Allmand NIGHT-LITE GR Série Manuel D'utilisation page 26

(Letter) The speed rating denotes the speed at which a tire
is designed to be driven for extended periods of time. The
ratings range from 99 miles per hour (mph) to 186 mph.
These ratings are listed below. Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it is not required by law.
Letter Rating
Q
R
S
T
U
H
V
Y
* For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149
mph, tire manufacturers sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed capability over 186 mph, tire
manufacturers always use the letters ZR.
G- U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number. This begins with
the letters "DOT" and indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant
code where it was manufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year the tire was built. For example,
the numbers 3197 means the 31st week of 1997. The other
numbers are marketing codes used at the manufacturer's
discretion. This information is used to contact consumers if a
tire defect requires a recall.
H- The "M+S" or "M/S" indicates that the tire has some mud
and snow capability. Most radial tires have these markings;
hence, they have some mud and snow capability.
I- Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used. The number of
plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric
in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must
indicate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon,
polyester, and others.
J- Maximum Load Rating. This number indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and pounds that can be carried
by the tire.
K- Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure. This number is
the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in
the tire under normal driving conditions.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING (UTQGS)
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
TREADWEAR 200 TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in Addition to These Grades
TREADWEAR
26
Speed Rating
99 mph
106 mph
112 mph
118 mph
124 mph
130 mph
168 mph*
186 mph*
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half (11⁄2) times as well
on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat
and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately
or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.
Additional Information on Light Truck Tires
Tires for light trucks have other markings besides those found
on the sidewalls of passenger tires. See Figure 24 and the
information following.
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