You do not need the vehicle's build sheet to order the right tire. Everything is printed on the sidewall of the tire coming off it. Train your counter staff to read five things, and wrong tire orders all but disappear.
The main number
It looks something like 265/70R17 115T. It breaks down like this:
- 265 — tread width in millimetres.
- 70 — aspect ratio. The sidewall height is 70 per cent of the width; a lower number means a shorter, stiffer sidewall.
- R — radial construction. Effectively every modern passenger and light-truck tire is radial.
- 17 — wheel diameter in inches. This is the one that decides whether it fits the wheel at all.
- 115 — load index. Not a weight; a code that maps to one.
- T — speed rating.
Load index: the number that matters most on a truck
The load index is the number most often ignored and the one that matters most on a pickup. It sets the maximum weight the tire can carry. The vehicle's minimum is on the placard inside the driver's door frame. Match it or beat it — never go under it. A tire under the placard load index is the order you do not want your shop's name on.
The season markings
- M+S — mud and snow. A self-declared marking with no test behind it. Treat it as "fine in slush", not as a winter rating.
- Three-peak mountain snowflake — tested for severe snow service. In Alberta, this is the marking that matters.
- No marking — a summer or touring tire. It hardens and loses grip well before it gets properly cold.
The date code
The last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year of manufacture — 3524 is the 35th week of 2024. Rubber ages whether it is driven on or not, so it is worth checking on anything that has sat a while.
Then order by size
Width, aspect ratio, rim diameter, load index, season marking. Read those five off the tire being replaced and the order is right first time. Enter the size in the tire size finder on the tire range — 13 lines, 79 sizes — use the quick order pad for several sizes at once, or call the trade line on 780-909-2222.