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Tire News & Information

SimpleTire's glossary of tire terms

Last updated 11/03/2023 - Originally published 9/23/2020
Written by SimpleTire

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

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