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#Step-by-Step Guide

Learn To Read A Tire Sidewall With 12 Simple Steps

Continental develops pioneering technologies to make your fleet safer, more efficient, and more connected, and it all starts with a name. Tire naming is more than letters and numbers. All information on a tire sidewall has meaning. From size, type, and performance, learn how to read a Continental Tire in this step-by-step guide.



Open Road

Continental Tires for Commercial Vehicles

Diagram of the Product Name marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This area identifies the product name (Ex. Conti HSR 3). Please note that Generation 3 products and newer will have the "Conti" prefix in the name.

Diagram of the Load Ratings marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates the load range. The load range corresponds to the ply rating of the tire.

Load ratings determine a commercial vehicle's carrying capacity and are based on varying factors including load range.

Load Ratings Close-up

This marking identifies the area for branding your inventory number.

Diagram of the Regroovable & Retreadable tire marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates that the tire has sufficient rubber thickness under grooves to permit regrooving.

Learn more about ContiTread™. Continental Tire's premium product for cold retreading of truck tires and bus tires.

Load Ratings Close-up

Diagram of the Tire Size marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates the tire size.

This marking indicates the applications or use of the tire.

Application is how we name our tires. Our truck and bus tires are part of the following categories: Long Haul, Regional, Urban, Construction, and Off-Road.

Learn more about our New Generation Product Naming.

Load Ratings Close-up

Diagram of the Safety Warning marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This area communicates the risks associated with improper mounting and inflation procedures.

Load Ratings Close-up

Diagram of the Country of Manufacturer marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates the country where the tire was manufactured.

Load Ratings Close-up

This area displays the tire brand under which the product was manufactured. This tire is manufactured by Continental Tire.

Diagram of the Intelligent Mark tire marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates that the tire is equipped with TPMS Sensor. Please note that Generation 3 products and older may display the predecessor "Active Sensor" marking.

Learn more about the benefits of Continental's Intelligent Tires, pre-equipped with TPMS sensors.

Load Ratings Close-up

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC provides a service description on the sidewall of all premium products.

This service description is located close to the tire size designation on the sidewall of the tire. 

The service description includes the Load Index and Speed Symbol.

Load Ratings Close-up

Diagram of the D.O.T. Number tire marking on Continental Truck Tires.

This marking indicates D.O.T. serial number including the production date.

Learn how to read a DOT code here.

Load Ratings Close-up