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reduction factor is prescribed by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS) and is based on the expectation that passenger-type tires may
experience more severe loading and usage conditions when applied to
light trucks.) For example, 305/50R20 has a maximum load capacity of
3086 lbs. If this tire is fitted to a light truck, the actual allowable load for
the tire is 2805 lbs. (3086 lbs. divided by 1.1).
Consult the load and inflation charts that can be found at
www.nittotire.com. Contact Nitto Technical Service with any tire re-
placement questions:
888-529-8200
Pacific Time.
VEHICLES WITH MODIFIED SUSPENSION
WARNING!
ROLLOVER HAZARD
Large-diameter tires and modified suspensions that increase ground
clearance will alter vehicle handling.
•The vehicle may become more likely to roll over.
•Braking distances may increase.
•Slower speeds may be required to maintain control.
Drive with extreme caution until you become familiar with how
your vehicle handles. Always wear your seat belt.
Some modifications may be illegal in your state. Consult your
Owner ’s Manual, the instructions for this product, and state law
before modifying your vehicle.
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USEFUL TIRE INFORMATION
There is a lot of useful information molded into the sidewall of a tire. It
shows the name of the tire, its size, if it is tubeless or tube type, the
maximum load and maximum inflation, and important safety warnings.
The sidewall markings on passenger and light truck tires are slightly
different.
TYPICAL PASSENGER TIRE
The letters “DOT” certify compliance with all applicable safety standards
established by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Adjacent to
this is a tire identification or serial number. This serial number is a code
with up to 12 digits that are a combination of numbers and letters. The
last characters are numbers identifying the week and year of manufac-
ture. (For example, “1502” means the fifteenth week of the year 2002.)
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The DOT requires tire manufacturers to grade passenger car tires based
on three performance factors: Treadwear, Traction and Temperature
resistance. (See the “Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)” section for
more details.)
The sidewall also shows the type of cord and the number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
TYPICAL LIGHT TRUCK TIRE
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING (UTQG)
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (“UTQG”) standards are intended to
assist you in making an informed choice in your purchase of passenger
car tires by providing information indicating relative performance in the
areas of treadwear, wet stopping traction, and temperature resistance. All
passenger car tires must conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
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