Tire Speed Rating Chart
| Speed Rating Symbol | Speed (mph) | Speed (km/h) |
| A1-A8 | <25 mph | <40 km/h |
| B | 31 mph | 50 km/h |
| C | 37 mph | 60 km/h |
| D | 40 mph | 65 km/h |
Does a higher speed rating mean a better tire?
Typically, the higher the speed rating, the better the grip and stopping power, but the lower the tread life. You can always increase the speed rating of the tires on your vehicle for improved performance, but can never decrease it without reducing the vehicle top speed to that of the lower speed rating selected.
What is the highest speed rating for a tire?
Tire Speed Rating Chart. For tires with a maximum speed capability higher than 240 km/h (149 mph), a "ZR" may appear in the size designation. Tires with a maximum speed capability higher than 300 km/h (186 mph), require a "ZR" in the size designation. Consult the tire manufacturer for maximum speed when there is no service description.
What tires are the best for racing?
The 10 Best Street Tires for Drag Racing Available in 2021
- Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R [Best Extreme-Performance Tires for Drag Racing] The Potenza RE-71R will give you the best traction in a straight line under the extreme-performance tire category.
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 – Best Tire for Drag Racing. ...
- Toyo Proxes R1-R. ...
- Falken Azenis RT615K+. ...
- BFGoodrich g-Force Rival S 1.5. ...
- Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. ...
What is the best all around tire?
The Best All-Season Tires of 2021
- Bridgestone DriveGuard All-Season Tire. If you’re looking for a superhero when it comes to an all-season tire, we have to recommend the Bridgestone DriveGuard All-Season Tire.
- BFGoodrich G-Force COMP-2 A/S. Give the performance of your sports coupe or sedan a boost with these ultra-high performance all-season tires.
- Michelin Defender LTX Tire. ...
What is a good speed rating for tires?
A Y-speed rating on the tire is an indication that it is safe to use the tire for a vehicle with a top speed of 186mph, while (Y)-speed rating specifies that the tire is perfect for a vehicle with a top speed of 186mph.
Are higher speed rated tires better?
The speed rating tells you the speed the tire can safely maintain over time. A higher speed rating usually means you will have better control and handling at higher speeds - and that the tire can take the extra heat. As a general rule, tires with higher speed ratings also handle better at slower speeds.
Which is better T or H speed rating?
The “T” or “H” on tires pertain to their speed ratings. A T-rated tire can withstand top speeds of up to 118 mph (190 km/h), while an H-rated tire can support up to 130 mph (210 km/h). It is important to note these markings and stay within those speed limits.
What is H or V rating on tires?
The most common ratings are S and T (sedans, minivans, light trucks); H (some passenger cars, sports cars, coupes, some light trucks); N, P, Q and R (light trucks); and V, W and Y (high-performance and some electric vehicles). Most winter tires have Q, S or T speed ratings.
Can I use lower speed rated tires?
Things to Consider about Speed Ratings Downgrading the speed rating of your tires is not recommend. This may result in poor handling and unpredictable steering. However, if a better cornering response is what you want, installing a higher speed rated tire on your vehicle will work.
Is a higher load rating better?
The load rating can be located on the sidewall of all tyres and is represented by a numerical value. The higher the load rating number, the stronger the tyre. Tyres with a higher load rating can take a greater amount of air pressure, which means they can also carry heavier loads.
What does H mean on tires?
speed rating“H” represents the speed rating, which is how fast the tires can go based on their load capacity. This rating ranges from A – Z. “H” indicates a speed rating of up to 130 mph.
What does t mean on tires?
Sometimes, letters precede the first number. A "P" stands for p-metric, which is a tire used primarily on passenger cars. An "LT" indicates a light-truck tire. A "T" means it's a temporary spare.
What are Z rated tires?
A “Z” rating can mean different things. While it nearly always means a high performance tire for high-performing sports cars, “Z” may actually appear in the middle of a tire's size information. When it does, it represents either a maximum speed of more than 149 mph (240 kph) or 186 mph (300 kph).
Does speed rating affect comfort?
SPEED RATINGS REFER TO MORE THAN JUST SPEED They're also about ride comfort, wear and cornering ability. Typically, the higher the speed rating, the better the grip and stopping power, but the lower the tread life.
What is the difference between 94V or 94h?
The H speed rating means good up to 130 MPH (for 10 minutes without damage). The V speed rating is good up to 149 MPH . The OEM tires that come on a TCH are rated 94V (the 94 means load up to 1477 pounds).
What Is Tire Speed Rating?
A tire’s speed rating indicates the optimal speed that the tire can safely maintain over time. In short, it’s the fastest speed a tire can handle b...
Why Were Tire Speed Ratings developed?
The speed rating system used today was developed in Europe in response to the need to control the safe performance of tires at standardized speeds....
Where Can I Find My Tire Speed Rating?
You can find your tire speed rating in a number of places, typically in the owner’s manual, driver’s side doorjamb, glove box door, and gas tank ha...
HOW TO FIND YOUR TIRE SPEED RATING
If you’re wondering what tire speed rating your vehicle manufacturer recommends, simply look in the manual. You might also find it in the driver’s side door jamb, the gas tank hatch, or inside the glove box door – anywhere that lists the right tire code for your vehicle.
DETERMINING TIRE SPEED RATING
Speed ratings are the product of laboratory testing – with simulated speeds and loads. To receive any kind of rating, a tire must demonstrate that it’s capable of sustaining a particular speed. Industry standards govern the process of reaching and maintaining a given speed during a test.
TIRE SPEED RATING SYSTEM QUIRKS AND ANOMALIES
Today’s speed rating system uses letters A through Z. Each letter corresponds to a specific speed. In general, that speed goes up as the rating advances alphabetically. For example, a tire rated “L” is good for a lower maximum sustained speed than one rated “N.”
COMMON TIRE SPEED RATINGS CHART
The following speed ratings are those you’re most likely to encounter for ordinary vehicles. They begin with a maximum speed of 118 mph (190 kph) and increase from there.
Where to find speed rating on tire?
The speed rating is usually simple to identify as it appears as the last item in the tire’s size code. Car manufacturers recommend specific speed ratings that are included in the car manual. Speed ratings can be found on other locations that bear tire size codes for the car, including the driver’s side door jamb, gas tank hatch or inside the glove door hatch. Speed ratings on tires are usually inscribed on the sidewall of the tire. For instance, for a tire coded as 225/70R16 85S, S represents the speed rating, with maximum speed capabilities of 112 mph.
What is a speed rating chart?
A speed rating chart is used to indicate the standard maximum speed capacities for different types and sizes of tires under optimal operating conditions. Speed ratings are designated using alphabetic symbols, A to Z, with the exclusion of I, O, and U. A rating corresponds to maximum performance speeds of 3 mph, and Z corresponds to speeds above 186 mph.
What Is Tire Speed Rating?
The tire speed rating indicates the maximum speed your tire can take before it poses a danger to your driving.
Why Were Tire Speed Ratings Developed?
The system of speed rating satisfies safe operation under standard circumstances.
Where To Look For Tire Speed Rating?
You can find tire speed ratings in various places, including the vehicle owner’s manual, the jam on the driver’s door, the glove box opener, and the batch on your gas tank.
ZR Designation
ZR is one of the top speed indicators as of right now. Tire dealers will have these tire ratings explained by telling you that the tire is capable of handling speeds greater than 240 km/h — 270, 300, and over 300 instead of saying the initials and numbers outright.
Tire Speed Rating Chart
To be more specific about this topic, you can check the tire speed rating chart below. It has listed all rating levels from A to Z with the corresponding speed.
Who Determines Speed Ratings?
The manufacturer certifies a tire for top speed. A tire is run for a required time at the target speed on a roller-equipped testing rig. Engineers then check for damage—ply separations, cracking, chunking, excess wear, other failures. If it passes at the target speed, the tire model gets the rating.
What Speed Rating Do I Need?
You don’t absolutely need a tire with a V, W or Y speed rating if your vehicle isn’t capable of such speeds and you merely drive your vehicle to work at highway speeds, or even a bit faster. If your car has not been modified, you don’t need a tire with a speed rating higher than what came on the car when new.
Where is the speed rating located on a tire?
You can find a tire’s speed rating on the sidewall, where one will typically see a string of numbers and letters. These are several important codes, such as radial construction, aspect ratio, tire load and speed rating. The speed rating is typically the last letter listed on the sidewall (coming after the load index, which is a number).
What do the letters mean?
Speed ratings go from A1 to Y, with A1 having the lowest rating and Y being the highest, but there are some anomalies. There are eight different A ratings. There are no X, O, or I ratings, and H rating is in the “wrong” place. Also, the ZR rating isn’t truly its own rating, but includes both W- and Y-rated tires.
Does tire speed rating matter?
Yes, it matters because your speed rating indicates how much heat a tire can handle safely. Not following those guidelines can lead to faster wear on the tread, decreased steering response, decreased stopping power and poor driving capabilities in colder conditions.
What are the most common tire speed ratings?
Most commuters and consumers will want either an H, S or T tire. Light trucks may need a tire between the N and T ratings. Sports cars may get better handling with a ZR tire.
How to determine tire speed rating?
How are Speed Ratings Determined? 1 For the ECE test, the tire is properly inflated and mounted on a wheel attached to a testing machine in a room that’s heated to 77 degrees F. 2 The tire is pressed against a metal drum with enough pressure to simulate a realistic load. 3 Starting at a speed 40 km/h lower than the proposed rating level, the tire is spun for 10-minute increments at higher and higher speeds, until it reaches the target speed. 4 The tire spins for 10 minutes at the target speed. 5 It’s then removed from the machine and inspected for any failures, like separation of tread components. If it’s intact, it passes the speed rating. 6 Sometimes an SUS (step-up speed) test will be added after the tire performs at the target speed rating. Speed is increased until the tire fails. 7 If the tire is being tested at the SAE standard, it’s required to run for an hour at target speed in a room heated to 100 degrees.
What does each letter in a tire speed rating mean?
Each letter in the speed rating represents a maximum speed based on a standard chart. The main things to know: Generally, the higher in the alphabet a tire is rated, the better it will manage heat and faster speeds. There’s an exception for the H rating; read on for why.
Why put lower speed tires on front?
When mounting differently rated tires , techs prefer to put the lower-speed-rated ones on the front to prevent oversteering. This can conflict with the best practice of putting the tires with the most tread on the rear, which is important for wet traction. Get tires with the same speed rating.
How long does a tire run at target speed?
Speed is increased until the tire fails. If the tire is being tested at the SAE standard, it’s required to run for an hour at target speed in a room heated to 100 degrees.
What does the H rating mean on a tire?
Your actual speed capacity may be less than a tire’s rating. The rating indicates a new tire’s performance in tightly controlled lab settings, not the open road. Tire condition, inflation level, extra cargo, road surfaces and weather are everyday limits that play into a tire’s maximum safe ...
When were tire speed ratings first developed?
When tire speed ratings were first developed in Europe in the 1960s, there were only three ratings: S, H and V. As tire technology developed and new speed classes were introduced, the ratings table expanded to include the full alphabet. But the letter H kept its original speed rating of 130 mph, so it sits later in the chart.
Can you use a tire rating as a guideline?
Don’t use the rating as a guideline for the top speed you can drive. If you’re carrying a heavy load, have a tire that’s been patched after a puncture, or low on air, your tire’s speed capacity will be much reduced.
Why performance tires are better than all-season tires
All-season tires offer winter or cold weather traction to get through light snow conditions. The ability to withstand freezing temperatures gives drivers who commute through all four seasons the option to roll with one set of tires year-round.
Why you must swap out summer tires in the winter
Performance tires of any caliber have little to no traction in cold, wintry conditions below 45 degrees and should never be driven in near-freezing temperatures. Their soft compound becomes rigid in cold temperatures and thus is unsafe for driving in slush, snow or ice.