Mr. Tire provides tires and automotive services to communities throughout the Midwest, Great Plains and South Central US. In the last 45 years, we have expanded into more than 525 locations, and subsequently grown into one of the largest collectives of independent tire dealers in the US. Certified as a member of the Tire Industry Association, Mr. Tire carries only the most respected names in tires including those from Goodyear, Firestone, Mastercraft, Cooper, Continental, General, Hankook, Bridgestone, and Kumho.
Store Hours
Monday:
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Friday:
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Tuesday:
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Saturday:
Closed
Wednesday:
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday:
Closed
Thursday:
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
106 E MAIN ST•CAMERON, WI 54822•(715) 541-2000
Speed Rating
A tire receives its speed rating by the U.S. Government through meeting minimum standards for reaching and sustaining a specified speed. What does that mean to you? In general, a higher speed rating will result in better vehicle handling.
Two important notes when considering speed rating:
We do not recommend downgrading the speed rating of your tires. This may result in poor handling and unpredictable steering. However, if you want better cornering response, you'll have no problem installing a higher speed rated tire on your vehicle.
Never mix and match tires with different speed ratings on your vehicle. This can cause serious problems with the handling of your vehicle.
Below is a list of speed ratings, along with the corresponding speeds they represent. Remember, the speeds are test speeds, but not necessarily recommended speeds.
Q - up to 99 mph
R - up to 106 mph
S - up to 112 mph
T - up to 118 mph
U - up to 124 mph
H - up to 130 mph
V - up to 149 mph
W - up to 168 mph
Y - up to 186 mph
Z - 149 mph and over*
* While Z-speed rated tires are capable of speeds in excess of 149 mph, how far above 149 mph is not specified.
Load range
The Load Range Letter on light truck tires indicates their ply rating.
Load Range
Ply Rating
A
2
B
4
C
6
D
8
E
10
F
12
G
14
H
16
J
18
L
20
M
22
N
24
There is a common misconception that there is a specific equivalence between a tire's Load Range (or ply rating) and its inflation pressure at which it achieves its maximum load. In reality, tires of the same Load Index may require dramatically different pressures to achieve their published load ratings.
This can be seen by consulting the standards published every year by the industry standards group, the Tire and Rim Association. As an example, their 2010 Year Book shows that Load Range C tires may require 35 psi (240 kPa) or 55 psi (380 kPa), Load Range D tires may require 50 psi (340 kPa) or 65 psi (450 kPa), and Load Range E tires may require 65 psi (450 kPa) or 80 psi (550 kPa) to achieve their Load Index and Maximum Loads. This is also the case in the tables published by major tire makers, who do follow these TRA standards and have multiple inflation pressures for the same Load Range in the tires they sell.
It is essential to consult the guides like those just mentioned when making tire substitutions, and to read exactly what is imprinted on the sidewalls of tires. A different size of tire with the same Load Range may require a higher inflation pressure, and may fail in use if under-inflated.
Load Index
The load index on a passenger car tire is a numerical code stipulating the maximum load (mass, or weight) each tire can carry. For Load Range "B" tires, ETRTO (ISO-Metric) standards specify the load index rating at an inflation pressure of 36 psi (250 kPa) (table Below) while P-Metric standards measure the load capacity at an inflation pressure of 35 psi (240 kPa). The two standards vary slightly with the capacity required for different inflation pressures.
While all ETRTO tires of the same load index will have the same maximum load P-Metric tires with the same load index may have different load capacities depending on the tire size. The TRA Inflation Tables must always be consulted when comparing the load capacity of P-Metric tires the Load Index alone is not sufficient. An example: a P205/50R15 Standard Load tire has a load index of 84 and a load rating of 505 kg (1,113 lb) at 35 psi (240 kPa). A P215/50R13 with the same load index of 84 only has a load rating of 495 kg (1,091 lb), also at 35 psi (240 kPa).
ETRTO produces a Standards Manual (current edition 2010) which contains a number of specifications and tables. The load index table (2010 page G7) lists the Load index from 0-45 kg (0-99 lb) to 279-136,000 kg (620-300,000 lb) (although it appears to relate to an inflation pressure of 42 psi (290 kPa) it doesn't specify, but see Load Inflation Table). The Load Inflation Table references the load index to inflation pressures between 22 psi (150 kPa) and 42 psi (290 kPa) at 1 psi (6.9 kPa) intervals which is too large to be included here.
Standard Load Table (extract from ETRTO Standards Manual - 2010 page G7 - ref 42 psi (290 kPa))
Code
Weight
Code
Weight
Code
Weight
Code
Weight
60
250 kg (550 lb)
80
450 kg (990 lb)
100
800 kg (1,800 lb)
120
1,400 kg (3,100 lb)
61
257 kg (570 lb)
81
462 kg (1,020 lb)
101
825 kg (1,820 lb)
121
1,450 kg (3,200 lb)
62
265 kg (580 lb)
82
475 kg (1,050 lb)
102
850 kg (1,900 lb)
122
1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
63
272 kg (600 lb)
83
487 kg (1,070 lb)
103
875 kg (1,930 lb)
123
1,550 kg (3,400 lb)
64
280 kg (620 lb)
84
500 kg (1,100 lb)
104
900 kg (2,000 lb)
124
1,600 kg (3,500 lb)
65
290 kg (640 lb)
85
515 kg (1,140 lb)
105
925 kg (2,040 lb)
125
1,650 kg (3,600 lb)
66
300 kg (660 lb)
86
530 kg (1,200 lb)
106
950 kg (2,100 lb)
67
307 kg (680 lb)
87
545 kg (1,200 lb)
107
975 kg (2,150 lb)
68
315 kg (690 lb)
88
560 kg (1,200 lb)
108
1,000 kg (2,200 lb)
69
325 kg (720 lb)
89
580 kg (1,300 lb)
109
1,030 kg (2,300 lb)
70
335 kg (740 lb)
90
600 kg (1,300 lb)
110
1,060 kg (2,300 lb)
71
345 kg (760 lb)
91
615 kg (1,360 lb)
111
1,090 kg (2,400 lb)
72
355 kg (780 lb)
92
630 kg (1,400 lb)
112
1,120 kg (2,500 lb)
73
365 kg (800 lb)
93
650 kg (1,400 lb)
113
1,150 kg (2,500 lb)
74
375 kg (830 lb)
94
670 kg (1,500 lb)
114
1,180 kg (2,600 lb)
75
387 kg (850 lb)
95
690 kg (1,500 lb)
115
1,215 kg (2,680 lb)
76
400 kg (880 lb)
96
710 kg (1,600 lb)
116
1,250 kg (2,800 lb)
77
412 kg (910 lb)
97
730 kg (1,600 lb)
117
1,285 kg (2,830 lb)
78
425 kg (940 lb)
98
750 kg (1,700 lb)
118
1,320 kg (2,900 lb)
79
437 kg (960 lb)
99
775 kg (1,710 lb)
119
1,360 kg (3,000 lb)
UTQG
Uniform Tire Quality Grade Standards (UTQG) were originated to provide consumers with useful information to help them purchase tires based on their relative tread wear, traction and temperature capabilities. While it is required by law for most passenger car tires sold in the United States, it is not required for deep treaded light truck tires, winter/snow tires, temporary spare tires, trailer tires, tires less than 12" in diameter and other select tires.
When looking at UTQG ratings it is important to realize that the Department of Transportation does not conduct the tests. The grades are assigned by the tire manufacturers based on their test results or those conducted by an independent testing company they have hired. The NHTSA has the right to inspect the tire manufacturer's data and can fine them if inconsistencies are found.
Tread wear Grading
UTQG Tread wear Grades are based on actual road use in which the test tire is run in a vehicle convoy along with standardized Course Monitoring Tires. The vehicle repeatedly runs a prescribed 400-mile test loop in West Texas for a total of 7,200 miles.
Traction Grading
UTQG Traction Grades are based on the tire's straight line wet coefficient of traction as the tire skids across the specified test surfaces. The UTQG traction test does not evaluate dry braking, dry cornering, wet cornering, or high speed hydroplaning resistance.
