There is a predetermined tire size that must be used for each vehicle model. If you put the wrong size tire on your car, you might damage your new tires and your car, which would cost you more money in the long run. Driving with the wrong size tires can also be dangerous. It’s important to know the right tire size if you own a car and want to stay safe on the road.
How Important Is Tire Size
Tire size is an important factor in driving efficiency and safety. A lot of people don’t realize how important it is to get the right tire size for their cars. Below are some main factors that affect your vehicle if you choose the right size tire:
- Enhanced Performance and Handling
- Safety on the Road
- Accurate Speedometer Readings
- Proper Load Capacity
- Fuel Efficiency
Tire Size Explained
To fully understand tires by size, it’s important to learn the words that are used to describe them. Here are the most important parts:
Width of Tires
The width of a tire is the distance between the sides of the tire. It is measured in millimeters and can have a big effect on how well a car handles.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio is the relationship between the rim’s height and the tire’s width. It has something to do with how comfortable and stable the ride is.
Radial Construction
Radial design means that the layers of tire cords run from bead to bead in a circle. Compared to bias-ply tires, this type of design makes the car easier to steer and uses less gas.
Wheel Rim Size
In inches, the wheel size is measured by the rim width. To make sure the tires fit right, it is important to choose tires with the same width as the rim.
Speed Rating and Load Index
The load index and speed number show how much weight a tire can carry and how fast it can go. To stay safe and avoid tire failure, you need to know about these grades.
How to Read Tire Sizes
When looking for new tires, you might see sizes like “P215/65R15.” If you don’t know how to read these signs, they can be hard to understand. But once you learn the language of tires, they make more sense.
On the left side of the slash, you’ll see three numbers and sometimes letters. The numbers show how big the tires are from sidewall to sidewall, in millimeters. The more road the tire touches, the higher this number is.
If there is a letter on the left, it tells you what kind of tire it is. You might see letters like:
- “P,” for passenger car tires. This letter also tells you that the tire is made in the United States to meet US standards. When there is no letter, it means it is made to European standards. The two types can carry different amounts of weight.
- “LT,” which stands for “light truck.” Light cars are meant to use tire sizes that start with these letters. They will have higher psi suggestions so they can handle trucks and heavy loads better.
- “ST,” which stands for “special trailer.” Tire sizes that start with these letters can only be used on trailer wheels.
Can You Put Differently Sized Tyres on Your Car
As a general rule, you shouldn’t mix different types of tires. This is because having different tires on your car could be very dangerous, and in some places, it is against the law. Most of the time, you need to have tires that match on the same axle.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Tire Size
When getting new tires, there are a lot of important things to keep in mind. And we’re thinking that some people miss a few of these and end up regretting their purchase in some way. But that won’t be you, because you’re reading this article. Here are some mistakes:
- Not Knowing Which Attributes Are Essential
- Not Purchasing Tires with Sufficiently High-Speed Rating
- Not Purchasing Tires with a Sufficiently High Load Index
- Buying in the Wrong Season
- Buying the Incorrect Size
- Choosing Price Over Quality
- Not Purchasing Tires From PitStopArabia
Summing Up!
You’ll be ready to buy new tires now that you know how to read your tire size. Although a tire’s sidewall has a lot of information, it’s not complicated.
Once you know what to look for, it’s pretty easy to figure out the size of your tires. Now that you know how to read your tire size and what the numbers on your tires mean, you can buy the right tires for your car on your own and make sure you have the best ones.