Treadwear Temperature
--
A,
B,
C
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
one
and a
half
(1
1/2)
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
--
A,
B,
C
The traction grades, from highest
to
lowest, are
A,
B,
and
C,
and
they
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.
Warning:
The
traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No.
109. Grades
B
and
A
represent higher levels
of
performance
on
the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
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.
6-46
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