TIRE MUST KNOWIntroduction
Tire Identification Tire Code Tire Construction Tread Pattern Tire Services See also: More on Tires, Caring for Tires |
 Sketch of the first wheel by Sumerians @ 3500 B.C. |
TIRES top
Sumerians invented the wheel @ 3500 B.C. With credit to the one who made the biggest innovation to the wheel to Charles Goodyear, who willingly succumbed himself to debt his entire life, we now enjoy the tire design we have today. Mass production of this necessity started 15 years after his death, by John Dunlop in the 1880's.
Tire is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it. It enables better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground. The fundamental materials of modern tires are synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric and wire, along with other compound chemicals.
IDENTIFY YOUR TIRE top
Tires have a lot of labels around it. See the image below for what those labels stand for.
Identify your tire.
TIRE CODE top
METRIC: LT215/65R15 8P 96V RIB
Vehicle class (LT) - could be light truck (LT), passenger (P), special trailer (ST) or temporary/spare (T).
Width of tire (215) - width of the tire cross section (in millimeters). May be omitted in some tires, if so sidewall ratio is usually 80-100%.
Ratio of height to width (65) - sidewall height, from tread to rim (65% of 215mm = 139.75mm). Can be omitted for cargo type tires (ex. 185R14, 195R15)
Construction (R) - could be radial (R) or bias (B). In a nutshell, bias is good for its low price, low cost repairs and puncture resist; while radial has better product life, stability and shock absorbing property than its counterpart. More...
Rim diameter (15) - fits a rim in the said diameter (in inches).
Ply Rating (8P) - number of nylon belts around a tire, indication of load carrying capacity.
Load index (96) - maximum load each tire could carry (96 stands for 710kg). More...
Speed symbol (V) - could run at that speed carrying the maximum load (V stands for 240kph). More...
Tread pattern (RIB) - could be RIB, Block, RIB-LUG or LUG. In a nutshell, the former is best on driving high speeds at paved roads, while LUG is best for industrial work on off-roads. More...
ENGLISH: 30.5X7.50R16 16P
Tire Diameter (30.5) - diameter of the tire (in inches), usually exceeds by 1 inch when fully inflated. May be omitted in some tires, if so sidewall ratio is usually 80-100%.
Width of tire (7.50) - width of the tire cross section (in inches), usually exceeds by 1 to 2 inches when fully inflated. Can be omitted for cargo type tires (ex. 750-16,1000-20).
Nylon or Bias (R) - dash (-) stands for bias and replaced with R for radials.
Rim diameter (16) - fits a rim in the said diameter (in inches).
Ply Rating (16P) - number of nylon belts around a tire, indication of load carrying capacity.
Width of tire (7.50) - width of the tire cross section (in inches), usually exceeds by 1 to 2 inches when fully inflated. Can be omitted for cargo type tires (ex. 750-16,1000-20).
Nylon or Bias (R) - dash (-) stands for bias and replaced with R for radials.
Rim diameter (16) - fits a rim in the said diameter (in inches).
Ply Rating (16P) - number of nylon belts around a tire, indication of load carrying capacity.
TIRE CONSTRUCTION top
Radial
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Bias
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This illustration shows the drive handling difference of bias and radial tires. Bias tires are like leather shoes, it can withstand more pressure, heavier load, worse terrain and worse weather. Bias tires also require less care for drivers and less maintenance between trips. Radial tires are like rubber shoes, it gives additional comfort, better control, longer lifespan and better driving. But, radial tires will require additional care and maintenance for you to get the most out of the tire.
PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRE TREAD PATTERN top
DIRECTIONAL
It has large V-shaped pattern across the tire, best for highway drives. It gives better straight drive acceleration and grip, the grooves give better hydroplaning for rainy weather. |
SYMMETRICAL
It has independent lugs across the whole tire, best for city drives. It gives better grip when turning a corner and when braked on an inclined surface. |
JACK OF ALL TRADES
It has the features of directional, symmetrical and asymmetrical. It will do fine on any road and traffic conditions. |
ASYMMETRICAL
It has lugs and patterns that will grip on any direction, Suited for racing. The tire provides maximum grip on any kind of surface under and kind of weather, usually reinforced with thicker side walls for better stability, braking and acceleration. |
ALL TERRAIN
It has the features of an asymmetric tire but has deeper tread, suited for mild off-road terrain and will still perform well on paved roads. The tread is for better grip for wet of road conditions and avoid punctures from stones and wood barks. |
MUD TERRAIN
It has features similar to heavy equipment mining tires, suited for driving on off road terrain. The deep tread will ensure the tires will grip on very uneven wet surfaces, and ensure safety when driving across rocky terrain. |
TRUCK TIRE TREAD PATTERN top
RIB
RIB is the smoothest, thus gives less noise and more speed.
Parallel treads prevent skidding. Best for paved roads. |
Block
Block is rougher than RIB, thus giving more power to brakes and improving stability at the expense of speed, noise and longetivity.
Best for cemented roads. |
RIB-LUG (MIX)
RIB-LUG combines RIB with the stability of LUG on off-roads. This comes at the expense of speed, noise and longetivity .
Good for on-road and off-road at low speeds (>60kph) . |
LUG
LUG is made for the industry, because it provides the best stability at very low speeds (>30kph).
Best for unpaved roads and off-roads. |
MINING
MINING is made for the mountains, because it provides the best grip and stability at the worst kind of terrain.
Best for off-roads. |