2020 FORD TRANSIT Owners Manual

United States Department of
Transportation Tire Quality
Grades
The United States of America
Department of Transportation
requires Ford Motor Company to
give you the following information
about tire grades exactly as the
government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear 1½ times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING: The traction
grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics. The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire
’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled
conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C WARNING:
The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B and C,
representing the tire ’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the
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Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 139. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•
Tire label: A label showing the
OE (Original Equipment) tire
sizes, recommended inflation
pressure and the maximum
weight the vehicle can carry.
• Tire Identification Number
(TIN): A number on the
sidewall of each tire providing
information about the tire
brand and manufacturing
plant, tire size and date of
manufacture. Also referred to
as DOT code.
• Inflation pressure: A measure
of the amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load:
A class of
P-metric or Metric tires
designed to carry a maximum
load at set pressure. For
example: for P-metric tires
35 psi (2.4 bar)
and for Metric
tires 36 psi (2.5 bar). Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond
this pressure will not increase
the tire capability.
• Extra load: A class of P-metric
or Metric tires designed to carry
a heavier maximum load at
42 psi (2.9 bar)
. Increasing the
inflation pressure beyond this
pressure will not increase the
tire ’s load carrying capability. •
bar
Metric unit of atmospheric
pressure.
• kPa:
Kilopascal, a metric unit
of air pressure.
• PSI:
Pounds per square inch, a
standard unit of air pressure.
• Cold tire pressure:
The tire
pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of
direct sunlight for an hour or
more and prior to the vehicle
being driven for
1 mi (1.6 km).
• Recommended inflation
pressure:
The cold inflation
pressure found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the
door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the
driver seating position) or Tire
Label located on the B-Pillar or
the edge of the driver door.
• B-pillar:
The structural
member at the side of the
vehicle behind the front door.
• Bead area of the tire: Area of
the tire next to the rim.
• Sidewall of the tire:
Area
between the bead area and the
tread.
• Tread area of the tire:
Area of
the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when
mounted on the vehicle.
• Rim:
The metal support
(wheel) for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the
tire beads are seated.
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Information Contained on the
Tire Sidewall
United States of America, and
Canada Federal regulations
require tire manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a United States of
America DOT Tire Identification
Number for safety standard
certification and in case of a recall.
P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below.
Note:
Tire size, load index and
speed rating for your vehicle may
be different from the following
example. P: Indicates a tire,
designated by the Tire
and Rim Association, that
may be used for service on
cars, sport utility vehicles,
minivans and light trucks.
A
215: Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in
millimeters from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
B
65:
Indicates the aspect
ratio which gives the tire's
ratio of height to width.
C
R:
Indicates a radial type
tire.
D
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15: Indicates the wheel or
rim diameter in inches. If
you change the wheel
size, you will have to
purchase new tires to
match the new wheel
diameter.
E
95:
Indicates the tire's
load index. It is an index
that relates to how much
weight a tire can carry.
You may find this
information in the Owner ’s
Guide. If not, contact a
local tire dealer.
F
H:
Indicates the tire's
speed rating. The speed
rating denotes the speed
at which a tire is designed
to be driven for extended
periods of time under a
G
standard condition of load
and inflation pressure.
The tires on your vehicle
may operate at different
conditions for load and
inflation pressure. These
speed ratings may need
to be adjusted for the
difference in conditions.
The ratings range from 81
mph (130 kph) to 186 mph
(299 kph). These ratings
are listed in the following
chart. United States of
America DOT Tire
Identification Number
(TIN):
This begins with
the letters DOT and
indicates that the tire
H
meets all federal
standards. The next two
numbers or letters are the
plant code designating
where it was
manufactured, the next
two are the tire size code
and the last four numbers
represent the week and
year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317
mean the 31st week of
1997. After 2000 the
numbers go to four digits.
For example, 2501 means
the 25th week of 2001.
The numbers in between
are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to
contact customers if a tire
defect requires a recall.
M+S or M/S:
Mud and
Snow, AT: All Terrain, AS:
All Season.
I
Tire Ply Composition
and Material Used:
Indicates the number of
plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire tread and
J
sidewall. Tire
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manufacturers also must
indicate the ply materials
in the tire and the
sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
Maximum Load:
Indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and
pounds that can be
carried by the tire. Refer to
the Safety Compliance
K
Certification Label
(affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge
that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver
seating position), for the
correct tire pressure for
your vehicle.
Treadwear, Traction
and Temperature
Grades:Treadwear The
treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
L
when tested under
controlled conditions on
a specified government
test course. For example,
a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half
times as well on the
government course as a
tire graded 100. Traction:
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest are AA,
A, B, and C. The grades
represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature:
The
temperature grades are A
(the highest), B and C,
representing the tire's
resistance to the
generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat
when tested under
controlled conditions on
a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel.
Maximum Inflation
Pressure:
Indicates the
tire manufacturer's
maximum permissible
pressure or the pressure
at which the maximum
M
load can be carried by the
tire. This pressure is
normally higher than the
manufacturer's
recommended cold
inflation pressure, which
can be found on the
Safety Compliance
Certification Label
(affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge
that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver
seating position), or Tire
Label which is located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of
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the driver door. The cold
inflation pressure should
never be set lower than
the recommended
pressure on the vehicle
label.
Tire speed ratings
mph ( km/h)
Letter
rating
81 mph (130 km/h)
M
87 mph (140 km/h)
N
99 mph (159 km/h)
Q
106 mph (171 km/h)
R
112 mph (180 km/h)
S
118 mph (190 km/h)
T
124 mph (200 km/h)
U
130 mph (210 km/h)
H
149 mph (240 km/h)
V
168 mph (270 km/h)
W
186 mph (299 km/h)
Y
Note: For tires with a maximum
speed capability over 149 mph
(240 km/h), tire manufacturers
sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always
use the letters ZR. Note:
If the tire size does not begin
with a letter, this may mean it is
designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical
Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association). You
may not find this information on all
tires because it is not required by
federal law.
Note: The tire suppliers may have
additional markings, notes or
warnings, for example standard
load, radial tubeless, etc.
T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a
tire size. T type tires have some
additional information beyond
those of P type tires. The
definitions of these items are
listed below.
Note: The temporary tire size for
your vehicle may be different from
this example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire.
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T: Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire
and Rim Association, that
is intended for temporary
service on cars,
sport-utility vehicles,
minivans and light trucks.
A
145:
Indicates the
nominal width of the tire
in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger
the number, the wider the
tire.
B 80:
Indicates the aspect
ratio which gives the tire's
ratio of height to width.
Numbers of 70 or lower
indicate a short sidewall.
C
D:
Indicates a diagonal
type tire. R: Indicates a
radial type tire.
D
16:
Indicates the wheel or
rim diameter in inches. If
you change the wheel
size, you will have to
purchase new tires to
match the new wheel
diameter.
E
Additional Information for LT
Type Tires
LT235/85 R16 is an example of a
tire size. LT type tires have some
additional information beyond
those of P type tires. The
definitions of these items are
listed below.
Note: Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire.
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LT: Indicates a tire,
designated by the Tire
and Rim Association
(T&RA), that is intended
for service on light trucks.
A
Load Range and Load
Inflation Limits:
Indicates the tire's
load-carrying capabilities
and its inflation limits.
B Maximum Load Dual lb
(kg) at psi (kPa) cold:
Indicates the maximum
load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a
dual, defined as four tires
on the rear axle (a total of
six or more tires on the
vehicle).
C
Maximum Load Single
lb (kg) at psi (kPa)
cold:
Indicates the
maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is
used as a single, defined
as two tires (total) on the
rear axle.
D
Additional Information for
ETRTO Euro-Metric
Commercial Vehicle Tires
Euro-metric commercial vehicle
tires end in the letter "C" (for
example, 235/65R16
C). The "C"
does not signify the tire's Load
Range like the T&RA LT tire
dimension (for example,
LT245/75R17
E).
Tire Load Capacities are identified
by the Single/Dual Load indexes
that follow the tire size on the
tire's sidewall (for example,
235/65R16C
121/119).
Note: Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire.
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BC
BDE142544