What Do Tire Numbers Mean?

Every time you look at the sidewalls of your tires, you see a series of letters and numbers. It’s not a secret code that unlocks the mysteries of the universe. But it does help your local Lake Havasu City tire shop determine what replacement tires should go on your vehicle.

What exactly do those tire numbers mean? The code indicates the size and type of tire it is, its purpose, and what it’s designed to do. If your vehicle is ready for new tires and you need to determine which ones to get, or if you’re simply wondering what the numbers on tires mean, let Anderson Auto Group teach you.

Determining the Tire Number Meanings

A tire’s code uses a series of letters and numbers to let your Bullhead City service center know the size, load index, speed rating, and type of tire your vehicle needs for optimal performance. If you put the wrong size of tires on your vehicle, it may not run as well or handle properly.

Take This Code for Example:  P215/65R19 95H

While it may seem like gibberish, each section of code represents a piece of information to correctly identify the type of tire you have in front of you.

Decoding “P” for the Tire Number Meaning

The “P” stands for “P-Metric tire.” It also indicates your tire is designed for passenger vehicles. If your tires read “LT,” this stands for “light truck,” and the tire is intended for lightweight pickup trucks. If the tire does not have a letter preceding the code, it is a European-style tire, or Euro-Metric tire, which has a different load capacity.

Decoding “215” for Tire Number Meanings

Following the “P” is the number “215”, which shows the tire width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. So in our example, the width of this tire is 215 millimeters or 21.5 centimeters. That equals around 8.5 inches or the width of a piece of paper. As you might expect, wider tires are for heavier-duty vehicles while narrower tires could be for subcompact cars.

Decoding “65” on Tire Sidewalls

After the forward slash comes the aspect ratio code, as shown by the number “65”. A tire’s aspect ratio is the height of the tire’s cross-section to its width. This tire has an aspect ratio where its height is equal to 65% of the tire’s width. The bigger the aspect ratio, the bigger the sidewalls will be.

Decoding “R” on the Tire Number Meaning

The “R” indicates the tire’s construction, with “R” representing that it’s a radial. You might also see “B” for belt or “D” for diagonal. Inside each rubber tire are steel belts that support the rubber and give it structure, much like steel-reinforced concrete. The R, B, or D indicates how the steel belts are arranged among the rubber.

Decoding “19” on Your Tire

The number “19” indicates the wheel size as its radius. By the wheel we mean the round metal part around which the rubber tire fits. This code tells us that this tire is meant for a 19-inch wheel. Car wheels may range in width from 14 to 20 inches, with some specialty wheels coming in larger sizes. This tire fits on a larger car wheel, or perhaps a high-performance sports car.

Decoding “95H” for a Tire Number Meaning

At the end of the code is “95H,” which highlights the load index and speed rating for the tire. The load index (“95” in this instance) shows the weight the tire can support after it’s inflated all the way to the right pounds per square inch. Typical passenger vehicle tires range from 75 to 105 for their load index. Tire centers have a handy chart they follow when examining the load index figures. In this case, a load index of 95 can carry a maximum of 1,521 pounds on a single tire (multiply that by four tires to get the max weight your car can be).

Finally, the “H” represents the speed rating, or how fast the tire can go safely. Speed ratings range from A to Z. An H tire can go up to 130 mph. A Y-rated tire, built for high-performance sports cars, can work up to 186 mph.

How to Check Tire Pressure on Your Vehicle

Regardless of what tires your vehicle needs, you must inflate them properly to get the best handling and most efficient gas mileage. If not inflated correctly, you might have problems on slick roads or the engine might have to work harder to move your vehicle forward along Kingman or Parker streets.

Checking your vehicle’s tire pressure is simple. Most modern, high-tech vehicles have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). If your vehicle’s tires are over- or under-inflated, the TPMS will alert you. When that happens, head to the nearest gas station to put more air in the tire. If you need new tires, the staff at our tire center can assist you with the right high-quality tires for your vehicle.

Bring Your Vehicle to Us for All Your Maintenance Needs

If you need new tires or brake service or are ready to come in for your regularly scheduled oil change, we invite you to bring your vehicle to one of our Anderson Auto Group locations near you. In the meantime, read some service and parts tips from our staff. Contact us or call with any questions.