If you've ever looked at the side of a tire, you've probably noticed a strange combination of numbers and letters, such as 225/45 R17 91W, followed by a long string of codes, the word “DOT,” and plenty of other markings. It looks complicated or even intimidating to some drivers.
But those numbers are essentially the tire's ID card. They tell you how wide it is, how tall its sidewall is, what type of construction it uses, what size wheel it fits, how much weight it can carry, and how fast it's rated to travel. And some of the numbers can even tell you when the tire was made.
