Tyre Repairs & Replacements

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How To Find The Correct Tyre Size

With many different sizes, types, and brands of tyres on the market, the right choice of tyre for your vehicle has many factors to consider and may be quite confusing. To help you to make the right choice, we have prepared the following guide to tyres to help.

To find the correct size of tyre for your vehicle, you can look on the sidewall of your existing tyre or in your vehicle's driver manual. You will see a series of numbers that look like this:


So, What Do The Numbers Mean?

Width - quite simply, the width of the tyre in millimeters. The example about the tyre (pictured in the above image on the left) is 185 mm wide.

Profile - also known as the tyre Aspect Ratio. This number relates to the ratio - expressed as a percentage - of the tyre height to the width of the sidewall. In this case 55% of 185mm.

Rim Size - The diameter of the wheel rim that the tyre is to be fitted to.

Load Rating - The load rating of a tyre determines what weight each tyre is able to carry. This is usually found after the diameter reading and before the speed rating. The following table shows the weight that each index rating is able to carry:

Speed Rating - You will find the speed rating at the end of the tyre's size. It is always represented by a letter - in the following example the tyre speed rating is "H", and represents the maximum speed at which the tyre can carry a load corresponding to its load rating.

  • Tyre Pressure – Make sure you check your tyre pressures regularly to ensure they meet the required recommendations of your air pressure PSI. Air pressure in tyres is measured in pounds per square inch, known as PSI. The average vehicle tyre pressure ranges between 31 and 35 PSI.

    Your vehicle’s tyre pressure can typically be found on a printed label inside your car, normally on the door of the front passenger side. If you are unsure of your pressures visit one of our branches and we will check and top up your tyre pressures for you.

    Please note, that tyre pressure depends on the load of the vehicle, the season i.e. Winter or Summer., weather conditions, and mileage.

    It is important to note that the UK legal tyre tread limit is 1.6mm, although it is generally recommended that drivers change their tyres once they get down to 3mm. Not only is this safe practise, incorrect tyre pressure can cause your vehicle to pull to one side, wear your tyres out quicker, and decrease the fuel efficiency of your car.

  • As cars get older, certain parts may start to fail or become worn down, especially your tyres. Your tyres should be frequently checked for cuts, tears, cracks, and even bulges, as any of these damages can result in your vehicle blowing out, which can be fatal at high speed.

    Many service stations have air pressure machines, so don’t leave checking your tyres to just your annual car service or MOT. If you are unsure about the condition of your tyres, please visit us at our garage in Eastbourne, so that we can check them for you.

  • Currently, in the UK, it is a legal requirement for UK law for a car to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, in a continuous band around the central three-quarters of the tyre.

    Anything less is an illegal tyre and puts you, your passengers, and other road users at risk if your tyres are less than this amount. Drivers are recommended to change tyres once they get to 3mm.