Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/244093
Facts section: Tire sizing Keep these sizes in inventory! You can't rely on your wholesalers for everything V ehicle manufacturers drive tire sizing. If they applied the same size tire to similar chassis more ofen, size proliferation might cease. Tat will not be the case in 2014. Tere are 343 radial passenger tire sizes, according to the Tire and Rim Association. Tere are 199 radial LT sizes. Together, they add up to 542 sizes, 1.7% more than in 2012. Tat compares favorably to 2008, when there were 519 sizes. Only a 4.4% growth in the number of sizes in six years seems to indicate a slowing down of size proliferation. Still, there has been a net gain in sizes every year. So, what sizes should you be watching for in 2014? Tese SKUs, previously needed only for limited applications, will be appearing on the popular cars that drive into your shop in the near future. 1. 205/65R16: OE on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2011 Kia Optima, 2012 Toyota Camry and 2013 Honda Accord. 2. 195/50R16: OE on the 2011-2014 Ford Fiesta, 20122013 Hyundai Accent and 2012-2013 Toyota Yaris/Prius C. 3. 235/55R19: OE on at least a dozen large car and crossover vehicles since 2011, most recently the 2014 Kia Sorento SX. Most popular In Chart 20, we have listed the most popular OE P-metric and LT sizes for 2012 and 2011, courtesy of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, to give tire dealers a beter idea of what to look for and stock Chart 19 in 2014. NEW P-METRIC, LT AND TRUCK TIRE SIZES/SKUS IN 2014 Tere were 150 consumer tire sizes in 1977, when the top 10 replacement radial passenger P335/25R20 SL P285/30R19 SL P215/50R18 SL/XL tire sizes covered more than 90% of the radial P185/60R16 SL LT275/55R20 LRE LT265/60R18 LRE market. In 2012, the top 10 P-metric/metric LT245/65R17 LRD LT255/70R17 LRE LT255/70R18 LRD sizes represented 22.5% of the replacement market, according to the RMA. ■ 33x10.50R17LT LRE 33x10.50R18LT LRE 34x10.50R17LT LRE 33x11.50R18LT LRE 34x12.50R18LT LRE 33x13.50R15LT LRC 40x13.50R17LT LRD 35x14.50R15LT LRC 38x15.50R20LT LRD 40x15.50R20LT LRD 40x15.50R22LT LRD 295/80R22.5 LRH/J Source: Tire & Rim Association Size Replacement (Top10 = 22.5%) 1. 205/55R16 Chart 20 MOST POPULAR DOMESTIC OE PASSENGER AND LT TIRE SIZES 2012 OE P-metric/metric Chart 21 TOP U.S. PASSENGER TIRE SIZES, 2012 2012 OE light truck (LT) % of total Size % of total 6. P215/60R16 2. P235/75R15 7. P225/60R16 3. 225/60R16 8. 195/65R15 4. 215/60R16 9. 195/60R15 5. P265/70R17 10. 215/65R16 P215/55R17 6.1% LT245/75R17 22.1% P265/70R17 4.4% LT245/75R16 14.7% Chart 22 TOP U.S. LIGHT TRUCK TIRE SIZES, 2012 P215/60R16 3.8% LT225/75R16 11.1% P275/65R18 3.4% LT265/70R18 8.1% Replacement (Top 10 = 72.4%) P205/65R16 3.1% LT265/70R17 7.7% 2011 OE P-metric/metric 2011 OE light truck (LT) Size % of total Size % of total P215/60R16 9.1% LT245/75R17 22.3% P265/70R17 5.1% LT245/75R16 15.6% P215/55R17 4.2% LT225/75R16 3.2% LT265/70R17 7.8% P275/65R18 3.0% LT265/70R18 7.0% Source for Charts 20-22: Rubber Manufacturers Association 46 6. LT285/75R16 2. LT265/75R16 7. 31x10.50R15 3. LT265/70R17 8. LT215/85R16 4. LT235/85R16 9. LT245/75R17 5. LT225/75R16 10. LT285/70R17 11.9% P235/70R16 1. LT245/75R16 LT245/75R16 was the top OE LT size from 1993-2010, and has been the second most popular OE size the last two years. Not coincidentally, it has been the number one replacement size for the last fve years. MTD January 2014