Every Vehicle Tire Has Important Information on Them

Here's where to find it and what it all means.

There are certain times in life when some of us feel like we are less than smart. Think about the last time you were asked a question by a "professional" and as soon as they asked it you felt uneducated. Now, I'm not calling anyone dumb, but over the years there have been a few times when I've been asked a question by someone, and as soon as they asked it I felt as if I don't know the answer they thought to themselves, "This guy is a moron!" Let me explain...

Car Questions

Almost everyone reading this has at one time or another owned and been responsible for the maintenance of a vehicle. Have you ever had a mechanic ask you a question that as soon as they asked it you felt like they were judging you one way or another by your answer? It's happened to me so many times and after finding my daughter trying to answer a car question the other day I thought I would try to help so if you ever get asked the question she was asked you'll be ready to answer.

What Size Tires Do You Have?

That was the question she was trying to answer when I pulled into her driveway the other day. She was on the phone talking to someone and trying to locate the size of the tires on her car. When I got out she said, "Dad do you know what size these tires are?" I proceeded to tell her that you can find the size on the outer part of tire and point to the numbers located on the tire. She bent down, looked, and said, "All of those numbers? Why can't it be one number like clothes' and shoes?"....LOL! Oh boy!

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What Do the Numbers on a Tire Mean?

If you look at the tires on most vehicles the tires all have numbers on them like the one above. Each set of numbers means something different and according to my friend Peter at Tire King in Wappingers Falls, New York, the important numbers are the ones highlighted in yellow above. So the next time you are asked what size tires you have you will be able to answer. The tires above are P 215 65 R 15.

How Old Are My Tires?

Thanks to James from Sparrowbush, New York we now know that the numbers circled above let us know how old your tires are. In the picture, the 44 is the week of the year and the 21 is the year the tire was made.