vanagon.com - Tire codes — historical view 2008-07-08 (preserved 2008-12-01)

Tires codes

Tires are usually named with a series of codes. For example, one of the recommended tires for Vanagons is the 'Yohohama Y356 LT 195/75 R14 (load range D)'. The latter part of this (195/75 R14) is a uniform code assigned to tires. This section tells you how to intepret this code.

Speed Rating

Sustained speed rating is designated by a letter code. Vanagons require a minimum speed rating of 'R'. (Don't be confused with 'R', though. In '195/75 R14', the 'R' is means 'radial' and is not a speed rating.)

Q
99 mph 160 kph
R 106 mph 170 kph

S
112 mph 180 kph
T 118 mph 190 kph

U
124 mph 200 kph

H
130 mph 210 kph
V 149 mph 240 kph
W 270 kph
Y 300 kph

Z
149+ mph 240+ kph

(I'm not sure why 'H' is in there, except that some person thought it would be cool if 'H' stood for 'high speed'.)

Tire widths

Wheel diameters are usually in inches and tire width in millimeters or a letter designation. In our example of '195/75 R14', '195' is the tire width in millimeters, and '14' is the wheel diameter in inches.

mm letter inches
80 MH 3.00
90 MJ 3.25
100 ML 3.50
110 MM 4.00
120 MP 4.50
130 MT 5.00
140 MU 5.50
150 MV 6.00

Shoulder heights

The shoulder height is stated as a percentage of the tire width. For example, in '195/75 R14', the shoulder height is 75% of the tire width (195mm), or 146.25mm.

Load index

The load-index figure denotes the maximum load capacity of a tire when driven at maximum speed. Note that you have four tires, so you should multiply the load index value by approximately 4.
Vanagons & Syncros need a load rating of at least 97, while Syncro 16" need a load rating of 104.

Load index kg Load index kg Load index kg

65 290 83 487 101 825

66 300 84 500 102 850

67 307 85 515 103 875

68 315 86 530 104 900

69 325 87 545 105 925

70 335 88 560 106 950

71 345 89 580 107 975

72 355 90 600 108 1000

73 365 91 615 109 1030

74 375 92 630 110 1060

75 387 93 650 111 1090

76 400 94 670 112 1120

77 412 95 690 113 1150

78 425 96 710 114 1180

79 237 97 730 115 1215

80 450 98 750 116 1250

81 462 99 775 117 1285

82 475 100 800 118 1320

119 1360

Miscellaneous codes

P Passenger
LT Light Truck
R Radial
B Belted

Q	99 mph	160 kph
R	106 mph	170 kph
S	112 mph	180 kph
T	118 mph	190 kph
U	124 mph	200 kph
H	130 mph	210 kph
V	149 mph	240 kph
W		270 kph
Y		300 kph
Z	149+ mph	240+ kph

mm	letter	inches
80	MH	3.00
90	MJ	3.25
100	ML	3.50
110	MM	4.00
120	MP	4.50
130	MT	5.00
140	MU	5.50
150	MV	6.00

P	Passenger
LT	Light Truck
R	Radial
B	Belted

Tire Diameters

What is the diameter of a tire?

Here's a table of tire diameters by width and profile, for your speedometer correction calculations. Eurotire, a nice-to-deal-with tire distributor in NJ, used to include this info and more in their catalogs.

14 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	622	---	---	---	---	---
175	634	---	606	---	---	---
185	650	631	624	596	578	---
195	---	651	636	605	590	---
205	---	---	652	---	602	582
215	---	---	665	---	---	---
225	---	---	---	---	626	604
245	---	---	---	---	650	---

15 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	646	---	---	---	---	---
175	660	---	632	---	---	---
185	674	---	648	621	---	---
195	---	---	656	635	615	---
205	---	681	669	647	627	607
215	---	692	682	661	639	---
225	---	694	---	---	---	---
235	---	---	---	---	663	639
265	---	---	---	---	687	---

Diameters are in millimeters, with tire installed on narrowest rims approved for that tire size. Wider rims would give slightly smaller diameter.

Load index	kg	Load index	kg	Load index	kg

65	290	83	487	101	825
66	300	84	500	102	850
67	307	85	515	103	875
68	315	86	530	104	900
69	325	87	545	105	925
70	335	88	560	106	950
71	345	89	580	107	975
72	355	90	600	108	1000
73	365	91	615	109	1030
74	375	92	630	110	1060
75	387	93	650	111	1090
76	400	94	670	112	1120
77	412	95	690	113	1150
78	425	96	710	114	1180
79	237	97	730	115	1215
80	450	98	750	116	1250
81	462	99	775	117	1285
82	475	100	800	118	1320
				119	1360

14 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	622	---	---	---	---	---
175	634	---	606	---	---	---
185	650	631	624	596	578	---
195	---	651	636	605	590	---
205	---	---	652	---	602	582
215	---	---	665	---	---	---
225	---	---	---	---	626	604
245	---	---	---	---	650	---

15 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	646	---	---	---	---	---
175	660	---	632	---	---	---
185	674	---	648	621	---	---
195	---	---	656	635	615	---
205	---	681	669	647	627	607
215	---	692	682	661	639	---
225	---	694	---	---	---	---
235	---	---	---	---	663	639
265	---	---	---	---	687	---

14 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	622	---	---	---	---	---
175	634	---	606	---	---	---
185	650	631	624	596	578	---
195	---	651	636	605	590	---
205	---	---	652	---	602	582
215	---	---	665	---	---	---
225	---	---	---	---	626	604
245	---	---	---	---	650	---

15 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	646	---	---	---	---	---
175	660	---	632	---	---	---
185	674	---	648	621	---	---
195	---	---	656	635	615	---
205	---	681	669	647	627	607
215	---	692	682	661	639	---
225	---	694	---	---	---	---
235	---	---	---	---	663	639
265	---	---	---	---	687	---

14 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	622	---	---	---	---	---
175	634	---	606	---	---	---
185	650	631	624	596	578	---
195	---	651	636	605	590	---
205	---	---	652	---	602	582
215	---	---	665	---	---	---
225	---	---	---	---	626	604
245	---	---	---	---	650	---

15 inch wheels:
	80	75	70	65	60	55
165	646	---	---	---	---	---
175	660	---	632	---	---	---
185	674	---	648	621	---	---
195	---	---	656	635	615	---
205	---	681	669	647	627	607
215	---	692	682	661	639	---
225	---	694	---	---	---	---
235	---	---	---	---	663	639
265	---	---	---	---	687	---