Before Buying A New Set Of Tires

Buying new tires is a daunting task for many car owners. There are a lot of tire types, pricing and features that can be very overwhelming to anyone. Miracle Body and Paint in San Antonio Texas suggests to do research before shopping for a new set of tires. Remember that your tire serves as the only connection between your vehicle and the road. It is best not to gamble or you will find yourself in an auto accident or collision.

When looking for replacement tires, always make sure you buy the correct size. Looking at all those sizing numbers may feel like a maze at first, but once you understand what they stand for, it will be easier for you to find the exact tires for your car. Make sure to check your manufacturer’s recommended size listed in your vehicle’s manual. You can also check the sticker attached to the door jab so you can compare if the tire that is currently on your car is the same as what is stated on the manual. This is a very important step especially for second-hand cars. You may not be aware that your current set of tires may have been replaced by the previous owner.

Once you checked the factory-recommended size, the next thing you should learn is the letter/number combination.

Example: P195/60R17 63H M+S

• P

This shoes the tire type. “P” stands for a passenger tire. “LT” means light truck and some SUV.

• 195

This number indicates the cross-sectional width of the tire in millimetres. Wider tread tires have higher numbers.

• 60

This shows the aspect ratio of the sidewall as compared to its width. Same with the tread, a higher aspect ratio means a taller sidewall. If your tire shows a 40, it means it has a very stiff, shallow sidewall. A 70 tire is a taller, more flexible sidewall. Cars that are high in performance tend to have a lower aspect to enable flexibility under high cornering loads, but this often leads to ride discomfort.

• R

This is a radial design. There is also a bias-ply design which is already considered outdated in passenger cars.

• 17

This number is the tire’s diameter in inches, starting from where it mounts on the wheel rim. This number must always match the size of the rim.

• 63

This is the load rating or its load-carrying capacity. Make sure to choose a tire that has a higher load capacity than what is on the recommended rating especially if you use your vehicle to haul a lot of heavy cargo.

• H

This is the tire’s speed rating or its ability to dissipate the heat made from extended runs at higher speeds. Speed rating is from 159.3 to 299.3 km/h. T (189.9 km/h) and H (209.2 km/h) is considered the most common and is perfect for cars that are used for long distances. If you use your car mainly to just drive around town, a tire with S rating (180.2 km/h) is ok.

• M+S

This shows the tread for all-weather use.