HOW DO I PICK THE RIGHT TIRE SIZE?

How to analyze the sidewall

Analyzing the sidewall can be tricky. But if you follow this guide, we will have you determining you tire size in no time!

The P on the sidewall indicates it’s a passenger or performance tire. An “LT” indicates that it’s a light-truck tire.

Width

Width is the distance between the outer edge and the inner edge of the tread of a tire.

Aspect Ratio

This determines how tall your tire is. The bigger the number, the taller the tire. Typically, higher performance tires have a lower aspect ratio. Most all-season passenger tires have a ratio between 65-80.

Radial

The "R" determines that it is a radial tire. Sometimes in higher performance tires it may have a VR or ZR. That just means it's a V or Z speed rated radial tire.

Diameter

This is the diameter of the inner hole in the tire. This is basically the rim size this tire can fit on. Hence a 14 means it fits on a 14-inch rim.

Load Rating

Load rating refers to how much weight a tire can carry. A load rating of 82 indicates that a tire can support 1047 lbs. You will then multiply that number by four to determine the maximum carrying capacity of your tires. It is not a good idea to install tires with a lower load rating than what originally came on your vehicle. You can reference the chart below to find the amount of weight your tire can carry.

Speed Rating

Each tire is issued a tire speed rating based on how well it reaches and sustains a certain speed. The higher the speed rating means the tire will provide better handling. It is best not to downgrade the speed rating of your tire and never mix different speed ratings on your vehicle. Both of these issues can lead to serious handling problems. Please reference the chart before to find your tire’s speed rating.

Speed Rating	Test Speed (Not Recomended Speed)
Q	Up to 100 MPH
S	Up to 112 MPH
T	Up to 118 MPH
U	Up to 124 MPH
H	Up to 130 MPH
V	Up to 149 MPH
W	Up to 168 MPH
Y	Up to 186 MPH
Z	149 MPH and Higher