What does R mean on a tire?

This is indicated in percentage of the tire width. “R” stands for the construction method of the tire indicating the tire is a radial tire. The following two numbers (16) indicate the diameter of the wheel rim in inches. The next two or three numbers (94) indicate the load index of the tire.

Does the R in tire size matter?

For example, a tire with a speed rating "S" is rated for up to 112 mph, while a tire rated "R" is up to 106 mph. Remember that this isn't a recommended cruising speed, but rather the maximum speed that tire type can withstand. Of course, you should always follow legal speed limits on roadways.

What does R and R tire mean?

For example, this aspect ratio of 50 means that the tire's section height is 50% of the tire's section width. R indicates the construction used within the tires casing. R stands for radial construction. B means belted bias and D stands for diagonal bias construction.

Does the R on tires mean rim size?

Size of the wheel

After the letter R, a number that indicates the wheel size where it fits. So for the example, P225/45R17 91V, R17 means the tire is made of radial-ply construction and that it fits a 17-inch rim.

What does 55 R mean on a tire?

So “235” means that the tire has a nominal width of 235 millimeters. The following “55” is the tire wall height as a percentage of the width. So in our example, the actual height in millimeters would be just under 130 mm. Then comes the letter “R” as the identifier for radial tires.

How to Read a Tire Size

What is R tyre size?

The letter R means the tyre is a radial construction. Almost all new car tyres are radials.

What does Z mean on a tire?

Some manufacturers will insert a “Z” in the middle of the tire size description (right after the aspect ratio) when the tire is rated at “W” or “Y.” And if a tire is rated in excess of 186 mph (300 kph), manufacturer's usually will list a “Z” within the size description, per industry standards.

What does H mean on a tire?

“H” represents the speed rating, which is how fast the tires can go based on their load capacity. This rating ranges from A – Z. “H” indicates a speed rating of up to 130 mph.

What's the best speed rating for tires?

As manufacturers developed bigger and better tires, it became necessary to regulate performance at standardized speeds to ensure safety. The "Limited V" category of 250 km/h (149 mph) was then created, and eventually the "Z" speed rating was added as the top speed rating.

Does width of tire matter?

The tire width will affect their price and several other characteristics, such as grip, noise level, driving comfort, and appearance. Replacing narrow tires with wider ones will usually increase rolling resistance and, therefore, slightly increase fuel consumption.

Can I use R tires instead of Zr?

R indicates that the structure is RADIAL. So, VR indicates that the tyre has a RADIAL structure and a speed index equal to V. There is therefore no difference between a ZR or an R tyre with the same speed index.

What is the difference between Z and R rated tires?

Conclusion. ZR tires were historically known as “performance-rated tires” with a speed rating of more than 149 mph while the letter R on a tire represents both the fact that it is built with a radial construction in mind and the fact that it is speed rated for 106mph.

What does P mean on tires?

P stands for passenger vehicle tire. P-class tires include cars, SUVs, crossovers, minivans and smaller pickup trucks. LT means light truck tire, designed for vehicles that are capable of carrying heavy loads, towing trailers, or for those looking for an extra heavy duty option.

Can I change the aspect ratio on my tires?

That said, the only dimensions you can change are the width and aspect ratio — never the wheel size, unless you buy replacement wheels — and you should always strive to keep the total height of the tire the same as the OEM. So, if you widen the tire, you may need to decrease the aspect ratio, and vice versa.

Can I put wider tires on my stock rims?

As a general rule of thumb, it's safe to fit a tire up to 20 millimeters wider than stock on the original rim. The actual width of the tire will vary depending on the width of the rim: The tire will expand 5 millimeters for every half inch (12.5 millimeters) increase in rim width.

Can I use 245 tires instead of 235?

The quick answer is yes you can replace 245/50-18 tyres with 235/50-18 but they will have 10mm (0.4 in) smaller overall diameter. Will only slightly effect speedo and odometer - ie speedo will read about 1.5% high.

What is speed rating R?

R — Up to 106 mph. S — Up to 112 mph. T — Up to 118 mph. H — Up to 130 mph. V — Up to 149 mph.

Can I put a higher speed rated tire on my car?

SPEED RATINGS REFER TO MORE THAN JUST SPEED

You can always increase the speed rating of the tires on your vehicle for improved performance, but can never decrease it without reducing the vehicle top speed to that of the lower speed rating selected.

What happens if you go faster than tire speed rating?

What happens if you exceed your tire's speed rating? If you drive faster than the rated speed for your tires you are risking damage to the tires that could cause safety and performance problems down the road.

What does XL mean on a tire?

XL (or Reinforced) tyres are 'extra load' tyres – they indicate that a tyre is reinforced to be able to withstand a higher load than other tyres of the same size.

What does 92y mean on a tire?

In this case, the 92 means it can support 1,389 pounds. The Y is the speed rating, or the maximum speed the tire was designed to withstand and maintain. Back to the Z. The letter used to designate the highest possible speed rating, and it meant the tire could withstand more than 149 mph.

What is 105 W on a tire?

The next three digit number (105) is the load rating, or the maximum amount of weight that tire can support. Since cars have four wheels, each supports ¼ of the vehicle's gross weight. These ratings can range from 70 (739 lbs) to 126 (3748 lbs). In our case 105 means the tire can support 2039 lbs.

What does 100T mean on a tire?

Understanding Tire Load Index

Just after the tire size are some more numbers, commonly 100T. The 100 is the tire's load index, and in the case of 100, it means by itself a properly inflated tire can hold up 800 kilograms (1,764 lb.).

What does R16 mean?

This is indicated in percentage of the tire width. “R” stands for the construction method of the tire indicating the tire is a radial tire. The following two numbers (16) indicate the diameter of the wheel rim in inches. The next two or three numbers (94) indicate the load index of the tire.