Before you purchase a new set of tires for your car, it’s a good idea to know how to read a tire sidewall. This way, you’ll be able to pick out the best tires for your vehicle. Read the following article to learn about tire ratings, what they mean, and what you should get for your vehicle.
Load Rating
Also known as the load index, the load rating tells you how much weight your vehicle’s tires can handle. The larger the number, the more weight your car can carry. Each tire will have a load rating that corresponds to a specific weight; add up each of these weights to find out the total load that your car can bear. When buying new tires for your auto, make sure that you don’t buy a load rating that’s lower than the tire ratings that your original tires came with—check the owner’s manual to be sure.
Speed Rating
The speed rating of your tires tells you how well they can handle high speeds for an extended period of time. Since most of us don’t go over 100 mph on a regular basis, nor for an extended period of time, a speed rating of S (112mph) will be just fine. But if you’re an auto enthusiast with a need for speed, consider a Z-, W-, or Y-rated tire.
Traction Rating
When you slam on the brakes on a wet surface, your auto will stop faster if it is equipped with tires that have a good traction rating. From best to worse, the traction ratings are: AA, A, B, and C.
Temperature Rating
The temperature rating will tell you how well your tires are able to handle the heat that is generated at high speeds and on hot pavement surfaces. Tire temperature ratings, from best traction to worse, are: A, B, and C.
Treadwear Rating
After being tested against the industry standard, tires are given a treadwear rating that indicates the durability of the tire. The higher the rating, the longer the tire is expected to last.
To shop around for affordable, high quality tires, or for your routine tire maintenance, come to Casey Automotive. With auto repair shops in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and Prospect Heights, and 35 years of auto repair experience, we are prepared to help you with all of your auto maintenance and repair needs. Visit our website or call us at (866) 709-3522 for more information.