Have you ever wondered what all those numbers and letters on your tires mean? Well, so have most people. So, here is a breakdown of what the Sidewall Inner Circle mean:

U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number: This begins with the letters ‘DOT’ and tells you that your tire meets all federal standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant code where it was made. The last four numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. For example, the numbers 3197 means the 31st week of 1997.

The other numbers are marketing codes used at the tire maker’s discretion. This information is used to contact you and other buyers if there is a recall on your tires.

Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used: The number of plies tells the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the more weight your tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the materials used to make the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.

Maximum Load Rating: This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds that can be carried by the tire.

Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure: This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.

Happy tire reading …

Tags: maximum load rating, maximum permissible inflation pressure, tire ply, tire sidewall inner circle, U.S. DOT Tire ID
Filed under: Cars