How To Check your Tyre Size
One of the most common questions our tyre professionals are asked by customers is ‘what size tyres do I need?’
If you ask people what size tyres are fitted to their vehicle, most will not know straight away. In fact, a large number won’t have a clue and won’t even know where they should look to find out their tyre size. Even if they did know where the information was, they wouldn’t know what the seemingly random letters and numbers really mean.
Knowing your tyre size may not be important in day-to-day life, but it is vital if you are looking to buy new tyres! So if you want to make sure that you purchase the right size for your vehicle and for your safety, here are some things you need to know.
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How to check tyre size
One of the easiest options for finding the tyres you need is to simply input your car registration on our website. You can then choose the right tyre option for you before moving on in your search.
It is also a good idea to check out your tyre size yourself, however. One way to do this is look in your car’s manual or search for the label inside your car’s driver’s door. This will usually have the tyre information you need printed clearly on it.
What size are my tyres?
he other choice, which is also likely to be the simplest, is to look at what tyres you already have on your vehicle, as their size will be printed on the sidewall.
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What’s my tyre size?
If you don’t know what you’re looking for, the jumble of numbers and letters on your tyres can be confusing, but this doesn’t have to be the case. If your tyres show 167/40 R12 79 H, for example, this is the type of tyre for your vehicle.
In this instance, the 167 refers to the width of the tyre in millimetres, while the 40 refers to the profile or ratio of your tyres. The ‘R’ tells you what kind of tyre you have – in this instance a ‘radial’ – and the number 12 denotes the wheel rim’s diameter in inches.
The next number is the 79, which is your tyre’s load index. This tells you the top weight that they can hold up safely. The final letter H lets you know the maximum speed that your tyres can take. These ratings go up from A to Y, increasing in increments. H has a maximum safe speed of 130.
Taking the time to find and understand this information can not only make sure that you get the correct tyres for your vehicle, but it can also ensure you get the best performance and stay safe. Being able to interpret the codes on the tyre wall is a vital step on the road to being able to answer the question ‘what size tyres for my car?’ with any level of confidence.
See also: Best Effective Ways To Keep Your Car In Top Condition
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What tyres do I need?
If you are looking for something different, in order to improve performance or fuel efficiency, it is vital to ensure that you are purchasing tyres that are within the tolerances set out by your car’s manufacturer. If you are experimenting with winter tyres for example, following the information in your owner’s manual can make sure that any changes to your tyres will still work effectively.
