Here you go - a tire dictionary with everything you ever wanted to know about tire definitions, all in SimpleTire's tire glossary of tire terms. Some of it is a bit technical, and a lot of it you don't really need to know unless you're just a tire nerd like we are.
If you have any questions, one of our tire experts is just a click away.
B
- Balancing: Using weights to correct mass distribution imbalance on a spinning wheel and tire assembly.
- Bead: The bead of the tire clamps securely to the wheel and creates an air-tight seal.
- Bias Tires: Bias ply tires were the earliest form of automotive tires with the crown and sidewall plies overlapping supporting both the tread and sidewall, resulting in a stiffer sidewall and higher puncture resistance.
- Bias-Belted Tires
C
D
- DOT Code: U.S. required serial number that identifies where it was manufactured, the size & manufacturer's code, along with the week and year it was manufactured. Example "DOT AF WD9E 0517" indicates the tire was made in the 5th week of 2017.
F
I
L
M
P
- Ply: Layers of materials (such as nylon, rayon, kevlar) that, along with the belts, give a tire it's shape and strength once inflated.
- Pneumatic Trail
R
S
T
V
W