How to understand tire ratings?
2 Answers
V and H refer to the speed rating of the tire, which indicates the maximum speed at which the tire can carry a specified load under specified conditions. 91 and 85 refer to the load index of the tire, which is the maximum weight the tire can bear. The load rating is molded on the sidewall.
There's a string of mysterious codes on the tire sidewall, such as 225/45 R17 91V. The last letter V is the speed rating symbol, indicating a maximum speed of 240 km/h without tire failure. Don't overlook the initial three-digit number—91 represents the load index, meaning each tire can bear 615 kg. I suggest checking the sidewall letters while inspecting tread depth; R marks a radial tire, and the number before the slash indicates the tread width. Winter tires feature a mountain snowflake symbol, while all-season tires are marked with M+S (mud and snow) notation. Recently, when changing tires, I noticed the four-digit number after DOT is more crucial—for example, 1523 means the tire was produced in the 15th week of 2023. Tires older than 6 years are considered stock tires.