Choosing Car Tires

Choosing Car Tires

Exclusive summary about Choosing Car Tires by Budda Oliver

Tires are among the most important components of your car. There are many tire options covering wide ranges of price, performance, and appearance. An important consideration you should make when choosing tires is their tread life. This determines the approximate lifespan of the tire. This determines the approximate lifespan of the tire.

A manufacturer's wear rating is not always an accurate reflection of a tire's lifespan, however. One way to determine a tire's life expectancy is to find its Uniform Tire Quality Rating (UTQR). Tire grades are represented as a percentage against a control, so a tire with a tread rating of 150 will last approximately 50 percent longer than a tire with a tread rating of 100.

Wet-weather tires are designed with taller treads and a tread pattern which directs water out from under the tire. Speed ratings are a secondary consideration for most tire shoppers. This means that nearly always their tread rating will be lower than tires rated for lower speeds.

Choosing Tires: Cracking the Sidewall Code

Exclusive summary about Choosing Tires by Guy Goodyear

Tread wear is followed by a number which tells you how quickly the tire will wear. These numbers are a comparative scale developed by testing the tires under controlled conditions. A tire with a tread wear rating of 150 will last 1.5 times as long with a tire with a rating of 100.

Passenger cars, light trucks, and heavy trucks all use different sizing systems, as tires from one type are not normally used on another. The lower this number is, the wider the tire compared to the height of the sidewall.

The load index is an assigned number that shows the maximum load for that tire. The speed rating is based on rigorous scientific testing that measures tire durability under high speed conditions.