Learn about tires when buying
Basically, you should equip yourself with knowledge about tires to choose tires for your vehicle, and should use standard and optional tires specified by the manufacturer.
When using a car, equipping yourself with knowledge about tires and understanding tire information is very important in choosing the right tire for the type of car you are using.
To know about the size and parameters of the tire, look at the tire surface, the tire surface will display full information including: Manufacturer name, vehicle type used, size parameters, speed and allowable load level.
Find size information on tires
For example, the tire above has the parameters P185/75R14 82S, in which:
P – Indicates the type of vehicle used: The word P is the abbreviation of the word “Passenger” which is only used for passenger vehicles. In addition to the word P, we can also come across other words such as: LT “Light Truck”: used for pickup trucks, light trucks; the word T “Temporary” is a temporary replacement tire...
185 - Is the index indicating the width of the tire using the unit of measurement mm
75 - Ratio of the height of the tire sidewall to the width of the tire surface: calculated by the ratio of the thickness/width of the tire. In the example above, the thickness is 75% of the width of the tire (185)
R - Tire structure: Most common tires on cars have a Radial structure corresponding to the letter R. In addition, tires also have other letters such as B, D, or E, but they are very rare on the market today.
14 - Rim diameter: Each tire is only used for different rims, for example number 14 fits on a 14 inch rim.
82 - Tire load capacity; this tire has a load capacity of 380 to 925 kg (load capacity table below).
S - Maximum speed allowed by the tyre; this tyre has a maximum speed of 180 km/h (speed chart below).
It indicates the internal construction of the tire. The construction can be "Radial" like most tires, or D, which indicates a "Diagon" construction, or B, which indicates a "Belt" tire.
This number is in inches and indicates the appropriate diameter of the wheel the tire is designed to fit on the vehicle. Use the same type, construction, and size of tire on all wheels. For safety reasons, do not use different types, constructions, or sizes of tires on the same axle (except for T-type spare tires).
This number indicates the tire's load capacity at its maximum tire pressure. The numbers are based on the tire load capacity chart in the table below. For example, 97 = 1,609 pounds = 730 kg.
Speed index
This index indicates the maximum safe speed at which the tire is certified to carry a load under specified conditions. Speed index ranges from A (lowest) to Y (highest), with one exception: H falls between U and V. To find the maximum speed for a tire, refer to the speed index chart. Driving in excess of the legal speed limit is not recommended or advocated.
Hopefully the above information will help you to read tire specifications to choose the right tire for your car. To know the right tire for your car as required by the car manufacturer, you should find the information in the user manual or sticker on the car door. You should replace the tire type that meets the manufacturer's requirements to ensure safety.
