8316-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications Tire related term Meaning
Intended outboard side-
wall (a) The sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bear s manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on the other side-
wall of the tire, or
(b) The outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side that must always
face outward when mounted on a vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire A tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily
intended for use on lightweight trucks or multipur-
pose passenger vehicles
Load rating The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a
given inflation pressure
Maximum load rating The load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible
inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressure The maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire
may be inflated
Measuring rim The rim on which a tire is fitted for physical dimension
requirements
Open splice Any parting at any junction of tread, sidewall, or
innerliner that extends to cord material
Outer diameter The overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall width The linear distance between the exteriors of the side-
walls of an inflated tire, including elevations due to
labeling, decorations, or protective bands or ribs
Passenger car tire A tire intended for use on passenger cars, multipur-
pose passenger vehicles, and trucks, that have a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 lb. or
less.
Ply A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords
8326-1. Specifications
Tire related term Meaning
Ply separation A parting of rubber comp ound between adjacent
plies
Pneumatic tire A mechanical device made of rubber, chemicals, fab-
ric and steel or other mate rials, that, when mounted
on an automotive wheel, provides the traction and
contains the gas or fluid that sustains the load
Radial ply tire A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to
the beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread
Reinforced tire A tire designed to operate at higher loads and at
higher inflation pressures than the corresponding
standard tire
Section width The linear distance between the exteriors of the side-
walls of an inflated tire, excluding elevations due to
labeling, decoration, or protective bands
Sidewall That portion of a tire between the tread and bead
Sidewall separation The parting of the rubber compound from the cord
material in the sidewall
Snow tire A tire that attains a traction index equal to or greater
than 110, compared to the ASTM E-1136 Standard
Reference Test Tire, when using the snow traction test
as described in ASTM F-1805-00, Standard Test
Method for Single Wheel Driving Traction in a
Straight Line on Snow-and Ice-Covered Surfaces,
and which is marked with an Alpine Symbol (
)
on at least one sidewall
Te s t r i m The rim on which a tire is fitted for testing, and may be
any rim listed as appropriate for use with that tire
