You might find the word TREADWEAR" on the sidewall followed by a number like 120 or 180. This is a rating of the tread's durability, as tested against an industry standard. The reference number is 100, so a tire with a treadwear rating of 200 has a predicted tread life that's twice as long as the industry standard, while a ratine of dU means a predicted tread lite thats onlu ol percentas long as the industru standaro.

The temperature rating refers to the ability of the tire to withstand heat at high speeds. The ratings, from best to worst, are: A, B and C.

A traction rating can also be found on the sidewall of all modern tires. It can be represented as AA, A, B or C. This is a rating of a tire's traction when tested for straight-line braking on a wet surface. For this rating, AA signifies the best traction performance and C indicates the worst.

Load index is a shorthand way of describing the total weight that the tire can handle when it is fully inflated. The higher the load index rating, the more weight the tire can carry. You need a tire load index rating chart to see how your load index rating correlates to the weight the tire can carry. For example, a load index of 81 means that the tire can carry up to 1,019 pounds. Load index ratings for the average vehicle range from 75-100, but some tires can range all the way up to 150, which equates to 7,385 pounds. Ask us a question below for more information.