The two most important components in any road going vehicle are its tyres and brakes.

The wrong type or combination can be dangerous as are badly worn or damaged tyres, brake pads and disc rotors.

Navigating through the different makes, sizes, uses and types of tyres is a harrowing experience especially if you are an average motorist without the intricate knowledge of tyre technology.

Basically in motorsport there are three types of tyre: The slick with no grooves used for dry weather tarmac racing; the intermediate for damp conditions becoming dry and the wet which has grooves and is used in the rain.

Amongst these simple choices for track purposes there are also different tyre compounds that deal with grip and performance.

Automotive tyre technology begins on high-performance racing cars and eventually filters through to street tyres.

Paramount to choosing a tyre for your ride, is to go to the manufacturers tyre information decal located in your car usually inside the front door or in the glovebox. After ascertaining what the manufacturer recommends, consider how you use your vehicle and your driving habits.

There are many brands of tyres that will fit the description, but what is best for you is where the quandary lies.

There are so many tyre retailers with razzle-dazzle deals that many motorists just go for the cheapest set that fits their wheels without asking pertinent questions or even considering wrong choice implications.

In an emergency it’s just your tyres and brakes between you and serious injury or even death!

Deciphering the bunch of letters and numbers on a tyre’s sidewall will paint a clearer picture of what a tyre is rated to do, its predicted longevity, and what its special characteristics are to assist the motorist in making an informed decision.

Each section of the small print on a tyre’s sidewall means something, such as the manufacturers brand, the width of the tyre size in millimetres, the aspect ratio, speed rating and the wheel size in inches.

There are also further markings and codes that indicate tread wear, temperature and traction.

For example, the tyre markings read: XBRAND 580 P 225/35 ZR18 091 Y and in smaller writing below or to the side – Treadwear 250, Traction AA, Temperature A – But what does it all mean?

Tyre type:

XBRAND 580 – Obviously the brand name and tyre identification or part number.

The P designates that it’s for a passenger vehicle or LT for light truck and T for a space saver tyre.

Tyre width:

225 is the width of the tyre in millimetres (mm), from sidewall to sidewall when its fitted to the intended rim size.

Aspect ratio:

35 indicates the height of the tyre (mm) as a percentage of the width.

The shorter the aspect ratio, the wider the tyre is in relation to its height.

Tyre construction:

The Z indicates that it is a high-performance tyre and the R means it is of radial construction.

Early model or historic cars use cross-ply tyres designated D or of bias belted construction B.

Rim diameter:

18 in this case specifies, in inches, the wheel rim diameter the tyre is designed for.

Load rating:

091 is a number that co-relates to the maximum rated load for that specific tyre.

The higher the number the higher the load capacity.

Speed rating: The letter Y that follows the load rating indicates the maximum speed allowed for this tyre (The Y represents speeds in excess of 300 kph). The lower the letter of the alphabet, the lower the speed rating.

Tread wear:

The number 250 comes from testing the tyre in controlled conditions.

You can expect the tyre tread with a larger number to last longer than one with a smaller number.

Traction:

Tyre traction is rated AA, A, B or C, with AA at the top of the scale.

This rating is based on the tyre’s ability to stop a car on a wet surface, but it does not indicate cornering stability and grip.

Temperature:

Temperature ratings are A, B or C.

The temperature grade applies to a properly inflated tyre.

Under inflation, overloading or excessive speed can lead to heat build-up which can cause tyres to wear out faster, or lead to tyre failure.

Once you are savvy with these indicators you then have to consider what kind of grip, feel and balance you want from a tyre.

Every tyre has reasonable to good handling in the dry, but in the rain, with cornering forces on some cars reaching 1.2g, lateral handling, grip and stopping power is most important.

Remember, even the best tyre will take approximately an additional 70 to 80 percent distance to stop in the wet.

High performance tyres usually have a lower aspect ratio which provide better lateral stability when cornering because the tyre’s stiffer, shorter, less flexing sidewalls resist cornering forces better.

So what’s better for your driving?

Use the best tyres available correctly inflated and don’t travel at speeds inappropriate for the prevailing conditions.