Understanding your tire size

Looking at your tire sidewall (the side of your tire) can be confusing. You’ll see a combination of letters and numbers that looks like a strange code. Well, it is a code, but it’s pretty simple. Trust us. It’s an easy way to read your tire size.

Learning how to read tire size

Take a look at the diagram at the top of the page, and you’ll see the following: P225/60R16 97T M+S. This combination tells you a lot about your tires. Let’s quickly break it down:

P refers to the type of vehicle the tire is made for. P stands for Passenger Tire (Euro-metric passenger tires do not include this identifier). Depending on the tire, you'll see LT (Light Truck), T (Temporary Spare) or ST (Special Trailer Tires).

225 is the width of the tire in millimeters.

60 means 60%, which is the ratio between the sidewall's height and the tire width.

R stands for Radial, which refers to how the inside of the tire is built or the direction of the tire’s plies. You might also see D for Diagonal or B for Bias-Belted.

16 tells you the rim diameter, measured in inches, of the tire. So, this is a 16-inch tire.

97 refers to the load index of the tire. It’s a code for the max weight that the tire can handle at the maximum inflation pressure.

T is the tire's speed rating. It tells you the max speed that the tire is rated for. Make sure to follow posted speed signage at all times for your safety.

M+S means that these tires can handle limited mud and snow usage, according to the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA).