Hi Wonder what all those letters and numbers on your tire's sidewall mean? This chart will set you straight. If you like your current tires, buy more of the same. A tire with a different rating but the same size and type may give you a smoother ride or better handling in bad weather.
Overall Warnings: Check your tire pressure once a month. Improperly inflated tires can cause low gas mileage, a hard ride or even dangerous blowouts. TIRE TALK IN PLAIN ENGLISH Typical Tire Label: P185/60R 14 82H P indicates passenger car tire. LT stands for light truck, and T for temporary (spare). 185 is the section width of tire in millimeters. Shorter or narrower tires have lower numbers. 60 indicates tire's aspect ratio (section height as percentage of section width); this tire's height is 60 percent of its width. Performance tires (with short sidewalls) have smaller numbers. R stands for tire's type--in this case, radial. 14 is the wheel rim diameter in inches. 82 is this tire's load index, according to the industry standard Maximum Load-Carrying Capacity chart. This tire will safely bear 1,047 lbs. (475 kg). Four of these tires can carry a fully loaded car weighing a maximum of 4,188 lbs. (1,900 kg). Last letter (H in this example) is the speed rating: Q (99 mph/159 km per hour), S (112 mph/180 kph), T (118 mph/190 kph), U (124 mph/200 kph), H (130 mph/209 kph), V (up to 149 mph/240 kph), Z (more than 149 mph/240 kph), W (168 mph/270 kph), Y (186 mph/299 kph). Speed-rating letters indicate the maximum safe speed the tire is capable of carrying under ideal conditions, for an extended period of driving. You might not feel a difference between riding on T-rated tires and H-rated tires, but you'll save money on the former. Higher-performance tires have softer, grippier rubber with shorter tread life. They're not only more expensive up front, but need to be replaced more frequently. Temperature Resistance Grades tires' resistance to overheating over long distances at high speeds. Grade A is better than a B, which is better than a C. UTQG Tread Life Number Uniform Tire Quality Grading is a comparative rating of wear on a tire, when tested under controlled conditions on a government test course. Tires are rated against a standard, designated 100. For example, a tire rated 150 will wear 50 percent longer than the 100-grade tire. DOT Number The Department of Transportation uses this number to track tire sales. When a particular tire is recalled, the DOT can locate and inform the unlucky buyers. Traction Rating (AA, A, B or C) Indicates tire's grip on the road during straight-line braking on wet surface. AA-rated tires have the best traction. Size, Type and Tread The three most important things to know about your car when you're tire shopping. Your owner's manual or the label on the driver's-side doorpost shows correct tire size and type for your car. Tires generally come in radial, bias ply and bias belted types. Tires are sold with treads designed to handle standard highway driving or mud and snow (called all-season tires). If you're unsure, ask the tire dealer which tread best suits your driving conditions. Ride Quality The aspect-ratio number; indicates how hard a tire will ride. One reason sports cars ride so bumpy is their 40 to 50 aspect ratio is great for handling but offers a stiff ride. For a cushier ride, go up to 60 or so. To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
