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The federal government requires tire manufacturers to grade tires in three areas. Known as the Uniform Tire Quality Grading System, it provides guidelines for making relative comparisons when purchasing new tires or evaluating tires put on new vehicles. This is helpful, but it is not a guarantee of how a tire will perform or how long it will last because many factors have a significant influence on tire performance and longevity. First, the tread wear grade gives an indication of a tire's relative wear rate. The higher the tread wear number, the longer it should take for the tread to wear down. For example, a tire grade of 400 should wear twice as long as a tire grade of 200. Second is the traction grade, which is an indication of a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher grade means a shorter stopping distance. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as "AA", "A", "B", and "C". Third are the temperature grades, which are an indication of a tire's resistance to sustained heat From highest to lowest, a tire's resistance to heat is graded as "A," "B," or "C." View Related Article
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