All About Tyre Terminology
Looking for replacement tyres or buying tyres online can be a minefield of confusing terminology and technical terms. Fear not! Here are the most common technical terms, explained in a language anyone can understand:
Aspect Ratio – This means the difference between the tyre's width and height of the sidewall (which is, as you might expect, the side of the tyre). The higher the ratio, the 'taller' the tyre is. A higher aspect ratio makes for a smoother ride and provides better grip on snow. Best dunlop tyres offer a high-quality range of tyres with innovative design features to suit you’re driving needs
Contact Patch – The contact patch is the small portion of your tyre's tread that actually makes contact with the road at any one moment. Sport tyres are much wider, so have a bigger contact patch, which gives them extra grip when cornering and faster acceleration.
Treadwear indicators – Also known as 'wear bars', these are the little bands or 'bridges' that go between the tread on your tyre. When your tread wears down, they begin to become visible, giving you a visual indication that your tyres need to be replaced.
Speed Rating – If you look on the side of your tyre, you'll see a whole load of symbols and digits. The speed rating is the letter that usually comes towards the end of this data and refers to the maximum speed your tyre is capable of.
Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit – Bit of a mouthful, but this entire means is the maximum load that the tyres are capable of carrying, and the maximum air pressure required to support it. This information (your recommended cold inflation load limit) should be in your vehicle's handbook.
Load Index – The load index is the weight capacity of the tyre. You should try to use tyres that have a similar load rating as the tyres that came with the vehicle, or the index recommended in your vehicle's handbook. The higher the number, the larger the load it can carry.