Tire Designations

Tire Size

The examples show a typical passenger vehicle and light truck tire size.

Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire

(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:

The United States version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P as the first character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U.S. Tire and Rim Association.

(B) Tire Width: The three-digit number indicates the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.

(C) Aspect Ratio: A two-digit number that indicates the tire height-to-width measurements.

For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 75, as shown in item C of the tire illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is 75 percent as high as it is wide.

(D) Construction Code: A letter code is used to indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter R means radial ply construction; the letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter B means belted-bias ply construction.

(E) Rim Diameter: Diameter of the wheel in inches.

(F) Service Description: These characters represent the load index and speed rating of the tire. The load index represents the load carrying capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to carry a load.

Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire

(A) Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire: The United States version of a metric tire sizing system.

The letters LT as the first two characters in the tire size mean a light truck tire engineered to standards set by the U.S. Tire and Rim Association.

(B) Tire Width: The three-digit number indicates the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.

(C) Aspect Ratio: A two-digit number that indicates the tire height-to-width measurements.

For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 75, as shown in item C of the light truck (LT-Metric) tire illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is 75 percent as high as it is wide.

(D) Construction Code: A letter code is used to indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter R means radial ply construction; the letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter B means belted-bias ply construction.

(E) Rim Diameter: Diameter of the wheel in inches.

(F) Load Range : Load Range.

(G) Service Description: The service description indicates the load index and speed rating of a tire. If two numbers are given as in the example, 120/116, then this represents the load index for single versus dual wheel usage (single/dual). The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to carry a load.

    See also:

    Storing the Spare Tire
    WARNING The underbody-mounted spare tire needs to be stored with the valve stem pointing down. If the spare tire is stored with the valve stem pointing upwards, the secondary latch will not work prop ...

    Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
    If the cruise control system is already activated, . Press and hold the +RES button on the steering wheel until the desired speed is reached, then release it. • To increase vehicle speed in small a ...

    Convex Mirrors
    WARNING A convex mirror can make things, like other vehicles, look farther away than they really are. If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could hit a vehicle on the right. Check the i ...