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A Brief Explanation of Tire Information

December 15th, 2016
Ever wonder what the designations stamped on your tire sidewall actually mean? We’d like to break it down for you. image blog

Let’s take for instance, “P195/60R15 87S”. This is a full service description of a tire.

In this case, “87S” denotes a tire’s load capacity and speed rating. The higher the number, the greater the load capacity – an 87 load capacity means that tire can support 1,201 pounds. Speed ratings range from L (75 mph) through V (149 mph), and an S speed rating means the tire is good for 112 mph. W, Y, and Z-speed rated tires are available for extreme performance cars and are rated as high as 186 mph.

As for the rest of the information:

--“P” denotes Passenger Tire

--195 is the tire’s width from sidewall to sidewall... in millimeters

--60 is the aspect ratio... the proportion of the height of the tire cross-section as compared to the width of the tread area

--“R” stands for Radial construction

--15 is the wheel size... in inches

There’s other information on the sidewall of a tire, such as its Mountain & Snow rating (if applicable), date of manufacture code and maximum allowable pressure. For the average consumer though, it’s good to know the meaning of the service description so you can be an informed tire buyer when it’s time to replace them. Remember, your vehicle was designed for a very specific tire size, and it’s best to stay with that size when you go shopping for new tires!


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Chuck Wait Tire proudly serves the local Mowrystown, OH area. We understand that getting your car fixed or buying new tires can be overwhelming. Let us help you choose from our large selection of tires. We feature tires that fit your needs and budget from top quality brands, such as Michelin®, BFGoodrich®, Uniroyal®, and more. We pride ourselves on being your number one choice for any auto repair. Let us earn your business. Schedule an appointment today.