on the front axle. Only if studded winter/snow tires are installed on all
wheel positions of a vehicle will optimum handling characteristics be
achieved.
WARNING!
Installing only two studded winter/snow tires on the front axle of
any vehicle (including front-wheel-drive vehicles) without studded
winter/snow tires on the rear axle can cause adverse vehicle
handling characteristics. This can result in a loss of vehicle control,
which could cause serious personal injury or death.
mNOTICE!
In some cases, the vehicle manufacturer may specifically advise against
replacing fewer than all four tires. Always check and follow the
recommendations in the vehicle Owner’s Manual. For 4WD and AWD
vehicles, even small differences in outside diameter may cause drivetrain
damage or mechanical malfunction.
REPLACING TWO TIRES
•When a pair of replacement tires is selected in the same size and
construction as those on the vehicle, the two newer tires must be
installed on the rear axle and must be of equal or higher speed rating
than the front tires. Generally, new tires with deeper tread will provide
better grip and evacuate water more effectively, which is important as
a driver approaches hydroplaning situations. Placing greater traction
on the rear axle on wet surfaces is necessary to prevent a possible
oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability.
•When two new tires have been installed onto the rear axle positions,
they are to be kept on the rear but rotated from side to side. This is
recommended after installing two new tires to the rear position, or if
you discover significant tread depth differences between the front and
rear positions during rotation intervals.
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Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size, construction,
and speed rating may be used in a five-tire rotation pattern.
After rotation, check the inflation pressure of all the tires. The front and
rear tire pressures may vary according to the vehicle manufacturer ’s
specifications.
Remember to follow your vehicle Owner ’s Manual for tire rotation
intervals. Your Limited Warranty recommends Nitto brand tires to be
rotated as follows:
•Every 3,500 miles or less for high performance (low profile) tires.
•
Every 7,500 miles or less for standard passenger and light truck tires.
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More frequent rotation or a thorough vehicle inspection may be necessary
if, upon inspection, irregular or erratic treadwear is beginning to appear.
It is important to remember the following:
•These tire rotation recommendations do not take into account different
tire and construction types mixed on the vehicle.
•Some tires cannot be rotated in the manner described. Such tires
include unidirectional tires. Unidirectional tread patterns must be
rotated front-to-rear only so that the direction of revolution does not
change.
•Some vehicles are designed with different tire sizes on the front and
rear axles. Normally, such combinations will not allow rotation. Prior
to rotating, consult the vehicle Owner ’s Manual.
•For vehicles with dual rear wheels, see the vehicle Owner ’s Manual for
the vehicle manufacturer ’s procedures. If your vehicle Owner ’s
Manual is not available, please contact the vehicle manufacturer.
•Some vehicles are equipped with wheels that limit the choice of
rotation pattern. Consult the vehicle Owner ’s Manual.
•Do not include temporary spare tires in the rotation pattern. However,
if your spare tire is the same size and type as a road tire (for LT tires
of the same size, type, and load rating), it should be included in the tire
rotation process. The proper procedure is to use the vehicle manufac-
turer ’s recommended tire rotation procedures, or if not available, to
use the appropriate rotation pattern shown, inserting the spare in the
right rear position. Place the tire that would have gone to the right rear
in the spare tire storage position as the new spare.
•Important! After rotation, adjust the pressure of the individual tires to
the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendation or the inflation pressure
recommended by Nitto for an optional fitment according to the tire’s
new location on the vehicle.
•Do not mix speed-rated tires on the same axle. Higher speed-rated tires
must remain on the rear axle. Consult your authorized Nitto dealer.
TIRE SPEED RATING
All Nitto passenger and light truck tires have a maximum speed rating
based on size and type. Tires must never be operated in excess of their
rated speed limit! Consult your tire dealer or contact Nitto at
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Tires may be marked with one of these speed symbols: M, N, P, Q, R, S,
T, U, H, V, W, Y, or (Y) to identify the particular tire’s speed rating.
Additionally, the letter Z may appear in the size designation.
When purchasing or replacing speed-rated tires, make sure to:
•Use the ranking in the following chart to compare the speed symbols
of all the tires.
•Follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendations, if any, concern-
ing the use of speed-rated tires.
To avoid reducing the speed capability of the vehicle, replace a speed-
rated tire only with another tire having at least the same or higher speed
rating. Remember, the “top speed” of the “lowest rated” tire on the car
cannot be exceeded without risk of tire failure.
The letter symbols and corresponding design speeds are:
Speed-Rated Symbol Speed Category
M Up to 81 mph (130 km/h)
N Up to 87 mph (140 km/h)
P Up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q Up to 99 mph (160 km/h)
R Up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S Up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T Up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U Up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H Up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V Up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
W Up to 168 mph (270 km/h)*
Y Up to 186 mph (300 km/h)*
ZR Over 149 mph (240 km/h)**
(Y) Over 186 mph (300 km/h)**
* Any tire with a speed capability above 149 mph (240 km/h) can, at the
tire manufacturer ’s option, include a “Z” in the size designation (e.g.,
245/40ZR18). If the load index and the speed symbol are not included,
the tire manufacturer must be consulted for the maximum speed capa-
bility (P245/40ZR18 speed capability is greater than 149 mph
[240 km/h]). If a service description is included with the size description,
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B. Water Depth – The deeper the water, the sooner your tires will lose
traction. Even thin water layers can create sufficient lubrication to
cause traction loss at low speeds, depending on road conditions.
C. Tire Tread Depth – As your tires wear down, their decreased ability
to resist hydroplaning can result in a complete loss of traction and
vehicle control. You should always reduce your speed with con-
sideration for the traffic around you.
•Driving on ice and snow – Your all-season tires were designed to
provide higher levels of snow traction compared to non-all- season
tires. You have all-season tires if you find letters “M&S” are molded
into the sidewall near the bead. These letters mean “Mud and Snow.”
Tires designed for use in severe snow conditions generally have tread
patterns, structure, and materials for giving superior performance.
These tires are marked with the “M&S” designation plus a mountain/
snowflake symbol
. Even the best all-season tires will not provide
acceptable levels of traction if you drive too fast in snow or ice
conditions and if you do not allow more stopping distance on icy roads
compared to dry road surfaces. Your ability to safely maneuver your
vehicle in snow or ice conditions is considerably reduced if your tires
are too worn to provide adequate road grip.
SAFE USE OF TEMPORARY SPARE TIRES
WARNING!
The spare tire your car is equipped with may be of a different size
and construction from the other tires on your vehicle. When using
any temporary type spare tire, be sure to follow the vehicle
manufacturer ’s instructions. Failure to observe recommended
precautions could lead to erratic vehicle behavior and/or tire
damage, possibly resulting in an accident and serious personal
injury or death.
•The temporary spare tire is designed for temporary use only. It must
not be used continuously as a standard tire. The temporary spare tire
should be returned to the trunk as soon as it is convenient to have your
standard tire repaired or replaced.
•The temporary spare tire should not be used for speeds exceeding
50 mph.
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•Never use chains on temporary spare tires, because it could cause
damage to your vehicle.
•When you replace the temporary tire, replace it only with the same
type of tire.
•A full-size spare tire in your vehicle is intended for use as a spare when
needed. Please see the “Tire Rotation” section for the proper proce-
dures for including the same size construction and speed-rated tire (for
LT tires of the same size, type, and load rating) in the rotation pattern.
(Do not rotate a temporary spare tire.)
WARNING!
Check inflation pressure before using your spare tire. Failure to
have proper inflation pressure when using your spare tire may
cause loss of vehicle control, which could result in serious personal
injury or death. Maintain spare tire inflation pressures based on the
vehicle Owner ’s Manual or the Tire Information Placard.
“T” Type high-pressure temporary spare tires should not be used
with any other wheel, nor should standard tires, snow tires, wheel
covers, or trim rings be used on the high-pressure spare tire wheel.
If you fail to follow this warning, your vehicle’s handling
characteristics can be seriously affected. You could have an accident
resulting in serious personal injury or death. Consult your vehicle
Owner ’s Manual for the proper use of your “temporary use” spare
tire.
Do not operate your vehicle with more than one temporary spare in
use (this does not apply to a full size spare), and only operate it at
limited speeds and distances as indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
The “T” Type temporary spare tire may lower ground clearance
when used. Avoid driving over large obstacles and other road
hazards. Check your vehicle Owner ’s Manual for other special
clearance precautions when using the “T” Type temporary spare tire
provided in your vehicle.
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REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR LIGHT TRUCKS – P-METRIC VS.
LT-TRUCK
Tire installers should exercise extreme caution when replacing tires on
light trucks.
The maximum load capacity stamped on the sidewall of a P-metric tire is
reduced by a factor of 1.1 when used on a light truck, a sport utility
vehicle, or a trailer.
WARNING!
P-metric and LT-metric tires are not necessarily interchangeable.
P-metric and LT-metric tires follow completely different Load/
Inflation tables and are designed to carry different loads at different
pressures.
LT-metric tires carry their load at higher inflation pressures and do
not always have adequate load capacity to replace P-metric tires of
the same size.
After reducing a P-metric tire’s load rating by dividing by 1.1 for
fitment on a Light Truck, the P-metric tire may not offer sufficient
load capacity to replace an LT-metric tire of the same size.
Contact your Nitto dealer or Nitto Technical Service for help
determining how to choose a proper replacement size.
Driving with underinflated or overloaded tires may result in
immediate tire failure, which can cause an accident and could lead
to serious personal injury or death.
When a P-metric or metric tire is installed on a light truck (SUV, pickup,
minivan), the load rating is reduced by dividing by 1.1. (This load
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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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