The markings on the side of your tyres are a guide containing important information about your tyres such as size, load, speed and other specifications. Understanding this information helps you get the right tyres for your car as recommended by the manufacturer.
Fitting your car with the wrong tyres negatively impacts all aspects of your driving from safety, comfort to insurance and maintenance. Your braking and the car’s driving dynamics become worse. The car is uncomfortable with worse fuel consumption. Insurance may deny your claim in case of an accident and you spend more on repairs and maintenance.
Read: Tyre Pressure: What You Need To Know
This is how you to read those markings:
- Width: This is the section width of your tyre in millimetres, from the inner to the outer sidewall.
- Aspect Ratio: This is the height of your tyre from the base of the tread to the rim, as a percentage of the tread width. Low profile tyres have smaller aspect ratio percentages.
- Tyre Construction: This indicates the method used to construct that tyre. R indicates radial ply construction. Most car tyres are constructed this way so you will rarely find a car tyre without an R.
- Rim Diameter: This indicates the diameter of the wheel rim in inches.
- Load Rating: This is a code that indicates the maximum load capacity the tyre can safely accommodate. See table below.
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
Load Index |
Max Load (kg) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
60 | 250 | 85 | 515 | 110 | 1060 | 135 | 2180 | 160 | 4500 | 185 | 9250 |
61 | 257 | 86 | 530 | 111 | 1090 | 136 | 2240 | 161 | 4625 | 186 | 9500 |
62 | 265 | 87 | 545 | 112 | 1120 | 137 | 2300 | 162 | 4750 | 187 | 9750 |
63 | 272 | 88 | 560 | 113 | 1150 | 138 | 2360 | 163 | 4875 | 188 | 10000 |
64 | 280 | 89 | 580 | 114 | 1180 | 139 | 2430 | 164 | 5000 | 189 | 10300 |
65 | 290 | 90 | 600 | 115 | 1215 | 140 | 2500 | 165 | 5150 | 190 | 10600 |
66 | 300 | 91 | 615 | 116 | 1250 | 141 | 2575 | 166 | 5300 | 191 | 10900 |
67 | 307 | 92 | 630 | 117 | 1285 | 142 | 2650 | 167 | 5450 | 192 | 11200 |
68 | 315 | 93 | 650 | 118 | 1320 | 143 | 2725 | 168 | 5600 | 193 | 11500 |
69 | 325 | 94 | 670 | 119 | 1360 | 144 | 2800 | 169 | 5800 | 194 | 11800 |
70 | 335 | 95 | 690 | 120 | 1400 | 145 | 2900 | 170 | 6000 | 195 | 12150 |
71 | 345 | 96 | 710 | 121 | 1450 | 146 | 3000 | 171 | 6150 | 196 | 12500 |
72 | 355 | 97 | 730 | 122 | 1500 | 147 | 3075 | 172 | 6300 | 197 | 12850 |
73 | 365 | 98 | 750 | 123 | 1550 | 148 | 3150 | 173 | 6500 | 198 | 13200 |
74 | 375 | 99 | 775 | 124 | 1600 | 149 | 3250 | 174 | 6700 | 199 | 13600 |
75 | 387 | 100 | 800 | 125 | 1650 | 150 | 3350 | 175 | 6900 | 200 | 14000 |
76 | 400 | 101 | 825 | 126 | 1700 | 151 | 3450 | 176 | 7100 | 201 | 14500 |
77 | 412 | 102 | 850 | 127 | 1750 | 152 | 3550 | 177 | 7300 | 202 | 15000 |
79 | 437 | 104 | 900 | 129 | 1850 | 154 | 3750 | 179 | 7750 | 204 | 16000 |
80 | 450 | 105 | 925 | 130 | 1900 | 155 | 3875 | 180 | 8000 | 205 | 16500 |
81 | 462 | 106 | 950 | 131 | 1950 | 156 | 4000 | 181 | 8250 | 206 | 17000 |
82 | 475 | 107 | 975 | 132 | 2000 | 157 | 4125 | 182 | 8500 | 207 | 17500 |
83 | 487 | 108 | 1000 | 133 | 2060 | 158 | 4250 | 183 | 8750 | 208 | 18000 |
84 | 500 | 109 | 1030 | 134 | 2120 | 159 | 4375 | 184 | 9000 | 209 | 18500 |
- Speed Symbol: This is a code that indicates the maximum speed the tyre can safely accommodate. See table below.
Speed Symbol | Rating (Km/h) |
E | 70 |
F | 80 |
G | 90 |
J | 100 |
K | 110 |
L | 120 |
M | 130 |
N | 140 |
P | 150 |
Q | 160 |
R | 170 |
S | 180 |
T | 190 |
U | 200 |
H | 210 |
V | 240 |
W | 270 |
Y | 300 |
Z | 240+ |