Tire index. Tire index: decoding. Tire load index: table

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Car tires are like human shoes: they must match not only the season, but also the technical characteristics of the vehicle. The concept of "uncomfortable shoes" is familiar to everyone. The same thing happens with the wrong tires.

One of the important indicators of car tires is the tire index, which determines the maximum load and allowable speed per wheel.

Tyre Selection Criteria

Sometimes it seems that choosing car tires is not difficult: I came, I saw, I bought. In practice, things are quite different. To find really good tires, you need to be guided by a number of rules. Do not be tempted by little-known brands. They will cost, of course, several times cheaper, as evidenced by the dubious quality. You need to choose only proven brands.

Tires should be changed simultaneously on all four wheels. In this case, tires must be from the same manufacturer andhave the same specifications.

"Seasonality" of tires

Winter, summer or "all-season" - each of these types of tires is characterized by its own advantages and disadvantages. It is best to buy two sets of tires - one for winter and one for summer. Winter tires are softer, so they tolerate severe frosts well and behave well in the snow. Summer tires have a solid rubber compound designed specifically for hot asph alt. The all-season tire type is suitable for both winter and summer, but differs in quality from seasonal tires. They wear out faster and lose their characteristics.

Tyre size

This is the main criterion when choosing tires. The manufacturer recommends several tire sizes for each brand of car. It all depends on the radius of the car disks, engine power, as well as the season of use. You can find out the right size for your transport from its technical characteristics.

Tire index

Such a criterion is needed to calculate the maximum load and speed per tire. Properly selected index will extend tire life and improve driving comfort.

In addition to the main criteria, you should also pay attention to:

• Tread pattern.
• Presence or absence of spikes.
• Location of cord threads.

Not the last place when choosing tires is the financial side of the issue. It is better not to save on tires. Often accidents on the roads happen precisely because of lowtire handling.

Tire load index (table)

This indicator determines the maximum allowable load on a car tire at maximum speed. The tire index is indicated by a number from 50 to 100. Depending on the brand of the manufacturer, the load indicator can be expressed both in kilograms and pounds.

Load index	Load in kg	Load index	Load in kg	Load index	Load in kg
50	190	53	206	55	218
58	236	60	250	62	265
64	280	66	300	68	315
70	335	72	355	73	356
77	412	78	425	80	450
84	500	100	800	123	1550
200	14000	223	27250	279	136000

The load index of a tire affects its service life, as well as the nature of the movement of the car. So, rubber with a low load index softens the ride on the road and behaves almost silently. The disadvantage of such tires is that they wear out quickly. Tires with a high load index are less susceptible to wear, but are very noisy on the road.

Load index is an indispensable indicator for drivers who are engaged in cargo transportation. Thanks to him, you can choose the rubber that best suits the load of the car.

Speed index

The speed indicator is closely related to the load index. The tire speed index is indicated on the side and means what maximum speed is allowed under a certain load on one wheel.

You need to choose tires with the speed index recommended by the car manufacturer. Otherwise, the controllability of the car may decrease, and at the same time the safety of passengers will deteriorate.

The tire speed index is indicated by the letter:

I - 100 km / h, K - 110, L - 120, M - 130, N - 140, P - 150, Q - 160, R - 170, S - 180, T - 190, Y - 200, H - 210, V - 240, W - 270, VR > 210, ZR > 240, Z > 300.

Basic tire markings

Any self-respecting driver should be able to "read" tire markings. After allthe necessary information about the tire can be obtained not only from the sales assistant, but also directly from the tire itself. To do this, you need to remember what letters and numbers the tires are marked with and what they stand for.

Marking is always applied to the tire sidewall. On each tire you can see something like this code - 225/45 R 16 90V. It stands for quite simply.

225/45 - tire width and height. The width is in millimeters, and the height is a percentage of the width (22545%). To find out what width and height a tire needs, just look at the technical specification of the car.

The letter R means that the tire model is radial. Rubber for cars can be with a diagonal and radial arrangement of cord threads. Most passenger cars have radial tires - they are more comfortable to drive and also have less weight.

16 is the tire diameter in inches.

90 is the tire index (load) and the letter V is the maximum allowed speed (240 km/h). The tire index table is one thing that every driver should know. So you can protect yourself from inappropriate recommendations from inexperienced sellers.

Additional markings on tires

In addition to the main marks, you can also see other information on the tires that carry additional information. These include the brand of the manufacturer, the direction of the tread pattern, the date of manufacture of the tire, etc.

American-made rubber often has the letters "P" or"LT", where the first indicates that the tire is designed for a passenger car, and the second combination is a tire for light commercial vehicles.

Additional information also includes the following inscriptions:

M+S - off-season or winter tires. The fact that tires are designed for winter is also indicated by the inscription "Winter" or a symbol in the form of a snowflake. If there are no such inscriptions - summer tires.

The phrase "All Season" means that the tires can be used in any season.

On some tire models, there may be inscriptions Left / Right (left / right) or Outside / Inside (outer / inner side). Such tires must be installed following these recommendations.

The word Tubeless means that the tire is tubeless. Tubeless tires, even with the most severe puncture, will allow the driver to easily reach the nearest service station. However, the disadvantage of such models is that if the rubber is damaged, the discs can greatly degrade.

Rain, Weather, or a picture of an umbrella indicates that the tires are designed specifically for rainy weather. The special composition of this rubber provides high grip on wet roads and minimizes the effect of sliding.

Tires that meet all standards and are not fake, will definitely have information about the manufacturer on the sidewall, as well as an ECE conformity number.

A final word

Choosing tires for your car is a common thing. However, tohe should be held accountable. After all, not only comfortable driving, but also the safety of passengers depends on the quality of rubber.

To buy a new set of tires quickly and as successfully as possible, you should remember the main designations on the tires. The height and width of the profile, tire diameter, size, tire index - the driver should always have a transcript of all these indicators at hand.