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Understanding Tire Performance 

On the side of every tire there is a series of letters and numbers, similar to P215/65/15  - What does it all mean? 

The P stands for passenger car. The letters LT denotes a light truck tire. 

‘215’ is the width of the tire in millimeters.  A wider tire has more contact with the road and therefore can increase grip and handling. But with more rubber on the road, friction is also increased, reducing fuel economy. If a tire is too wide it can decrease performance in the rain.  A narrow tire can cut through water more effectively. 

‘65’ is the aspect ratio, the width of the tire divided by the height of the sidewall. On most passenger cars, the aspect ratio is between 60 and 75.  High performance sports cars have lower profile tires, with aspect ratios as low as 35.   Tires with low aspect ratios have shorter sidewalls, so the tread is held closer to the rim, which allows for better handling and cornering.   The disadvantage is that they are noisier. A tire with a high aspect ratio has a taller sidewall.  With more rubber between the tread and the rim, it helps to absorb road imperfections and create a smoother riding tire. 

"R" stands for radial. Radial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard for the past 20 years. 

‘15’ is the diameter of the rim measured by inches. 

Other Important Considerations 

Rim Width

The width of the wheel should be about 90% of the width of the tire. So if you are looking for a wider wheel, you may need to increase the width of your custom rim.  Just to complicate matters, the width of a tire is measured in millimeters and the width of a rim is measured in inches. To convert inches to millimeters, multiply by 24.  Once you determine your rim size in millimeters, divide this number by .90 to determine how wide your tire should be. 

Speed Rating

On some tires you will see a letter before the rim size, this letter indicates the speed rating. 

Treadwear Rating

Treadwear grades are an indication of a tire's relative wear rate. The higher the treadwear number is, the longer it should take for the tread to wear down.

A control tire is assigned a grade of 100. Other tires are compared to the control tire. For example, a tire grade of 200 should wear twice as long as the control tire.

Traction Grade

Traction grades are an indication of a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher graded tire should allow a car to stop on wet roads in a shorter distance than a tire with a lower grade. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as "AA", "A", "B", and "C".  Only about 3% of tires currently manufactured have a “AA” rating. The majority of tires have an “A” rating.

Temperature Rating

High temperature can severely weaken a tire. A tire can overheat due to poor inflation, heavy loads or traveling long distances in hot weather.  A deteriorating tire can lead to tread separation or a blow out.   The best tire rating for heat resistance is A and the worst is C. Tires with a Temperature C rating meet the minimum requirement as set by the federal government for tire performance.