Index xl on tires which means. Explanation of XL designation on rubber marking. Colored labels used for marking
195/65 R15 91 T XL
195 Is the width of the tire in mm.
65 - Proportionality, i.e. the ratio of the height of the profile to the width. In our case, it is equal to 65%. Simply put, with the same width, the larger this figure, the higher the tire will be and vice versa. This value is usually referred to simply as “profile”.
Since the tire profile is a relative value, it is important to take into account when selecting rubber, that if you, instead of a standard size 195/65 R15 if you want to put tires with the size 205/65 R15, then not only the width of the tire will increase, but also the height! Which is unacceptable in most cases! (except for the cases when both of these standard sizes are indicated in the car manual). You can calculate the exact data on the change in the outer dimensions of the wheel in a special tire calculator.
If this ratio is not indicated (for example, 185 / R14C), then it is equal to 80-82% and the tire is called full-profile. Reinforced tires with such markings are usually used on vans and light trucks, where a high maximum wheel load is very important.
R stands for radial tire (in fact, now almost all tires are made this way).
Many people mistakenly think that R- stands for the radius of the tire, but this is precisely the radial design of the tire. There is also a diagonal design (denoted by the letter D), but recently it has practically not been produced, since its performance characteristics are noticeably worse.
15 - wheel (disk) diameter in inches. (It is the diameter, not the radius! This is also a common mistake). This is the "landing" diameter of the tire on the disc, i.e. it is the inner size of the tire or the outer one at the rim.
91 - load index. This is the maximum permissible load per wheel. For cars, it is usually done with a margin and when choosing tires is not a decisive value, (in our case, IN - 91 - 670 kg.). For vans and small trucks, this parameter is very important and must be observed.
Additional information indicated in the marking on the sidewall of the tire:
XL or Extra Load- a reinforced tire, the load index of which is 3 units higher than that of conventional tires of the same standard size. In other words, if a load index of 91 is indicated on a given tire, marked XL or Extra Load, then this means that with this index, the tire is capable of withstanding a maximum load of 670 kg instead of 615 kg (see the table of tire load indices).
M + S or M&S tire marking (Mud + Snow) - mud plus snow and means that the tires are all-season or winter. Many summer SUV tires are labeled M&S. However, these tires must not be used in winter because winter tires have a completely different rubber composition and tread pattern, and the M&S badge indicates a good cross-country performance of the tire.
All Season or AS all-season tires. Aw (Any Weather) - Any weather.
Pictogram * (Snowflake)- rubber is intended for use in harsh winter conditions. If the sidewall of the tire does not have this mark, then this tire is intended for summer use only.
Aquatred, Aquacontact, Rain, Water, Aqua or a pictogram (umbrella) - special rain tires.
Outside and Inside; asymmetrical tires, i.e. it is important not to confuse which side is external and which is internal. When installed, the Outside lettering should be on the outside of the car, and Inside on the inside.
RSC (RunFlat System Component) - tires RunFlat- these are tires on which you can continue to drive a car at a speed of no more than 80 km / h with a FULL drop in tire pressure (in case of a puncture or cut). On these tires, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, you can drive from 50 to 150 km. Different tire manufacturers use different designations for RSC technology.
For example: Bridgestone RFT, Continental SSR, Goodyear RunOnFlat, Nokian Run flat, Michelin ZP etc.
Rotation or an arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates a directional tire. When installing the tire, the direction of rotation of the wheel indicated by the arrow must be strictly observed.
Tubeless (TL)- tubeless tire. In the absence of this inscription, the tire can only be used with a camera. Tube Type - means that this tire must be used only with a tube.
Max Pressure; maximum allowable tire pressure. Max Load- the maximum permissible load on each wheel of the vehicle, in kg.
Reinforced or letters RF in a standard size (for example 195/70 R15RF) means that this is a reinforced tire (6 layers).
Letter WITH at the end of the dimension (eg 195/70 R15C) denotes a truck tire (8 layers).
Radial this marking on the rubber in the standard size means that it is a tire of a radial design. Steel means that there is a metal cord in the tire construction.
MO- Mercedes Original means the tires are developed with the participation of Daimler specialists / AO - Audi Original etc.
Letter E(in a circle) - the tire complies with the European ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) requirements. DOT (Department of Transportation - US Department of Transportation) - American quality standard.
Temperature A, B or C heat resistance of tires at high speeds on a test bench (A is the best indicator).
Traction A, B or C- the ability of the tire to brake on a wet road surface.
Treadwear; the relative expected kilometers traveled versus the US specific standard test.
TWI(Tread Wear Indiration) - indicators of tire tread wear indicators. The TWI wheel can also be marked with an arrow. The gauges are evenly spaced at eight or six places around the tire circumference and indicate the minimum tread depth allowed. The wear indicator is made in the form of a protrusion with a height of 1.6 mm (the minimum tread size for light vehicles) and is located in the groove of the tread (usually in the drainage grooves).
Decoding of tire markings
The description of each tire model contains columns "SIZE" and "INDICES"... In this article, we offer you an explanation of these values.
Let's look at an example. In the graph "SIZE" specified value 185/70 R 14, in which:
185 - tire width in mm., 70 - the ratio of the height of the tire (from the landing rim to the outer edge of the wheel) to its width in percentage,
The lower this figure, the wider the tire looks, the more “squat” and more dynamic the car. However, all these advantages are only good on dry roads with perfect surfaces. On Russian roads, wheels of the 65 series are already frivolous, and below they are just madness, Norm: 80,75,70.
R- radial cord structure, the cord threads in the carcass plies have a radial (meridian) arrangement, i.e. directed from side to side,
14
- mounting dimension of the rim in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm).
In the graph "INDICES" the indices of the maximum load per tire in kilograms and the speed index - the maximum permissible speed in km / h, as well as additional indices characterizing the properties of a particular tire are indicated.
Below are tables of load and speed indexes:
It is possible to indicate additional characteristics:
"TL"- tubeless tire,
FR- tire with rim protection,
RF, XL- reinforced tire with increased carrying capacity,
Letter "E" enclosed in a circle - European safety standard,
"DOT"- American safety standard.
Letters "M + S""Mud" (Mud) + "snow" (Snow) - winter and universal tires.
"AW"- "Any weather" - all-season tires,
the same "AS"- “all seasons” (All Seasons).
Some firms use graphic symbols instead of letters: sun, rain, snowflake.
The arrow on the sidewall of the wheel indicates the direction of rotation for rain rubber. If it rotates in the opposite direction, then the water, instead of being removed from under the tire, will be pumped under it.
In addition to all these, three more digits are put on the bus: the week and the year of manufacture,
for instance “3815”
The first two digits:
38 - thirty-eighth week,
15 - year of issue (2015)
The following symbols are used on our website:
The desire to know what XL stands for in tire marking is expressed by many motorists who prefer to have more information about the tires in use. After all, an outdated study of what the marking means can significantly affect the operation of the machine. Moreover, information located on the surface of the cord can mean:
- the speed to which the rubber is adapted;
- the winter or summer index has a wheel.
The wheel and its sidewall are an important source of information for vehicle owners. For example, if the manufacturer indicated on the board of the XL tire, which means Extra Load, you can confidently install it on vehicles operated under heavy loads. Such a marker is an important indicator that determines the performance of tires.
How to decipher what XL stands for in tire marking?
Having defined what XL stands for in tire marking, you can easily cope with the problem of buying them. Since this type of tires belongs to the category of reinforced tires, they are equipped with:
- reinforced sidewall type with double polyester fibers;
- increased rigidity - this should be taken into account when choosing the speed and style of movement;
- double layer of metal cord.
The use of this type of tire implies the ability to handle heavy loads. For example, their installation is recommended for cars that develop a speed of more than 270 km / h and can easily cope with intense friction on the road surface. For off-road driving, such options are also very well suited and can withstand movement even over very pronounced irregularities, potholes and pits. The only drawback that can be noted is the high vibration output.
Light-truck transport also very actively exploits this type of tires, providing opportunities for intensive transportation of heavy loads. If the expected axle load is higher than normal, you should think about purchasing reinforced tires for permanent use.
For example, your labeling 185/65 R15 88T XL
165
- tire width, mm. 65
- the profile or the ratio of the height of the profile to the width - here 65%. The higher the number, the higher the tire.
If this indicator is not specified, then your tire is full-profile, somewhere around 80-82%. R- a tire with a radial cord (now everyone does this, so once this letter is perceived as a Radius). 15
is the diameter of the disc in inches. That is, disks must be taken on this wheel with the same indicator. 88
- load index. The more the number, the more the load will bear. T- speed index. The closer the letter is to the end of the alphabet, the more speed the tire can handle.
Load Index Table
| 62 | 265 | 75 | 387 | 88 | 560 | 101 | 825 | 114 | 1180 |
| 63 | 272 | 76 | 400 | 89 | 580 | 102 | 850 | 115 | 1215 |
| 64 | 280 | 77 | 412 | 90 | 600 | 103 | 875 | 116 | 1250 |
| 65 | 290 | 78 | 425 | 91 | 615 | 104 | 900 | 117 | 1285 |
| 66 | 300 | 79 | 437 | 92 | 630 | 105 | 925 | 118 | 1320 |
| 67 | 307 | 80 | 450 | 93 | 650 | 106 | 950 | 119 | 1360 |
| 68 | 315 | 81 | 462 | 94 | 670 | 107 | 975 | 120 | 1400 |
| 69 | 325 | 82 | 475 | 95 | 690 | 108 | 1000 | 121 | 1450 |
| 70 | 335 | 83 | 487 | 96 | 710 | 109 | 1030 | 122 | 1500 |
| 71 | 345 | 84 | 500 | 97 | 730 | 110 | 1060 | 123 | 1550 |
| 72 | 355 | 85 | 515 | 98 | 750 | 111 | 1090 | 124 | 1600 |
| 73 | 365 | 86 | 530 | 99 | 775 | 112 | 1120 | 125 | 1650 |
| 74 | 375 | 87 | 545 | 100 | 800 | 113 | 1150 | 126 | 1700 |
Speed Index Table
| Speed index | J | K | L | M | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | H | V | VR | W | Y | ZR |
| Mach. Speed (km / h) | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 210 | 240 | >210 | 270 | 300 | >240 |
Additional designations on tires
Sometimes symbols are used: sun (summer), umbrella (rain), snowflake (winter). Arrow on the sidewall of the wheel means the direction of rotation for rain rubber. If it rotates in the opposite direction, then the water, instead of being removed from under the tire, will be pumped under it. TL- tubeless tire, Tubeless- tubeless tire. Tube type- the tire must only be operated with a tube. FR- tire with rim protection, RF, XL- tire with increased carrying capacity, (E) in a circle (Economic Commission for Europe) - European safety standard, DOT(Department of Transportation) - US Department of Transportation, American safety standard. M + S(Mud) mud + (Snow) snow - winter and universal tires. AW(Any weather) - all-weather tires, AS(All Seasons) - all-season. Aquatred, Aquacontact, Rain, Water, Aqua- rain tires. Reinforced or RF- reinforced tire, has 6 layers. C- cargo, 8 layers. Max Pressure- max. permissible tire pressure, measured in kPa. Max Load Is the maximum permissible tire load, measured in kg. The same as the load index in the tire size. Steel- there is a metal cord in the tire construction. Outside / Inside- asymmetric tires. When installing tires, the Outside lettering should be on the outside of the car and Inside on the inside. Rotation with a directional arrow means a directional tire. When installing the tire, the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow must be strictly observed. Temperature A, B or C- heat resistance at high speeds (A is the best indicator). Traction A, B or C- the ability of the tire to brake on a wet road surface. Treadwear is the expected mileage compared to the US specific standard test.Date of tire manufacture
It can be enclosed in an oval or rectangle with rounded corners) of 4 digits.The first 2 digits are the week of the year, the last 2 are the year of manufacture.
1513 - April 2013
North American tire markings
There are 2 options for tire marking. P 165/65 R15 88T The first case differs from the European marking only in letters at the beginning:- P(Passanger) - for cars.
- LT(Light Truck) - for light trucks.
- T(Truck) - for trucks.
- 31 - overall diameter in inches
- 10.50 - profile width in inches
- R- R - radial, D - diagonal.
- 15 Is the diameter of the rim in inches.
- LT- the code of the target car type (in this case, for light trucks).
- C- load range code.
- 109 - load index.
- Q- speed index.
Disc marking
- J- coded information about the design features of the rim flanges (inclination angles, radii of curvature, etc.).
- H2- H (Hump) means there are annular protrusions (humps) on the rim shelves that keep the tubeless tire from jumping off the rim.
- H - simple hump,
- H2 - double,
- FH - (Flat Hump) flat,
- AH (Asymmetric Hump) - asymmetric,
- CH (Combi Hump) - combined,
- Sometimes without a hump.
The disk may also indicate
Do you want to choose a tire for your car, but don't know much about tire labeling? It's not a problem! In this section, we will help you figure out: what are the parameters of the tire, what they mean, and what kind of tire is suitable for your car.
Find tires / tire catalogDecoding of tire marking.
195/65 R15 91 T XL
195 is the width of the tire in mm.
65 - Proportionality, i.e. the ratio of the height of the profile to the width. In our case, it is equal to 65%. Simply put, with the same width, the larger this figure, the higher the tire will be and vice versa. This value is usually referred to simply as “profile”.
Since the tire profile is a relative value, it is important to take into account when choosing rubber that if instead of the 195/65 R15 standard size you want to put tires with the size 205/65 R15, then not only the width of the tire will increase, but also the height! Which is unacceptable in most cases! (except for the cases when both of these standard sizes are indicated in the car manual). You can calculate the exact data on the change in the outer dimensions of the wheel in a special tire calculator.
If this ratio is not indicated (for example, 185 / R14C), then it is equal to 80-82% and the tire is called full-profile. Reinforced tires with such markings are usually used on vans and light trucks, where a high maximum wheel load is very important.
R- means a tire with a radial cord (in fact, now almost all tires are made this way).
Many people mistakenly think that R- stands for the radius of the tire, but this is precisely the radial design of the tire. There is also a diagonal design (denoted by the letter D), but recently it has practically not been produced, since its performance characteristics are noticeably worse.
15 - wheel (disk) diameter in inches. (It is the diameter, not the radius! This is also a common mistake). This is the "landing" diameter of the tire on the disc, i.e. it is the inner size of the tire or the outer one at the rim.
91 - load index. This is the maximum permissible load per wheel. For cars, it is usually done with a margin and when choosing tires is not a decisive value, (in our case, IN - 91 - 670 kg.). For vans and small trucks, this parameter is very important and must be observed.
Tire Load Index Table:
T- tire speed index. The larger it is, the more speed you can ride on this tire (in our case IS - N - up to 210 km / h). Speaking about the tire speed index, I would like to note that with this parameter the tire manufacturer guarantees the normal operation of the rubber with the constant movement of the car at the specified speed for several hours.
Speed Index Table:
American tire markings:
There are two different markings for American tires. The first one is very similar to the European one, only the letters "P" (Passanger - for a passenger car) or "LT" (Light Truck - light truck) are put in front of the standard size. For example: P 195/60 R 14 or LT 235/75 R15. And another marking of the tire, which is fundamentally different from the European one.
For instance: 31x10.5 R15(corresponds to European standard size 265/75 R15)
31
is the outer diameter of the tire in inches.
10.5
is the width of the tire in inches.
R- a tire of radial design (older models of tires were with a bias design).
15
is the inner diameter of the tire in inches.
Generally speaking, apart from the unusual inches, the American tire marking is logical and more understandable, unlike the European one, where the tire profile height is variable and depends on the tire width. And here everything is simple with the decoding: the first number of the standard size is the outer diameter, the second is the width, the third is the inner diameter.
Additional information indicated in the marking on the sidewall of the tire:
XL or Extra Load- a reinforced tire, the load index of which is 3 units higher than that of conventional tires of the same standard size. In other words, if a load index of 91 is indicated on a given tire, marked XL or Extra Load, then this means that with this index, the tire is capable of withstanding a maximum load of 670 kg instead of 615 kg (see the table of tire load indices).
M + S or M&S tire marking (Mud + Snow) - mud plus snow and means that the tires are all-season or winter. Many summer SUV tires are labeled M&S. However, these tires must not be used in winter because winter tires have a completely different rubber composition and tread pattern, and the M&S badge indicates a good cross-country performance of the tire.
All Season or AS all-season tires. Aw (Any Weather) - Any weather.
Pictogram * (snowflake)- rubber is intended for use in harsh winter conditions. If the sidewall of the tire does not have this mark, then this tire is intended for summer use only.
Aquatred, Aquacontact, Rain, Water, Aqua or pictogram (umbrella)- special rain tires.
Outside and Inside; asymmetrical tires, i.e. it is important not to confuse which side is external and which is internal. When installed, the Outside lettering should be on the outside of the car, and Inside on the inside.
RSC(RunFlat System Component) - RunFlat tires are tires on which you can continue driving a car at a speed of no more than 80 km / h with a FULL pressure drop in the tire (in case of a puncture or cut). On these tires, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, you can drive from 50 to 150 km. Different tire manufacturers use different designations for RSC technology. For example: Bridgestone RFT, Continental SSR, Goodyear RunOnFlat, Nokian Run Flat, Michelin ZP, etc.
Rotation or an arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates a directional tire. When installing the tire, the direction of rotation of the wheel indicated by the arrow must be strictly observed.
Tubeless is a tubeless tire. In the absence of this inscription, the tire can only be used with a camera. Tube Type - means that this tire must be used only with a tube.
Max Pressure; maximum allowable tire pressure. Max Load - the maximum permissible load on each wheel of the vehicle, in kg.
Reinforced or the letters RF in the standard size (for example 195/70 R15RF) mean that this is a reinforced bus (6 layers). The letter C at the end of the dimension (eg 195/70 R15C) denotes a truck tire (8 layers).
Radial This marking on a rubber in a standard size means that it is a tire of a radial design. Steel means there is a metal cord in the tire construction.
Letter E(in a circle) - the tire complies with the European ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) requirements. DOT (Department of Transportation - US Department of Transportation) - American quality standard.
Temperature A, B or C heat resistance of tires at high speeds on a test bench (A is the best indicator).
Traction A, B or C- the ability of the tire to brake on a wet road surface.
Treadwear; the relative expected kilometers traveled versus the US specific standard test.
TWI (Tread Wear Indiration)- indicators of tire tread wear indicators. The TWI wheel can also be marked with an arrow. The gauges are evenly spaced at eight or six places around the tire circumference and indicate the minimum tread depth allowed. The wear indicator is made in the form of a protrusion with a height of 1.6 mm (the minimum tread size for light vehicles) and is located in the groove of the tread (usually in the drainage grooves).
DOT- Coded manufacturer address, tire size code, certificate, production date (week / year).
