Tire labeling (example)
Meaning
R
Tire belt design letter code for radial.
Rim diameter (in inches)
18
109 H
Load rating code . 150 and speed rating code.
Indicates “reinforced” tire (heavy-duty)
Indicates Mud and Snow capability (also M/S).
Tubeless radial tire.
XL
M+S or M/S
RADIAL TUBELESS
E4 ...
Labeling according to international regulations (E) including
number of the approving country. The multi-digit approval number
is listed next.
Tire identification number (TIN)3 – In some cases the
manufacturing date is only on one side of the tire:
The tire complies with the requirements of the United
DOT States Department of Transportation, responsible for
issuing safety standards.
DOT BT RA TY5 1709
BT
RA
Identification letter of the manufacturing site.
Manufacturer information regarding tire dimensions.
TY5 Tire characteristics provided by the manufacturer.
1709 Manufacturing date: 17th week in 2009.
Marks the position of the treadwear indicator.
Country of manufacture.
TWI
Made in Germany
MAX LOAD 615 KG (1356 LBS) United States maximum load rating per wheel.
MAX INFLATION 350 KPA
United States maximum permissible inflation pressure.
(51 PSI)
ROTATION
Rotation direction (unidirectional tires)
Tire ply composition and materials used:
1 layer of rayon.
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYON
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON + 2 STEEL +
1 NYLON
Tire tread composition and materials used:
In this example there are 4 layers under the tread: 1 layer of
rayon, 2 layers of steel belt and 1 layer of nylon.
Consumer information regarding comparison to specified base tires (standardized test
procedure) . 300:
Relative service life expectancy of the tire referenced to a U.S.-
specific standard test.
TREADWEAR 220
TRACTION A
Traction rating under wet conditions (AA, A, B or C).
Temperature stability of the tire at increased test bench speeds
(A, B or C).
TEMPERATURE A
Additional numbers found on the tire could either be tire manufacturer internal labels or
country-specific labels (such as for Brazil and China).
3
TIN represents the serial number of the tire.
English 
