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Tire Ratings and Tire Safety
Radial Ply Construction
The "R" stands for radial. Radial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard for the past 20 years. Most likely you’ll never be shopping for regular ply tires for you car unless you are equipping a classic or antique.
M+S
The "M+S" or "M/S" indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capability. Most radial tires have these markings; hence, they have some mud and snow capability. If you do a lot of driving in mud or snow then these will definitely perform better than tires not rated this way.
Traction Letter
This letter indicates a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher graded tire should allow you to stop your car on wet roads in a shorter distance than a tire with a lower grade. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as "AA","A", "B", and "C".
Temperature Letter
This letter indicates a tire's resistance to heat. The temperature grade is for a tire that is inflated properly and not overloaded. Excessive speed, under inflation or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat build-up and possible tire failure. From highest to lowest, a tire's resistance to heat is graded as "A", "B", or "C". This may be important to know if you live or will be driving in very hot areas or consistently drive at higher speeds. If that is the case then you should opt for the higher heat resistant tires.
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