Let’s look at P225/70-R15, 89H:
| P | Passenger Tire (LT = Light Truck) |
| 225 | Overall width of the tire in millimeters |
| 70 | Sidewall Height (distance from rim to tread) as a percentage of the thread width (known as aspect ratio) |
| R | Tire construction, this one is Radial (B = Belted Bias, D = Diagonal Bias) |
| 15 | Represents the size of the wheel in inches |
| 89H | This is the WEIGHT capacity of the tire. |
SPEED RATING:
R = 100mph (160kms)
A straight R rating means that it is rated for speeds of up to 100mph (160kms) and not recommended this tire for speeds greater than 100mph.
This rating sometimes put in front of the Tire Type (R, B, or D)
OTHER SPEED RATINGS ARE:
S = 112mph (180kms)
T = 118mph (190kms)
U = 124mph (200kms)
H = 130mph (210kms)
V = 149mph (240kms)
Z = Excess of 149mph (240kms)
The V and Z rated tires have excellent dry pavement grip/traction
but due to their soft rubber compounds, do not have a long life.
This rating sometimes put in front of the Tire Type (R, B, or D)
TREAD WEAR RATING:
100 is the basic Tread Wear Rating. This indicates how long a tire should last. This figure is written in small letters on the sidewall of your tire. The higher the number, the longer the tire should last.
TRACTION RATINGS:
A = Best
B = Good
C = Acceptable
This rating found on the sidewall
TEMPERATURE RATINGS:
A = Best
B = Good
C = Acceptable
If you drive your car very hard, you want a temperature rating of ‘A’ because a ‘C’ would fail faster under these conditions.
This rating found on the sidewall