What are the abbreviations of the tires you need to keep an eye on when choosing to buy them?
Know that each eraser has 13 voices , each of which hides a precise meaning to be enhanced with the greatest possible precision. Let’s find out the meaning of all 13 tire abbreviations , with the chance to grasp every single information on the fly without having to waste a lot of time in their recognition
1. The brand
First of all, the name of the brand that supplies the tire cannot be missing, which in many cases constitutes a valid distinctive feature and even acts as a prelude to the actual purchase.
2. The typology
What kind of tread is it? It is essential that you know this before you drive a vehicle equipped with certain tires.
3. The diameter
In this case, we are talking about a parameter measured in millimeters, whose section is between 125 and 335. Its width changes by 10 millimeters at a time and the measurements are quite varied. Each manufacturer has various manufacturing tolerances, which make the overall measurement only slightly inaccurate. In such cases, the important thing is to ensure a high safety margin for correct tire functionality. You must also be careful about the chance or not of fitting snow chains.
4. The ratio of height to diameter in percent
The cross-section of the rubber provides a measurement of this type, corresponding to the ratio in exact percentages between the height and the diameter of each tire. If the ratio decreases, the flank decreases.
5. The production method
Today the most popular production method is the radial one. Some historical models of the 1960s, on the other hand, have a system with diagonal steel wires.
6. The diameter of the rim
This data is calculated with a diagonal inclination and generally expressed in inches, even if some manufacturers choose to carry out the operation in millimeters.
7. The load index
This time you are dealing with the maximum capacity of the tire based on a well-defined pressure of its relative inflation. The value on the vehicle registration document is the legal minimum, with adapted tires that must respect a similar parameter. Tires with a large load capacity are marked with the additional reinforced indication.
8.The speed index
Each letter corresponds to a maximum speed that your tire can withstand, starting from 130 kilometers per hour for the M and reaching 300 for the Y. The initials ZR instead indicates the chance to exceed 240, without fixed limits.
9. The presence or absence of the air chamber
Most of the tires fitted today are not equipped with any inner tube and are marked with the words Tubeless. It can only be inserted into the tire in the event of a puncture, albeit only in an exceptional way. In general, in fact, the inner tube is substantially prohibited by the Highway Code and can lead to fines even quite high.
10. The date of manufacture
Starting in 2000, the code requires the entry of four final digits. All the versions present in the nineties, however, contained within it the exact date of manufacture, with the first two digits marking the exact week and the third the year. Before 1990, a simple triangle was entered.
11. The level of wear
The TWI (Tread Wear Indicator) written on the side of the tire certifies the state of wear; these are six projections in the longitudinal grooves of the tread that protrude from the bottom by 1.6 mm (ie the minimum thickness required by law). They are equally spaced from each other and must never emerge to the surface, not even in a single point. If this happens, it will be absolutely necessary to replace the rubber.
12. The additional tire indicator
In most cases, this small writing coincides with the Renforced entry and marks the use of a reinforced tire.
13. The type of tire according to the season
Finally, an additional wording is added for the tires to be used during the winter season, namely an abbreviation M + S. In that case, the tire meets certain winter needs and can be safely used during this time of year.
As you can see, the tire codes are really numerous and it is preferable that you know them one by one, in order to improve your mastery with a car that you have to use every day.
