Tire Centre in Thunder Bay

Tire Centre (FAQs)

At Auto-One Car Care and Service Centre, we provide new tires to customers in Thunder Bay and all of Northwestern Ontario. Use our consumer tire guide below to learn more about tire type, tire width, aspect ratio, construction, wheel diameter, load index, and speed rating. Find out how these basic tire traits can help you choose the right tire for your vehicle. We are experts on tires and would be very happy to offer you advice and helpful service for all your tire needs.

Designates the type of vehicle the tire is designed to fit: passenger (P), light truck (LT), temporary space (T), and special trailers (ST). No letter indicates that the tire is euro-metric

Indicates the width or thickness of the tire in millimetres. Measured from the widest point of a tire's sidewall to the widest point of its inner sidewall. Also known as Section Width.

Identifies the relationship between the tire's sidewall height and the tire's width. A lower ratio means a smaller sidewall height, better cornering, and rougher ride.

Refers to the tire's internal construction. Nearly every tire on the road has a radical construction, which means the cords of the carcass plies inside the tire radiate directly across one side of the tire to the other. Other letters are D (diagonal) and B (belted).

Indicates the diameter of the wheel the tire is designed to fit. In this case, the tire will fit a wheel with an 18-inch diameter.

Refers to the weight a tire can carry at its maximum rate of inflation. The number corresponds to a load capacity found in a load index chart. In this case, 97 corresponds to a load index of 1,609 pounds.

Designates the maximum safe speed at which the tire is designed to carry a load under certain conditions. The range of speed ratings is from A (lowest) to Y (highest), with the only exception being that H falls between U and V. Surpassing the lawful speed limit is not recommended.