Decoding Your Chevy Tires

All Chevy tires may be the same color, but that is where the similarity ends, and the confusing tire specifications begin. Understanding the numbers stamped on your tires can help you make better choices. We invite you to visit the Casey Chevrolet parts department and speak with our tire specialists about your questions, but we’ve prepared this guide in the meantime.

Decoding Tire Specifications

The information stamped on the side of your Chevy tires is important tire information, albeit appearing to be written in code, such as tires stamped with “P215/65R16 95H” decodes as:

• P: These tires are for passenger vehicles.
• 215: This is the tire’s width, represented in millimeters.
• 65: This is the aspect ratio of the tire’s cross-section as a percentage of its width.
• R: Denotes radial construction.
• 16: Wheel diameter in inches.
• 95: The value for the load index, or maximum load the tire can support.
• H: The speed rating indicates the maximum safe speed for the tire.

Understanding Tire Patterns and Design

Chevy tire designs can tell you something about the conditions they’re engineered for.

• Asymmetrical Tread Patterns: Designed for performance vehicles, they provide superior grip and handling, especially in wet conditions.
• Symmetrical Tread Patterns: These are most commonly found in everyday vehicles, and they have a longer tread life and a smoother ride.
• Directional Tread Patterns: These tires are optimized for high-speed performance and wet-weather traction and must be mounted in a specific direction.

What About Seasonal Tires?

Here, too, there are differing designs with their own advantages and disadvantages. Most cars ship with all-season tires made to perform acceptably year-round. However, there are summer tires with rubber formulations designed to beat the summer heat and winter tires with compounds that preserve flexibility and traction in ice-cold temperatures, snow, and slush.

Buy Chevy Tires in Newport News, VA

If you have additional questions about decoding your tires, contact the Casey Chevrolet parts department. We will be happy to help you decode and answer your tire mysteries. Then, we’ll order and install a set ideal for your vehicle and driving habits!