1. TIRE SPECS
This describes the fundamental characteristics of your tire. Size, construction, speed rating and more.
This describes the fundamental characteristics of your tire. Size, construction, speed rating and more.
2. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAFETY CODE
This assures that your tire complies with all Department of Transportation (DOT) safety standards. After the DOT insignia is your tire’s identification number, which begins with the tire’s manufacturer and plant code where the tire was manufactured (two numbers or letters). The ninth and tenth characters tell the week the tire was manufactured. The final number(s) signifies the year the tire was manufactured.
3. UTQG CODE
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) was established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to test tires following government prescribed test methods and then grade each tire on three main components:
- Treadwear: This is the wear rate of the tire, comparable only to other tires within a tire manufacturer’s line. 100 is the baseline grade. Therefore a tire with 200 would theoretically last twice as long on the government’s course compared to a tire with 100.
- Traction: Traction grades are AA, A, B and C (with AA being the highest grade). They represent the tire’s ability to stop straight on wet pavement as measure on a specified government track. Any tire rated under C is considered unacceptable for road travel.
- Temperature: The temperature grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B and C. These represent the tire’s ability to dissipate heat under controlled indoor test conditions. Any tire rated below C is considered unacceptable.
4. ICONS
Some tires have unique benefits, as showcased with specific icons. For example, a Mountain Snowflake symbol tells you that the tire meets or exceeds industry-established snow traction performance requirements.
Frequently asked questions
BFGoodrich answers your most asked questions.
FAQ
Find the DOT code on the sidewall and look at the four digits at the end. The first two are the week of manufacture, the last two are the year. A code ending 2225 means the 22nd week of 2025. Check this on any tire that has been sitting in storage and on any used vehicle purchase, because a tire can be years old before it is ever mounted.
It designates vehicle type. P is passenger metric, LT is light truck, T is temporary spare, ST is special trailer. No letter at all signifies a Euro metric size. LT tires have stiffer construction and higher load capacity for towing and heavy payloads, so fitting a P-metric tire where LT is specified leaves you short on load capacity.
The aspect ratio is sidewall height as a percentage of section width. A 265/70 tire has a sidewall 70 percent as tall as it is wide. The lower the ratio, the shorter the sidewall, which means sharper cornering but a rougher ride. Off-road drivers usually prefer taller sidewalls for impact absorption and for airing down.
The load index is an assigned value, not a weight in pounds. A load index of 97 corresponds to 1,609 pounds on the standard chart. It represents how much weight the tire can carry at maximum safe inflation. Your replacement tire's load index must meet or exceed what your vehicle placard specifies.
R means radial construction, which is on almost every tire on the road today. In a radial tire the carcass ply cords run directly across from one side of the tire to the other. Other letters you may see are D for diagonal construction and B for belted, both far less common on modern passenger and light truck vehicles.
No. The sidewall figure is the maximum the tire can safely hold, not the recommended operating pressure for your vehicle. Use the door jamb placard or your owner's manual. Running at the sidewall maximum overinflates most vehicles, shrinks the contact patch, reduces grip, and produces premature center tread wear.
Related pages
Related articles
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Tire Anatomy & Tire Construction
A radial tire is built from six main parts, and knowing what each does explains why some damage is repairable and some is not. The tread grips and resists wear. The carcass ply cords determine strength. The beads clamp against the rim for an airtight fit. The sidewall absorbs impacts from curbs and rocks and carries all the printed specs. This structure is the fastest route to understanding tire performance.View more -
Tire Speed Rating Chart
Speed ratings are not just about speed. They correlate directly with ride comfort, treadwear, and cornering ability. Typically the higher the speed rating, the better the grip and stopping power, but the shorter the tread life. Ratings run from A at the lowest to Y at the highest, and the chart is not strictly alphabetical: H sits between U and V, a holdover from when H stood for high performance.View more -
Find the Right Size Tire for My Car
Your correct tire size is printed in two places: the sidewall of the tires on your vehicle now, and the OEM placard inside your driver's side door. That same placard gives you the correct cold inflation pressure. For an accurate pressure reading, check when the tires have not been driven for three hours, because friction creates heat and heat raises pressure, giving you a false high reading.View more