire sidewall

XL or Extra Load a reinforced tire with a load index that is 3 points higher than conventional tires of the same size.

M+S or tire marking M&S (Mud + Snow) mud plus snow and means that the tires are all-weather or winter.

Many summer tires for SUVs are labeled M&S. However, these tires must not be used in winter, as Winter tires have a completely different rubber compound and tread pattern, and the M&S badge indicates good performance tire patency.

All Season or AS All season tires.
Aw (Any Weather) Any weather.

Pictogram * (snowflake) rubber is designed for use in harsh winter conditions.
If this marking is not on the sidewall of the tire, then this tire is intended for use only in summer conditions.

Aquatred , Aquacontact , Rain , Water , Aqua or pictogram (umbrella) special rain tyres.

Outside and Inside asymmetric tires. When installing, the inscription Outside must be on the outside of the car, and Inside on the inside.

RunFlat, RSC (RunFlat System Component) RunFlat tires are tires on which you can continue to drive a car at a speed of no more than 80 km / h with a FULL loss of pressure in the tire (due to a puncture or cut). On these tires, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, you can drive from 50 to 150 km. Read more about RunFlat technology on the Runflat Tires page.
Different tire manufacturers use different designations for RSC technology. For example: Bridgestone RFT, Continental SSR, Goodyear RunOnFlat, Nokian Run Flat, Michelin ZP, etc.

Rotation or arrow this marking on the tire sidewall indicates a directional tire. When installing the tire, you must strictly observe the direction of rotation of the wheel, indicated by the arrow.

Tubeless tubeless tire. In the absence of this inscription, the tire can only be used with a camera.
Tube Type indicates that this tire must be used with a tube only.

Max Load the maximum allowable load on each wheel of the vehicle, in kg.

Reinforced or the letters RF in the size (for example 195/70 R15RF) means that this is a reinforced tire (6 layers). Letter WITH at the end of the size (e.g. 195/70 R15C) indicates truck tire(8 layers).

Radial - this marking on the rubber in the standard size means that this is a radial tire design.
Steel means that the structure of the tire contains metal cord.

Letter E (in a circle) the tire corresponds to European requirements ECE (Economic Commission for Europe).
DOT (Department of Transportation US Department of Transportation) American quality standard.

Temperature A, B or C heat resistance of tires at high speeds on the test bench (A best indicator).
Traction A, B or C - the ability of the tire to brake on a wet roadway.
Treadwear Relative expected mileage compared to a specific US standard test.

TWI (Tread Wear Indiration) - tire tread wear indicators. The marking on the TWI wheel can also be with an arrow. The pointers are evenly spaced in eight or six places around the entire circumference of the tire and show the minimum allowable depth protector. The wear indicator is made in the form of a protrusion with a height of 1.6 mm (the minimum tread value for light vehicles) and is located in the tread recess (usually in the drainage grooves).
You can read more about tire wear on the Tire Wear page.

How to find out the date of manufacture of a tire

To determine the age of a tire, there is a special marking on its sidewall, which is applied during production.

The date of manufacture of the tire is written in the form of four digits in an oval (for example 1805) the first two digits are the week of manufacture, the next two are the year of manufacture (in our example, April 2005).

Tire marking decoding

In the description of each tire model there are columns "SIZE" And "INDICES". In this article, we offer you a decoding of these values.

Consider an example. In the graph "SIZE" value specified 185/70R14, in which:

185 - tire width in mm., 70 - the ratio of the height of the tire (from the landing rim to the outer edge of the wheel) to its width in percent,

The smaller this figure, the wider the tire looks, the “squatter” and more dynamic the car. However, all these advantages are good only on dry roads with ideal coverage. On Russian roads 65 series wheels are already frivolous, and below is just insane, Norm: 80,75,70.

R- radial cord construction, cord threads in carcass layers have a radial (meridional) arrangement, i.e. directed from side to side,
14 - mounting size of the rim in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm).

In the graph "INDICES" the indices of the maximum load per tire in kilograms and the speed index are indicated - the maximum permissible speed in km / h, as well as additional indexes characterizing the properties of a particular tire.

Below are tables of load and speed indices:

It is possible to specify additional characteristics:

"TL"- tubeless tire,

FR- tire with rim protection,

RF, XL- reinforced tire with increased load capacity,

Letter "E" enclosed in a circle European standard security,

DOT- American safety standard.

Letters M+S"Mud" (Mud) + "snow" (Snow) - winter and universal tires.

"AW"-“any weather” (Any weather) - all-weather tires,

the same AS- “all seasons” (All Seasons).

Some firms use symbols-drawings instead of letters: sun, rain, snowflake.

The arrow on the sidewall of the wheel indicates the direction of rotation for rain rubber. If it rotates in the opposite direction, then water, instead of being removed from under the tire, will be pumped under it.

In addition to all these, three more digits are put on the tire: the week and year of manufacture,

For example “3815”

The first two digits:

38 - thirty-eighth week,

15 - year of issue (2015)

The following terms are used on our website:

In this section, we will help you figure out how tires are marked and tell you what tire markings look like and what the inscriptions on the sidewall mean, as well as what the tire size is.

Tire size

It is written on the sidewall of the tire. For example, marking: 195/65 R15 91T

195 - this is the width of the tire in the standard size, in mm.

65 - this parameter in the tire marking means the percentage of the height of the tire profile to its width (in our case, 65%). The parameter defines the height of the tire for the given tire width.

Please note that as the tire width increases, with the same profile value, the tire height also increases! The exact size changes can be calculated using the "tire calculator"
The calculator allows you to calculate not only external dimensions tires, but also calculate the required width of the disk.

If this number is not in the marking on the sidewall of the tire (for example, 195 / R 15), then this value is 80% and such a tire is called "full profile"

R- in the tire size means the design of the tire - radial. Many motorists mistakenly think that R stands for tire radius. Passenger tires with a diagonal design are practically no longer available.

15 - disc diameter in inches, i.e. inner diameter of the tire (namely, the diameter of the tire, not the radius).

91 - tire load index. This is a conditional indicator that determines the maximum load on the tire.

Using the table, you can find out the maximum load in kilograms at which the tire manufacturer guarantees that the tire will not collapse and will show the characteristics specified by the manufacturer.

Load index	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85
335	345	355	365	375	387	400	412	426	437	460	462	475	787	500	515

Load index	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	100
515	530	545	560	580	600	615	630	650	670	690	710	730	750	775	800

Load index	101	102	103	104	105	106	107	108	109	110	111	113	114	115	116
825	850	875	900	925	950	975	1000	1030	1060	1090	1150	1180	1215	1250

Load index	117	118	119	120	121	122	123	124	125	126	127	128	129	130
1285	1320	1360	1400	1450	1500	1550	1600	1650	1700	1750	1800	1850	1900

Some tires have MAX LOAD(maximum load) followed by the values in kilograms and pounds.

For vans and light trucks, special, multi-ply reinforced tires with high load indexes are produced. And they are indicated depending on the load index - the inscription REINFORCED(6 layers, reinforced tire) or the letter " WITH» after the tire diameter, for example: 195/70 R15 C, (8 ply, truck tyre).

T- speed index. This conditional parameter determines the maximum permissible vehicle speed allowed when using these tires.

Speed index	J	K	L	M	N	P	Q	R	S	T	U	H	V	VR	W	Y	ZR
Max. Speed (km/h)	100	110	120	130	140	150	160	170	180	190	200	210	240	>210	270	300	>240

American tire label

There are two types of American tire markings.

American size designation.

The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letters “ P" (Passanger - for a passenger car) or " LT"(Light Truck - light truck). For example: P 195/60 R14 or LT 235/75 R15.

And another tire marking, which is fundamentally different from the European one.

For example: 31х10.5 R15

31 is the outside diameter of the tire in inches.

10.5 - Tire width in inches.

R- a tire of a radial design.

15 is the inner diameter of the tire in inches.

Additional marking designations used by tire manufacturers

M&S(Mud + Snow - mud plus snow). This marking on a tire indicates that the tire is specifically designed for winter or all-season use.

All Season — all season tire designed for year-round use.

rotation- a directional tire, the direction of rotation of which is indicated by an additional arrow on the sidewall of the tire.

outside And Inside(or side Facing Out And side Facing Awards) - asymmetric tires, when installing which you must strictly follow the rule of installing a tire on a disk. The inscription Outside (outer side) should be on the outside of the car, and Inside (inner side) - on the inside.

Left or Right- means that the tires of this model are left and right. When installing them, you must strictly follow the rule of installing a tire on a car, the left ones only on the left, and the right ones, respectively, only on the right.

Tubeless- tubeless tyre. If this inscription is not in the marking, then the tire can only be used with a camera.

Tube type- the tire must be operated with a tube.

MAX PRESSURE- the maximum allowable pressure in the tire, in kPa.

RAIN, WATER, AQUA(or the "umbrella" icon on the sidewall of the tire) - means that these tires are specially designed for rainy weather and have a high degree of protection against the effect of aquaplaning.

If you still have questions about tire marking, then you can use “Your question to a tire marking specialist”, regarding wheel parameters, use the section and you can also consult by phone 518-30-91.

For many car owners deciphering the markings of car tires is a difficult task since most people are not familiar with the designations found on the side of the tire. Meanwhile, this information will be useful to any car owner, because thanks to it you will be able to buy tires that best meet your needs. For example, when buying summer or winter tires. In the material below, we have collected, structured information, and provided for you tire marking designation in an interactive, easy-to-read format.

Basic markings

There are a large number of elements for marking tires. Let's start with the main ones:

Deciphering the designations on tires

manufacturer;
brand or model name of the tire;
tire size;
maximum load index;
speed index;
appointment;
level of protection;
seasonality and operating conditions;
other information.

Manufacturer. Usually the name of the manufacturer is written in capital letters so that it is clearly visible. This is done mainly for advertising purposes. In addition, many manufacturers have a logo made in the original style, which they try to convey to all their products. There are a huge number of manufacturers of car tires in the world, so it makes no sense to dwell on them.

Trademark or line. Many manufacturers own several brands under which tires for cars are produced. And almost everyone makes rubber in several lines and models. Within one line, you can buy a tire with different sizes and characteristics. This greatly simplifies the choice and expands its possibilities.

Tire size. Perhaps this is the most important marking car tires. Consider it on a specific example - 195 / 60R14. IN this case 195 mm is the width of the tire profile. It is calculated as the distance between the outer boundaries of the side surfaces of an inflated tire (excluding protective belts, various markings and other additional funds which may occur). The number 60 is the ratio of the profile height to its width, expressed as a percentage. In this case, 195 × 0.6 = 117 mm. The letter R stands for English word Radial, which means radial type of tire (today, the radial type of rubber is the most used, it has replaced the older diagonal type everywhere). The last number (in this case 14) indicates the bore diameter (disc diameter), expressed in inches. If the letter C (short for commercial) is added after the diameter, this means that the tire has an increased ply rating, so it can be used in small trucks, vans or minibuses. In the latter case, the load capacity index of such tires is written in two numbers. The first means the allowable load on a single tire, the second - on a dual tire.

For example, a 185/75 R16C 104/102S tire has increased strength and has a load index of 104 (900 kg) for a single installation, and 102 (850 kg) for a dual installation. In this case, the maximum allowable speed is 180 km / h (determined by the speed index S, we will touch on the load and speed indices below).

On some tires, the percentage ratio between the width and height of the profile is not indicated. In this case, you need to know that it is in the range of 0.8 ... 0.82. However, in all cases when this value is below 0.8, it must be indicated on the tire in increments of 0.05.

For tires made in the United States, there is an alternative rubber designation system that is slightly different from the standard one. Consider it in the following example - 35 / 12.5 R15 113Q. In this case, the number 35 means tire outside diameter in inches. And 12.5 is the nominal width in inches. The rest of the information is identical to the standard described above. That is, the main difference is the use of inches instead of millimeters.

Correspondence table of radial tires of passenger cars to the profile of the wheel rim.

Correspondence table of tires for light trucks and buses of small capacity to the profile of the wheel rim.

Tire Load Index(Load Index). In this case, we are talking about the maximum permissible mass able to withstand the tire. This value is encrypted in the form of numbers, which by themselves do not show the mass, but only contain a cipher. An approximate value can be calculated if gross weight car divided by four. usually write immediately after the size.

Load index	Load index	Load index	Load index	Load index
62	265	75	387	88	560	101	825	114	1180
63	272	76	400	89	580	102	850	115	1215
64	280	77	412	90	600	103	875	116	1250
65	290	78	425	91	615	104	900	117	1285
66	300	79	437	92	630	105	925	118	1320
67	307	80	450	93	650	106	950	119	1360
68	315	81	462	94	670	107	975	120	1400
69	325	82	475	95	690	108	1000	121	1450
70	335	83	487	96	710	109	1030	122	1500
71	345	84	500	97	730	110	1060	123	1550
72	355	85	515	98	750	111	1090	124	1600
73	365	86	530	99	775	112	1120	125	1650
74	375	87	545	100	800	113	1150	126	1700

When studying the information provided, it must be remembered that in this case it speaks only of ultimate load for the tire as such, that is, without reference to a specific vehicle and operating conditions. In addition, do not forget that the tire should not work in critical conditions, that is. at maximum load. If you have a passenger car, then you should not allow the load to increase to 80% of the given values. And if you are the owner of an SUV - then up to 70%. Excessive load not only brings failure, but is also extremely dangerous due to a possible explosion. And if it happens at high speed, it can be deadly!

When choosing a tire, pay attention to the indices of maximum loads and speed. Always take the value with a margin, but do not overdo it. After all, the more load the tire is designed for, the more massive and heavier it will be. And this will directly affect the dynamics of the car and fuel consumption. It is better to stick to the "golden mean".

E1 - E48(usually written in a circle). It means in which country the tire passed the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) quality requirements and the standard number.

Correspondence table of codes and countries of standardization
Code	Country of standardization	Code	Country of standardization
E1	Germany	E21	Portugal
E2	France	E22	Russia
E3	Italy	E23	Greece
E4	Netherlands	E24	Ireland
E5	Sweden	E25	Croatia
E6	Belgium	E26	Slovenia
E7	Hungary	E27	Slovakia
E8	Czech	E28	Belarus
E9	Spain	E29	Estonia
E10	Yugoslavia	E31	Bosnia/Herzegovina
E11	Great Britain	E34	Bulgaria
E12	Austria	E36	Lithuania
E13	Luxembourg	E37	Türkiye
E14	Switzerland	E39	Azerbaijan
E15	Not used	E40	Macedonia
E16	Norway	E43	Japan
E17	Finland	E45	Australia
E18	Denmark	E46	Ukraine
E19	Romania	E47	South Africa
E20	Poland	E48	New Zealand

Designation of the maximum load and maximum pressure

(Max Load, measured in kilograms or pounds). The value is the same as above. The difference lies in the fact that the characteristic is given in absolute terms. When doing this, pay attention to where the tire is made so as not to confuse the values \u200b\u200bof kilograms or pounds (for reference 1 lb = 0.4536 kg).

Index correspondences and maximum speed values

This information is encrypted in the form of letters of the English alphabet. We present for you another tire marking table, where the decoding of the mentioned index is presented. Designated speed allowed at maximum load on the tire. This index is usually specified after the load index.

Maximum allowable pressure(Max Pressure). This is one of the most important information available on the marking of passenger tires. Pressure is reported in kPa or PSI (pounds per square inch, a US non-systemic unit of pressure). Often on tires you can find values \u200b\u200bin one and the other units at the same time. If only one value is indicated on the tire, then remember that 1 kgf / cm2 (technical atmosphere) \u003d 0.98 bar \u003d 14.223 PSI \u003d 98.066 kPa. More information about how much tire pressure should be different cars you can see in .

M+S lettering and winter tire image

M+S tire marking(sometimes M&S). This designation is mainly used European manufacturers tires. The letter M stands for the English word Mud, which translates as "mud". And the letter S - Snow, snow. These designations tell the car owner that the tire can be used in appropriate conditions. The point is that in European countries winters are less severe than in Russia, so there is more mud than snow and ice. And the tires, which are traditionally called “winter” in our country, are more likely to be called arctic by Europeans.

Tire markings by season and surface. You may also come across the following variations of seasonality:

One of the options for designating all-season tires

AS(All Seasons, Any Season). Rubber is suitable for use at any time of the year.
AGT(All Grip Traction). All season tire.
R+W(Road + Winter). Translated means “road” + “winter”. That is, rubber for use in the cold season.
Frost. This is what winter tires are.
A.W.(Any Weather). Suitable for use in any weather.
A/T (All Terrain). The rubber is suitable for use on any terrain.
M/T(Mud Terrain). The tire can be used on muddy terrain.

It is worth adding that some manufacturers illustrate the weather properties of their tires not with the help of inscriptions, but by applying appropriate drawings. For example, if you meet drawn together snowflake, rain and sun- it means. that the tire is all-weather. An image is used to indicate winter tires snowflakes or mountain peaks(sometimes both figures are combined). In addition, on some models of winter tires, instead of standard wear indicators (having a size of 1.6 mm), winter ones are used (their thickness is 4 mm). Usually winter tire can be distinguished by touch. Its surface is softer.

Common designation for all-weather tires

Rain tires. Next, we will consider how to decipher the marking of tires intended for use in conditions of large amounts of water. Such tires are designated by the following words - Aquatred, Aquacontact, Rain, Water, Aqua. In some cases, instead of words, an umbrella is drawn on the side of the tire.

tire function. Now consider where the tire can be used. The letters in front of the standard size will tell you about this:

P(Passenger). Can be used in a car.
LT(Light Truck). For light trucks or vans.
ST(Special Trailer). For trailers.
LRO(Low Platform Trailer). For use on low bed trailers.
T(Temporary). For temporary use (as a spare wheel).

Week and year of manufacture of the tire, as well as the mark of the DOT standard

Year of issue. Car tire marking allows you to find out information about the month and year of tire production. In particular, this information is encrypted in four small numbers enclosed in an oval on the side surface of the product. The first two digits in this case mean serial number weeks of the year, and the second - the year itself. For example, marking 1015 tells us that the tire was released in 2015, on the 10th week of the year, that is, approximately at the beginning of March.

Temperature, braking and wear indices

Indices. Often on American tires three indices are written after the size:

Temperature index(Temperature A, B, C). Shows how resistant the tire is to impact. high temperature, and does it lose its properties. In particular, A is considered the best index.
Deceleration index(Traction A, B, C). The property of a tire to brake and grip the road surface in wet and slippery surface. Similarly, A is considered the best index.
Expected mileage(Treadwear). It is measured in numbers over 100, since it is this number that is the base value (the number 100 corresponds to 48 thousand kilometers). Accordingly, the larger it is, the better. This parameter is determined in accordance with the existing standard in the United States.

Type of tire wear indicator

Design details. Sometimes, when marking all-season and other tires, the manufacturer writes information from which layers the coating is made. For example, the inscription TREAD PLIES: 2 POLYESTER CORD+2 STEEL CORD+1 NYLON CORD means that the coating consists of two layers of polyester, two layers of metal cord and one layer of nylon cord.

wear indicator. It shows how much the tire has worn out, and accordingly, is it time to replace it. Usually located at the bottom of the groove closest to the inscription TWID(sometimes inscriptions are used TWI, DSI). An arrow points to its location, making it easier to find. You can find more information about tire wear in the corresponding one.

spikes. On tires where spikes are used, manufacturers indicate the following information:

AD. Aluminum spikes.
SD. Spikes with carbide core.
DD. Spikes with a rectangular core and a diamond edge.
OD. Spikes with an oval core.
MD. Plastic spikes with carbide core.

colored labels. In some cases, tire manufacturers use color coding for their products. So, for this, white, red and yellow colors are used, in particular, the corresponding circles or triangles.

Tire color codes

A red dot or triangle is placed in the place that is the hardest on the sidewall of the tire. If you are installing it on an alloy wheel, then this point must be aligned with the L mark on the wheel. A white dot or triangle means the most flexible spot on the sidewall. When installing rubber on an alloy wheel, this place should be diametrically opposed to the L mark. The yellow triangle means the lightest place, which must be combined with the place where the spool is installed on the disk.

Occasionally you can find colored lines printed on the tread new tire. They are factory markings that help warehouse workers keep tires with certain specifications in one place. On the other hand, in the presence of such stripes, the consumer can be sure that the tire has not yet been in use.

Puncture Protection Information. Tire manufacturers use different technologies to protect tires from cuts and punctures. In particular, different manufacturers label them differently. Below is a correspondence table.

Tire designation with reinforced sidewalls

These technologies allow the car to continue moving at partial or full speed from 50 to 150 kilometers, provided that the speed of movement does not exceed 80 km/h. In addition, there is a label indicating the presence or absence of certain additional protections. In particular:

MFS(Maximum Flange Shield). Maximum protection edges of the disk.
FR(Flange Protector, similar to RPB (Rim Protection Bar) or MFS (Maximum Flange Sheild)). Tire with rim protection.
Facebook(Flat Base). The tire does not have a structural element that would protect the disc rim from damage on the curbs.

Car tire color coding. If the manufacturer applies some color advertising or other designations to the side of the tire, then in coded form it looks like this:

OWL(Outline White Letters). Contour white letters on the sidewall of the tire.
BSW(Black Side Wall). Black letters on the sidewall of the tire (in the designation trademark tires).
VSB(Vertical Serrated Band). Vertical jagged stripe.
RWL. white stripe on the sidewall.
ORBL(Outlined Raised Black Letters). Black highlighted raised letters on the sidewall.
RRBL(Recessed Raised Black Letters). Recessed embossed black letters.
WSW. White side.
BLK. Black side.

Additional Information. When marking winter and summer tires manufacturers sometimes write Additional information about the quality and characteristics of their products. So, sometimes you can see the following designations:

TUBELESS. This inscription means that you have a tubeless tire in front of you.
TUBE TYPE(or TT, on German tires write Mit Schlauch). On the contrary, in front of you is a tire that requires the installation of a camera.
"Tyre with increased ply"
PR. This is how the layering norm is denoted. For car tires, its value is usually 4PR (most often) or 6PR. The inscription Reinforced in this case means “reinforced” (has 6 layers). If the tire has a ply rating of 6PR or 8PR, then it can be used in small trucks, vans or minibuses (commercial, has 8 plies).
Manufacturer country. In addition to the name of the manufacturer itself, on some tires they also write the country of manufacture.
Designation of the outer and inner sides . If the tire is asymmetric, then the word OUTSIDE (sometimes Side Facing Out) will be written on its outer side, and INSIDE (sometimes Side Facing Inwards) will be written on the inside.
Left or Right. In the first case, the tire can only be installed on the left side of the car, in the second - only on the right.
Direction of rotation. To do this, use the word Rotation and an arrow indicating the direction of rotation of the wheel when moving forward.
Reinforced tire
XL(Extra Load). This is a reinforced tire.
Steel. Inside the tire structure there is a metal cord. If this inscription is not present, then a textile cord is used. The designation All Steel corresponds to the fact that the metal cord is used in both the carcass and the breaker.
DOT X0(Department of Transportation, US Department of Transportation, X0 is tire manufacturer's code). This is the American quality standard applied in this case to tires. That is, the rubber corresponds to it.
Plies: thread. Composition of the tread layer.
Sidewall. The composition of the sidewall layer.
DA or Secunda(in the form of a stamp). Such seals are placed on tires that have minor defects resulting from the production process, which, however, do not interfere with their normal operation.
Green tire label
Green X, Reduces CO2. This is the designation of rubber, which has low level rolling resistance, which helps to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (so-called “green tyres”).
ND(Non Directional). Tire with non-directional tread pattern.
NHS(Non Highway Service). Rubber for low speeds.
SAG(Super All Grip). Tires of the increased passableness.
SUV(Sport Utility Vehicles). Tires designed for crossovers, sport utility vehicles and heavy all-wheel drive vehicles.
REGROOVABLE. Possibility of deepening the tread pattern by cutting.
RETREAD. The tire has been used and restored.
Studless. Cannot be studded.
Studdable. To be studded.
Winter studded tire marking
Studded. Studded tire.
GOST or THAT. Usually, on domestic tires, manufacturers write the number of GOST or technical conditions in accordance with which the product was manufactured.

Helpful information

You should also remember that most of the world's well-known tire manufacturers have their own designations for some of the nuances, operating conditions and technologies used in the manufacture. You can find this information on the official website of the rubber manufacturer.

Try to install tires on your car not only of the same size and design, but also of the same model and manufacturer. After all, despite their external similarity, different rubber has different characteristics, what in critical situations can play a decisive role.

Also avoid the following situations when installing different rubber for your vehicle:

front and high-profile rear;
tires with studs in the front and without them in the back;
front new tires with a good tread, and behind "bald", or vice versa.

We present for you a table with information about the recommended options for replacing tire sizes.

Tire replacement table
Tire replacement size	Replacement option (the most appropriate option is indicated at the beginning of the list)
135/80R12	155/70R12, 155/65R13
165/70R13	185/65R13, 165/65R14, 175/70R13, 185/60R14, 195/50R15
175/70R13	175/65R14, 185/60R14, 185/65R13, 155/R13, 165/70R14, 165/65R14
175/70R14	185/65R14, 195/60R14, 195/55R15
185/70R14	195/65R14, 205/55R15, 195/60R15
195/65R15	215/60R15, 235/55R15, 205/55R16, 215/55R15
195/70R15	205/65R15, 225/60R15, 205/55R16
205/70R15	215/65R15, 235/60R15, 205/65R15, 225/65R15
205/70R15	205/75R15, 215/65R15

The data from the table will help you choose the right size for both the rubber itself and its size that is best suited to your car. After all, you can’t put any tires on a car, they may simply not fit, no matter how much you would like to. Note that all tire sizes that can be fitted to specific car, are found in a table on the A-pillar or door sill, along with the tire pressure data recommended by the manufacturer.

Conclusion

We have tried to provide you with the best full information about how manufacturers encrypt tire performance data. We are sure that from now on you can easily figure out what the markings on car tires mean. If you have come across notations that are not in the above material, we will be glad to see your comments in the discussion.

Speed ​​index table: