Read our answers to these frequently asked questions about tyres.

In addition to providing information that you may be looking for,

they will guarantee that you get the best possible deal when you
buy tyres for your vehicle.

1. Do JK Steel Belted Radials help in fuel

saving?

2. Why should you use JK Radial tubes with

them?

3. Do retreaded radials give better mileage

than retreaded ordinary bias tyres?

4. Do radials enhance the comfort level

while driving?

5. Just how vital is correct inflation pressure? What damage does under-
inflation cause?

6. What are the common reasons for tyre damage?

7. Many people fit their cars with wider tyres for aesthetic reasons, are there any
technical advantages / disadvantages of doing so?

8. Is there a chance of tyre burst while running at high speeds?

9. Two of the tyres on my car are worn and need replacement, where should I fit
new tyres ?

10. What inflation pressure should I have for my tyre?

11. A few parts on tyres on my car are wearing faster than other parts, what can be
the reason?

12. How tubeless tyres are different from conventional with tube tyres? Which is
more safe?
Do JK Steel Belted Radials
help in fuel saving?

JK Steel Belted radials give

more than 5% fuel saving.

This is made possible by the structure of

radial tyres. Ordinary tyres have a criss-
cross ply construction. The cords in
successive layers tend to move against
each other in a scissor-like motion causing extra internal stress.

This is absent in radial construction. Cords in radial tyres are laid radially.
They flex easily - without internal stress. This means less energy is required
to move the vehicle. You save precious fuel.

An ideal tyre fitment arrangement would be to have all four tyres as radials.
If you use only two, fit them only in the rear.

Why should you use JK Radial tubes with them?

JK Radial tubes have several features which make them ideal for radial
tyres.
• Made of Butyl rubber for better air retention
• 30% higher joint strength Ability to withstand higher rate of
deflections
• Higher gauges
• Shaped to fit snugly into JK Radials. No excess stretch to cause loss
of air
Do retreaded radials give better mileage than retreaded ordinary
bias tyres?

There are thousands of retreaded JK Steel Belted radial tyres in operation.

Retreaded, they still give much more mileage than retreaded ordinary bias
tyres. It is necessary to remove them for retreading while there is still 2mm
of tread pattern life, when tread wear indicators appear, as shown in the
picture. These TWIs show it is time to retread the tyre.

It is recommended to retread radials by the latest procured process.

Do radials enhance the comfort level while driving?

Yes, JK Tyre radials provide a bonus to motorists in the form of greater

comfort. The supple sidewalls of the tyres act as mini shock absorbers. They
ensure that less shocks pass on to the suspension. This means that your
ride is more comfortable, even at high speeds.

Greater Comfort With Radials

Just how vital is correct inflation pressure? What damage does
under-inflation cause?

It is very important to correctly inflate tyres. Do not estimate tyre pressure

by appearance. Under-inflation causes fast tyre wear, steering drag,
excessive fuel consumption and tyre failure. Over-inflation causes hard
riding, damage to suspension and steering and uneven tyre wear.

Check pressure with an accurate gauge when tyres are cool. Regularly check
your pressure gauge with a standard gauge for accuracy.

What are the common reasons for tyre damage?

A flat spot can be caused by heavy braking which makes the wheels lock
and scrub the tyre along the road surface.

Feathering is caused by bad wheel alignment, excessive toe-in or toe-out

of the wheels.

Uneven wear of the tread is due to bad wheel balance, or a fault in the
suspension, steering gear or bearings.
Many people fit their cars with wider tyres for aesthetic reasons, are
there any technical advantages / disadvantages of doing so?

Although correct tyre size for normal running is the one recommended by
vehicle manufacturer, For special purposes vehicle performance can be
improved by selecting wider tyre with lower profile, which means
maintaining same overall diameter of the tyre, lowering aspect ratio, thus
increasing the tyre width. This is called up-sizing or up-stepping.

There are some safety guidelines, which must be followed while upsizing,
i.e., overall dimensions of the tyre must fall within certain limits. While
selecting a high performance tyre following must be observed:

1. Clearance
Ensure that any of the tyres does not foul with the vehicle body
under any conditions. On vehicles with McPherson strut suspension,
there is very much a chance that super fat tyre fouls with steering
linkage. Also the tyre should not project out of the vehicle body,
thereby increasing overall width of the vehicle, increasing chances of
an accident.

2. Speedometer and odometer error

Speedometer / odometer are connected through
propeller shaft of your vehicle and are calibrated
for a particular wheel overall diameter. Changing
overall diameter of tyre much, may lead to
erroneous readings by speedometer and
odometer.

In case you observe that tyre overall diameter is decreasing much, you can
increase your rim size. Use following calculation to select correct tyre size
for larger rim.

For every 1-inch increase in rim diameter, add 20mm to tyre width and
subtract 10% from aspect ratio. But be sure to check PCD of rim and fouling
of new tyre/ rim assembly with other parts
Is there a chance of tyre burst while running at high speeds?

Every tyre has a speed rating, which indicates the max. speed to which you
can run the tyre. See " tyre terminology " section on this website for
details on speed rating.

Two of the tyres on my car are worn and need replacement, where
should I fit new tyres ?

Many dealers and customers alike are of the view that when two tyres on a
car are to be replaced , they should be fitted in front. This was the case few
years ago, when it was felt that conrtrol of the vehicle was more critical to
front deflations and therefore new and less vulnerable tyres should be fitted
in front.

But the modern recommendation by tyre industry is "New tyres to rear".

This applies to both front and rear driven vehicles. Primarily its justification
is increased safety particularly in wet conditions. Partly worn tyres have
poor water drainage, leading to aquaplaning and thus tendency to oversteer
and loss of control. Similarly straight line braking in wet can be adversely
affected.

"New tyres to rear " Principle may not apply to following cases:

1. Where front and rear tyres have different sizes.

2. Where two new tyres are of lower speed rating.
3. On certain 4x4 vehicles, where it would result in significant difference
 in tread depths.

What inflation pressure should I

have for my tyre?

Correct inflation pressure is indicated

on vehicle placard/ owner's manual of
the vehicle. However for extreme low
traction situations you may have to
decrease inflation pressures. This
increases foot print size of the tyre
and floatation ability and aids
traction. But NEVER DEFLATE YOUR
TYRES UNDER 16 PSI and inflate to
original pressure as soon as you
return to tarmac.

Also you should keep in mind that load carrying capacity of tyre is
proportional to its inflation. Which implies that Inflation pressure on your
tyre should be proportional to the load. Excessive inflation leads to low
shock absorbing ability of tyre, impact failures or other casing failures, this
also leads to excessive wear in centre. Under inflation will cause excessive
wear in shoulder, heavy steering and poor handling.

A few parts on tyres on my car are wearing faster than other parts,
what can be the reason?

This situation is called spot wear and can be attributed to following:

 1. Dynamic imbalance of tyre/ rim assembly.
2. Sudden braking and rapid starting.
3. High run out in tyre/ rim assembly.

In case tyre is wearing diagonally, i.e., wear is starting from one side and
progresses to other side as you move along the circumference, following
may be the reasons:
1. Faulty suspension.
2. Improper wheel alignment.
3. Faulty rotating parts like brakes, etc.
4. Bent beam axle.

How tubeless tyres are different from conventional with tube tyres?
Which is more safe?

Tubeless tyres have a liner of specially made rubber over innermost layer of
the tyre. This liner gives the tyre air tightness and sealing properties as
good as a tube, not only that if a nail pierces into the tyre, liner engulfs it
and prevents air from leaking out, air leaks only very slowly when the nail is
taken out.

Thus, come what may, a tubeless tyre never goes flat all of a sudden
and hence is more safe.

Following these tips will guarantee that your JK Tyres keep running in perfect
shape for mile after mile. Adopt the JK way to take care of your tyres.
Tips
Tread Depth
Correct Air Pressures
Recommended Inflation Pressure
Tyre Rotation

Tips

1. Do not use tyres with a tread depth of less

than 1.6mm. Apart from being illegal, tyres
with low levels of tread will slide easily,
suffer from extended braking distances and
will be more susceptible to rupturing. In wet
conditions the vehicle will aquaplane making
braking and handling almost impossible.

2. Make sure air pressures are correct. Low air

pressure generates heat which can result in
the rubber and cord separating, which in
turn leads to the cord becoming cut and
puncturing the tyre. Low pressure also results in excessive wear on the edge of the
tyre, shortening the tyre's life. Excessive pressure, meanwhile, results in
unpredictable handling in addition to which, if the tyre suffers an impact, it's easily
ruptured and cut. If you brake hard, the tyre may skid, which reduces tyre life as
the centre of the tread becomes worn. Check tyre inflation pressures at least twice
a month. Always check pressures when tyres are cool and maintain the pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

3. Remove objects from damaged tyres. Driving with objects such as stone in the
tread groove, or with a nail stuck in the tread can puncture or rupture the tyre.
You should change or repair the tyre immediately on discovering any damage to
avoid any further damage to the carcass.

4. Treat abnormal tyre wear immediately. To assure normal wear you should check
air pressures and alignment and rotate the tyres regularly. Advise customers to
avoid bad driving habits such as sudden acceleration, braking and cornering.

5. Check the spare tyre. Check the spare tyre's air pressure, existence/non existence
of damage and the depth of remaining tread.

6. Never mount radial tyres on the same axle as non-radial tyres or radial tyres on
the front axle when non-radial tyres are mounted on the rear axle. These
 conditions are likely to cause vehicle instability resulting in a sudden loss of control
and serious injury (see Mixing Tyres).

7. Ensure wheel nuts are securely tightened.

8. Never overload tyres. The maximum load and inflation pressure of the tyres are
moulded into the sidewall. Also, remember; the tyre is capable of carrying the
maximum load only if it is inflated to its maximum air pressure.

9. Do not use detergents or chemicals containing petroleum products for cleaning or

polishing tyres.

10. Never fit used tyres unless their past history is known. Tyres age even if they have
not been used or have only been used occasionally. Cracks in the tread or in the
sidewall rubber, sometimes accompanied by deformation of the carcass, are a sure
sign of aging.

11. Punctured tyres must always be removed from the wheel to check for secondary
damage.

12. If it is necessary and feasible to repair a tyre, it must be carried out by a tyre
specialist as soon as possible to avoid any structural deterioration. All tyre repairs
must be entrusted to a tyre repair specialist.

Tread Depth
1. As per central Motor vehicle regulations (CMVR)
car tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of
tread in a continuous band throughout the
centre of the tread width and over the whole
circumference of the tyre.

2. To help recognise when tyres are nearing the

legal limit, tyres are manufactured with tread
wear indicators in the grooves.

3. However, despite the law, it is universally recognised in the tyre industry that the
legal limit is wholly insufficient to protect drivers in adverse driving conditions.

4. Drivers are therefore recommended to consider replacing their tyres when the
tread depth reaches 3mm.
Correct Air Pressures

Setting and maintaining the correct air pressures is

the first step to obtain optimum performance and
life from tyres.

Incorrect Inflation
1. Over inflation reduces the ability of the tyre to absorb road shocks resulting in a
much harsher ride. Excessive over inflation may lead to impact fracture or other
casing failures. Over inflation will also cause excessive wear of the centre of the
tyre.

2. Under inflation allows excessive flexing of the tyre, causing excessive internal heat
to build up, eventually weakening the casing and causing damage. Under inflation
will also cause excessive wear on the shoulder of the tyre resulting in heavy
steering and poor handling.

3. Excessive pressure on the shoulder area will increase wear and reduce stopping
distance.

Tyre Rotation
 Front Wheel Drive Rear Wheel Drive

Rotate your tyres every 5000km to achieve equal rate of wear.

Provided here, for your benefit, are simple definitions of technical tyre terms that
will enable you to understand the technology that goes into a tyre. Learn what
each part of a tyre does, and get tyre-savvy!

Tyre Placard
Decoding all that information on the sidewall
Tyre Sizing Systems
Other Markings
Aspect Ratio (or sidewall height)
Speed Ratings
Load Indices

Tyre Placard

1. A vehicle's original tyre and wheel specifications are detailed on a placard affixed
to all vehicles manufactured on or after the 1st of January 1973.

2. The tyres conform to specific load carrying specifications as recommended on the

vehicle manufacturer's tyre placard, as required by Australian Design Rule 23
(ADR23).

3. Tyres should be appropriate to the type and size of rim fitted to the vehicle.

Decoding all that information on the sidewall

All numbers, letters, symbols, mysterious codes. Here's the important stuff:

A : Manufacturer or brand name, and commercial name or identity.

B & J : Tyre size, construction and speed rating designations. See tyre sizes and speed
ratings below.
C : Denotes type of tyre construction.
D : M&S denotes a tyre designed for mud and snow. Reinforced marking only where
applicable.
E : Load and pressure marking requirement.
Tyre Sizing Systems

Over the years there has been many different methods used to size tyres. Many of these are
still in use today, with the ISO Metric Sizing System the most widely used.
1. Numeric Sizing System
This first system developed for tyre sizing was used until the
late 1960s, but provided only the cross section width of the
tyre and the rim diameter in inches. If the section width
ended in zero (e.g., 7.00-14 or 7.50-14), the tyre had a
common aspect ratio of about 92. For section widths not
ending in zero (e.g., 8.25-15), the tyre was considered "low
profile" with an aspect ratio of about 82.

2. Alphanumeric Sizing System

In 1968, a new concept was introduced worldwide. The
Alphanumeric sizing system is a load-based system where
tyres are designated by their load-carrying capacity and
aspect ratio. The first letter is the load and size relationship,
with letters ranging from A to N. The lower the letter, the
smaller the size and, of course, the lower the load-carrying
capacity of the tyre.

3. P-Metric Sizing System

To accommodate the smaller tyres used on compact cars,
the P-Metric (Passenger Metric) system was created in 1976.
The maximum inflation pressures of P-Metric tyres were
raised for lower rolling resistance.

4. Metric Sizing System

Because Europe primarily uses the metric system of
measurement; the Metric sizing system was developed. It is
essentially a conversion of the Numeric system. Section
widths are notated in millimetres instead of inches.
Originally, tyres not identified with an aspect ratio were
assumed to be 82-series. When 60- and 70 series tyres
appeared, the aspect ratio was added to the nomenclature, similar to the P-Metric
system.
5. ISO Metric Sizing System
The International Standards Organization (ISO) Metric
system combines the Metric system with a service
description. The service description provides the load index
along with the speed rating symbol.

6. Millimetric Sizing System

The Millimetric sizing system is similar to the Metric system
except that the rim diameter is also represented in
millimetres.

7. Light Truck Numeric System

Similar to the Numeric system for cars, it lists the section
width in inches, construction type, rim diameter in inches,
plus the light truck designation.

8. Light Truck Metric System

Similar to the P-Metric system, except the P is replaced with
the LT light truck designation. Also, LT-Metric and P-Metric
tyres differ in construction.

9. Light Truck High Flotation System

Similar to the Numeric system for cars, it lists the section
width in inches, construction type, rim diameter in inches,
plus the light truck designation.
Other Markings

DOT Codes - Coding satisfying the requirements of the US

Department of Transportation contain a mixture of letters and numbers such as DOT DVDE
MTA 129.

E-Marks - Tyres for sale in the European Community must carry an E -Mark in accordance
with ECE Reg 30 - eg E4 027550.

Aspect Ratio (or sidewall height)

Aspect ratio is the ratio of a tyre's width to it's height. A 70 series tyre, therefore, is a tyre
whose height is equal to 70% of its width. Lower Profile Tyres hence have lower series
numbers.

Speed Ratings

All tyres carry a speed symbol in the form of a letter indicating the maximum speed for
which the tyre is intended. This indicates the maximum speed that the tyre can sustain for a
ten minute endurance without coming to pieces and destroying itself and the car it is on.

The table below shows which speed goes with each letter :

Speed Category Speed (km/h) Speed Category Speed (km/h)

Symbol
D 65
E 70
F 80
G 90
J 100
K 110
L 120
M 130
N 140
P 150
Symbol
Q 160
R 170
S 180
T 190
U 200
H 210
V 240
W 270
Y 300
ZR * OVER 240

Load Indices

The load-index figure imprinted on the sidewall of the tyre denotes the maximum load
capacity of a tyre when driven at maximum speed. A list of load indices and maximum
weights is give below :

L K L K L K L K L L L
Kg Kg Kg
I g I g I g I g I I I

1
1 4 1 1 2 14 2
4 4 8 4 45 450
0 4 5 2 6 0 00 4
5 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

1
4 1 4 1 1 2 14 2
4 8 4 46 462
1 6. 4 6 2 6 0 50 4
1 1 5 25 50
2 5 2 1 1 1 0 1
0

1
4 1 4 1 1 2 15 2
4 8 5 47 475
2 7. 5 7 2 6 0 00 4
2 2 0 50 00
5 0 5 2 2 2 0 2
0
 1
4 1 4 1 1 2 15 2
4 8 5 48 487
3 8. 5 8 2 6 0 50 4
3 3 5 75 50
7 5 7 3 3 3 0 3
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 16 2
5 4 8 6 50 500
4 6 0 2 6 0 00 4
0 4 4 0 00 00
0 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

1
5 1 5 1 1 2 16 2
4 8 6 51 515
5 1. 6 1 2 6 0 50 4
5 5 5 50 00
5 5 5 5 5 5 0 5
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 17 2
5 4 8 7 53 530
6 7 3 2 6 0 00 4
3 6 6 0 00 00
0 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

1
5 1 5 1 1 2 17 2
4 8 7 54 545
7 4. 7 4 2 6 0 50 4
7 7 5 50 00
5 5 5 7 7 7 0 7
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 18 2
5 4 8 8 56 560
8 8 6 2 6 0 00 4
6 8 8 0 00 00
0 0 8 8 8 0 8
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 18 2
5 4 8 8 58 580
9 8 8 2 6 0 50 4
8 9 9 5 00 00
5 0 9 9 9 0 9
0

1
1 6 1 1 2 19 2
1 6 5 9 9 60 600
9 0 3 7 1 00 5
0 0 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

1
6 1 6 1 1 2 19 2
1 5 9 9 61 615
1. 9 1 3 7 1 50 5
1 1 1 5 50 00
5 5 5 1 1 1 0 1
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 20 2
1 6 5 9 0 63 630
0 3 3 7 1 00 5
2 3 2 2 0 00 00
0 0 2 2 2 0 2
0

1 6 5 2 9 6 1 2 1 65 2 20 2 650
3 5 3 0 3 5 3 0 7 00 1 60 5 00
 6
6 0 3 3 3 0 3
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 21 2
1 6 5 9 1 67 670
1 7 3 7 1 20 5
4 7 4 4 2 00 00
2 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 21 2
1 6 5 9 1 69 690
1 9 3 7 1 80 5
5 9 5 5 8 00 00
8 0 5 5 5 0 5
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 22 2
1 7 5 9 2 71 710
2 1 3 7 1 40 5
6 1 6 6 4 00 00
4 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 23 2
1 7 5 9 3 73 730
3 3 3 7 1 00 5
7 3 7 7 0 00 00
0 0 7 7 7 0 7
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 23 2
1 7 5 9 3 75 750
3 5 3 7 1 60 5
8 5 8 8 6 00 00
6 0 8 8 8 0 8
0

2
7 2 7 1 1 2 24 2
1 5 9 4 77 775
7. 4 7 3 7 1 30 5
9 9 9 3 50 00
5 3 5 9 9 9 0 9
0

2
2 1 8 1 1 2 25 2
2 8 6 5 80 800
5 0 0 4 8 2 00 6
0 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

2
8 2 1 8 1 1 2 25 2
2 6 5 82 825
2. 5 0 2 4 8 2 75 6
1 1 7 50 00
5 7 1 5 1 1 1 0 1
5

2
2 1 8 1 1 2 26 2
2 8 6 6 85 850
6 0 5 4 8 2 50 6
2 5 2 5 00 00
5 2 0 2 2 2 0 2
0

2
8 2 1 8 1 1 2 27 2
2 6 7 87 875
7. 7 0 7 4 8 2 25 6
3 3 2 50 00
5 2 3 5 3 3 3 0 3
5
 2
2 1 9 1 1 2 28 2
2 9 6 8 90 900
8 0 0 4 8 2 00 6
4 0 4 0 00 00
0 4 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

2
9 2 1 9 1 1 2 29 2
2 6 9 92 925
2. 9 0 2 4 8 2 00 6
5 5 0 50 00
5 0 5 5 5 5 5 0 5
0

3
3 1 9 1 1 2 30 2
2 9 6 0 95 950
0 0 5 4 8 2 00 6
6 5 6 0 00 00
0 6 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

3
9 3 1 9 1 1 2 30 2
2 6 0 97 975
7. 0 0 7 4 8 2 75 6
7 7 7 50 00
5 7 7 5 7 7 7 0 7
5

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 31 2
2 6 0 1 100
0 1 0 4 8 00 2 50 6
8 8 0 5 000
0 5 8 8 8 0 8 0 8
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 32 2
2 6 0 2 103
0 2 0 4 8 30 2 50 6
9 9 3 5 000
3 5 9 9 9 0 9 0 9
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 33 2
3 7 0 3 106
0 3 1 5 9 60 3 50 7
0 0 6 5 000
6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 34 2
3 7 0 4 109
0 4 1 5 9 90 3 50 7
1 1 9 5 000
9 5 1 1 1 0 1 0 1
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 11 2 35 2
3 7 1 5 112
1 5 1 5 9 20 3 50 7
2 2 2 5 000
2 5 2 2 2 0 2 0 2
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 11 2 36 2
3 7 1 6 115
1 6 1 5 9 50 3 50 7
3 3 5 5 000
5 5 3 3 3 0 3 0 3
0 0

3 1 7 3 1 1 1 3 1 11 2 37 2 118
4 1 4 7 1 1 5 7 9 80 3 50 7 000
 8 5
8 5 4 4 4 0 4 0 4
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 12 2 38 2
3 7 2 8 121
2 8 1 5 9 15 3 75 7
5 5 1 7 000
1 7 5 5 5 0 5 0 5
5 5

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 12 2 40 2
3 7 2 0 125
2 0 1 5 9 50 3 00 7
6 6 5 0 000
5 0 6 6 6 0 6 0 6
0 0

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 12 2 41 2
3 7 2 1 128
2 1 1 5 9 85 3 25 7
7 7 8 2 500
8 2 7 7 7 0 7 0 7
5 5

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 13 2 42 2
3 7 3 2 132
3 2 1 5 9 20 3 50 7
8 8 2 5 000
2 5 8 8 8 0 8 0 8
0 0

3 1 7 4 1 1 1 4 1 13 2 43 2 136
9 3 9 3 1 3 5 3 9 60 3 75 7 000
6 7 9 6 9 7 9 0 9 0 9
0 5

Provided here, for your benefit, are simple definitions of technical tyre terms that
will enable you to understand the technology that goes into a tyre. Learn what
each part of a tyre does, and get tyre-savvy!

Tyre Placard
Decoding all that information on the sidewall
Tyre Sizing Systems
Other Markings
Aspect Ratio (or sidewall height)
Speed Ratings
Load Indices

Tyre Placard

1. A vehicle's original tyre and wheel specifications are detailed on a placard affixed
to all vehicles manufactured on or after the 1st of January 1973.

2. The tyres conform to specific load carrying specifications as recommended on the

vehicle manufacturer's tyre placard, as required by Australian Design Rule 23
(ADR23).

3. Tyres should be appropriate to the type and size of rim fitted to the vehicle.

Decoding all that information on the sidewall

All numbers, letters, symbols, mysterious codes. Here's the important stuff:

A : Manufacturer or brand name, and commercial name or identity.

B & J : Tyre size, construction and speed rating designations. See tyre sizes and speed
ratings below.
C : Denotes type of tyre construction.
D : M&S denotes a tyre designed for mud and snow. Reinforced marking only where
applicable.
E : Load and pressure marking requirement.
Tyre Sizing Systems

Over the years there has been many different methods used to size tyres. Many of these are
still in use today, with the ISO Metric Sizing System the most widely used.
1. Numeric Sizing System
This first system developed for tyre sizing was used until the
late 1960s, but provided only the cross section width of the
tyre and the rim diameter in inches. If the section width
ended in zero (e.g., 7.00-14 or 7.50-14), the tyre had a
common aspect ratio of about 92. For section widths not
ending in zero (e.g., 8.25-15), the tyre was considered "low
profile" with an aspect ratio of about 82.

2. Alphanumeric Sizing System

In 1968, a new concept was introduced worldwide. The
Alphanumeric sizing system is a load-based system where
tyres are designated by their load-carrying capacity and
aspect ratio. The first letter is the load and size relationship,
with letters ranging from A to N. The lower the letter, the
smaller the size and, of course, the lower the load-carrying
capacity of the tyre.

3. P-Metric Sizing System

To accommodate the smaller tyres used on compact cars,
the P-Metric (Passenger Metric) system was created in 1976.
The maximum inflation pressures of P-Metric tyres were
raised for lower rolling resistance.

4. Metric Sizing System

Because Europe primarily uses the metric system of
measurement; the Metric sizing system was developed. It is
essentially a conversion of the Numeric system. Section
widths are notated in millimetres instead of inches.
Originally, tyres not identified with an aspect ratio were
assumed to be 82-series. When 60- and 70 series tyres
appeared, the aspect ratio was added to the nomenclature, similar to the P-Metric
system.
5. ISO Metric Sizing System
The International Standards Organization (ISO) Metric
system combines the Metric system with a service
description. The service description provides the load index
along with the speed rating symbol.

6. Millimetric Sizing System

The Millimetric sizing system is similar to the Metric system
except that the rim diameter is also represented in
millimetres.

7. Light Truck Numeric System

Similar to the Numeric system for cars, it lists the section
width in inches, construction type, rim diameter in inches,
plus the light truck designation.

8. Light Truck Metric System

Similar to the P-Metric system, except the P is replaced with
the LT light truck designation. Also, LT-Metric and P-Metric
tyres differ in construction.

9. Light Truck High Flotation System

Similar to the Numeric system for cars, it lists the section
width in inches, construction type, rim diameter in inches,
plus the light truck designation.
Other Markings

DOT Codes - Coding satisfying the requirements of the US

Department of Transportation contain a mixture of letters and numbers such as DOT DVDE
MTA 129.

E-Marks - Tyres for sale in the European Community must carry an E -Mark in accordance
with ECE Reg 30 - eg E4 027550.

Aspect Ratio (or sidewall height)

Aspect ratio is the ratio of a tyre's width to it's height. A 70 series tyre, therefore, is a tyre
whose height is equal to 70% of its width. Lower Profile Tyres hence have lower series
numbers.

Speed Ratings

All tyres carry a speed symbol in the form of a letter indicating the maximum speed for
which the tyre is intended. This indicates the maximum speed that the tyre can sustain for a
ten minute endurance without coming to pieces and destroying itself and the car it is on.

The table below shows which speed goes with each letter :

Speed Category Speed (km/h) Speed Category Speed (km/h)

Symbol
D 65
E 70
F 80
G 90
J 100
K 110
L 120
M 130
N 140
P 150
Symbol
Q 160
R 170
S 180
T 190
U 200
H 210
V 240
W 270
Y 300
ZR * OVER 240

Load Indices

The load-index figure imprinted on the sidewall of the tyre denotes the maximum load
capacity of a tyre when driven at maximum speed. A list of load indices and maximum
weights is give below :

L K L K L K L K L L L
Kg Kg Kg
I g I g I g I g I I I

1
1 4 1 1 2 14 2
4 4 8 4 45 450
0 4 5 2 6 0 00 4
5 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

1
4 1 4 1 1 2 14 2
4 8 4 46 462
1 6. 4 6 2 6 0 50 4
1 1 5 25 50
2 5 2 1 1 1 0 1
0

1
4 1 4 1 1 2 15 2
4 8 5 47 475
2 7. 5 7 2 6 0 00 4
2 2 0 50 00
5 0 5 2 2 2 0 2
0
 1
4 1 4 1 1 2 15 2
4 8 5 48 487
3 8. 5 8 2 6 0 50 4
3 3 5 75 50
7 5 7 3 3 3 0 3
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 16 2
5 4 8 6 50 500
4 6 0 2 6 0 00 4
0 4 4 0 00 00
0 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

1
5 1 5 1 1 2 16 2
4 8 6 51 515
5 1. 6 1 2 6 0 50 4
5 5 5 50 00
5 5 5 5 5 5 0 5
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 17 2
5 4 8 7 53 530
6 7 3 2 6 0 00 4
3 6 6 0 00 00
0 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

1
5 1 5 1 1 2 17 2
4 8 7 54 545
7 4. 7 4 2 6 0 50 4
7 7 5 50 00
5 5 5 7 7 7 0 7
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 18 2
5 4 8 8 56 560
8 8 6 2 6 0 00 4
6 8 8 0 00 00
0 0 8 8 8 0 8
0

1
1 5 1 1 2 18 2
5 4 8 8 58 580
9 8 8 2 6 0 50 4
8 9 9 5 00 00
5 0 9 9 9 0 9
0

1
1 6 1 1 2 19 2
1 6 5 9 9 60 600
9 0 3 7 1 00 5
0 0 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

1
6 1 6 1 1 2 19 2
1 5 9 9 61 615
1. 9 1 3 7 1 50 5
1 1 1 5 50 00
5 5 5 1 1 1 0 1
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 20 2
1 6 5 9 0 63 630
0 3 3 7 1 00 5
2 3 2 2 0 00 00
0 0 2 2 2 0 2
0

1 6 5 2 9 6 1 2 1 65 2 20 2 650
3 5 3 0 3 5 3 0 7 00 1 60 5 00
 6
6 0 3 3 3 0 3
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 21 2
1 6 5 9 1 67 670
1 7 3 7 1 20 5
4 7 4 4 2 00 00
2 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

2
2 6 1 1 2 21 2
1 6 5 9 1 69 690
1 9 3 7 1 80 5
5 9 5 5 8 00 00
8 0 5 5 5 0 5
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 22 2
1 7 5 9 2 71 710
2 1 3 7 1 40 5
6 1 6 6 4 00 00
4 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 23 2
1 7 5 9 3 73 730
3 3 3 7 1 00 5
7 3 7 7 0 00 00
0 0 7 7 7 0 7
0

2
2 7 1 1 2 23 2
1 7 5 9 3 75 750
3 5 3 7 1 60 5
8 5 8 8 6 00 00
6 0 8 8 8 0 8
0

2
7 2 7 1 1 2 24 2
1 5 9 4 77 775
7. 4 7 3 7 1 30 5
9 9 9 3 50 00
5 3 5 9 9 9 0 9
0

2
2 1 8 1 1 2 25 2
2 8 6 5 80 800
5 0 0 4 8 2 00 6
0 0 0 0 00 00
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0

2
8 2 1 8 1 1 2 25 2
2 6 5 82 825
2. 5 0 2 4 8 2 75 6
1 1 7 50 00
5 7 1 5 1 1 1 0 1
5

2
2 1 8 1 1 2 26 2
2 8 6 6 85 850
6 0 5 4 8 2 50 6
2 5 2 5 00 00
5 2 0 2 2 2 0 2
0

2
8 2 1 8 1 1 2 27 2
2 6 7 87 875
7. 7 0 7 4 8 2 25 6
3 3 2 50 00
5 2 3 5 3 3 3 0 3
5
 2
2 1 9 1 1 2 28 2
2 9 6 8 90 900
8 0 0 4 8 2 00 6
4 0 4 0 00 00
0 4 0 4 4 4 0 4
0

2
9 2 1 9 1 1 2 29 2
2 6 9 92 925
2. 9 0 2 4 8 2 00 6
5 5 0 50 00
5 0 5 5 5 5 5 0 5
0

3
3 1 9 1 1 2 30 2
2 9 6 0 95 950
0 0 5 4 8 2 00 6
6 5 6 0 00 00
0 6 0 6 6 6 0 6
0

3
9 3 1 9 1 1 2 30 2
2 6 0 97 975
7. 0 0 7 4 8 2 75 6
7 7 7 50 00
5 7 7 5 7 7 7 0 7
5

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 31 2
2 6 0 1 100
0 1 0 4 8 00 2 50 6
8 8 0 5 000
0 5 8 8 8 0 8 0 8
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 32 2
2 6 0 2 103
0 2 0 4 8 30 2 50 6
9 9 3 5 000
3 5 9 9 9 0 9 0 9
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 33 2
3 7 0 3 106
0 3 1 5 9 60 3 50 7
0 0 6 5 000
6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 10 2 34 2
3 7 0 4 109
0 4 1 5 9 90 3 50 7
1 1 9 5 000
9 5 1 1 1 0 1 0 1
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 11 2 35 2
3 7 1 5 112
1 5 1 5 9 20 3 50 7
2 2 2 5 000
2 5 2 2 2 0 2 0 2
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 11 2 36 2
3 7 1 6 115
1 6 1 5 9 50 3 50 7
3 3 5 5 000
5 5 3 3 3 0 3 0 3
0 0

3 1 7 3 1 1 1 3 1 11 2 37 2 118
4 1 4 7 1 1 5 7 9 80 3 50 7 000
 8 5
8 5 4 4 4 0 4 0 4
0 0

1 3
1 3 1 1 1 12 2 38 2
3 7 2 8 121
2 8 1 5 9 15 3 75 7
5 5 1 7 000
1 7 5 5 5 0 5 0 5
5 5

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 12 2 40 2
3 7 2 0 125
2 0 1 5 9 50 3 00 7
6 6 5 0 000
5 0 6 6 6 0 6 0 6
0 0

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 12 2 41 2
3 7 2 1 128
2 1 1 5 9 85 3 25 7
7 7 8 2 500
8 2 7 7 7 0 7 0 7
5 5

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 13 2 42 2
3 7 3 2 132
3 2 1 5 9 20 3 50 7
8 8 2 5 000
2 5 8 8 8 0 8 0 8
0 0

1 4
1 4 1 1 1 13 2 43 2
3 7 3 3 136
3 3 1 5 9 60 3 75 7
9 9 6 7 000
6 7 9 9 9 0 9 0 9
0 5
 Passenger Car Tyre
• Ultima-XPS

• Tornado

• Rally

• Ultima Sport

• Ultima Royale

• Vectra
LCV Tyre
• Steel King

• Brute 4x4

• Brute_LT

• Elanzo
LCV/Truck Tyre
• Jetsteel JDH

Error
proof
Computer
Aided
Design &
Analysis
We design tyres for your vehicles using the latest tools & techniques which
enable us to judge and eliminate chances of failure at the drawing board
stage only.

World class
manufacturing on
Automatic
Machines
Your Radials are
manufactured in an air conditioned plant equipped with the finest machines
so that you get consistently good quality.

Rigorous Testing
Before JK Tyre comes to you, it has to pass tough validation tests, both
indoor as well as outdoor. JK Tyre is one of the few companies that test
their tyres so rigorously.