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Originally Posted by EricG
You cannot compare treadwear ratings for different tire manufacturers - Goodyear vs. Falken for example.
Eric
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Sure you can:
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Treadwear ratings are determined on a 400 mile government test course covering specified sections of public roads near San Angelo, Texas. A group of not more than four test vehicles travels the course in a convoy so that all tires experience the same conditions. Tread groove depths of the tires being tested are measured after each 800 miles. The same procedure is followed for a set of control or "course monitoring tires".Upon completion of the 7200 mile test, the rating results of both tests are compared, and the tires being tested are assigned a treadwear rating by the tire manufacturer.
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Manufacturers may vary a little, but not enough to make up for the difference in rating between Goodyear and Falken.
And here's a quote directly from the NHTSA's website:
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The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQGS), Part 575.104 of the Consumer Information Regulations, set forth the grading conditions and procedures and labeling requirements that indicate the relative performances of passenger car tires concerning treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance. The information must be permanently molded into the tire sidewalls, indelibly stamped on a label or labels affixed to the tire tread surface, and made available in consumer brochures. The UTQGS apply to all passenger car tires except deep tread, winter type snow tires, space-saver or temporary-use spare tires, and limited production tires. The definitions and grades for the UTQGS characteristics follow.
Treadwear is the wear rate of a tire when tested under controlled conditions. The codes set forth in the UTQGS are two- or three- digit numbers representing a percentage of a standard value when a tire is tested in accordance with specified procedures. The higher the number, the better the treadwear.
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