Tires: Tire numbers and what do they mean?, ford ranger, tire tech

Question
I currently have P225/70R14 tires on my 1996 Ford Ranger(V4). It needs 2 new back tires. I barely drive it anymore and don't want to throw any money into it I have seen that P195/70R14 are cheaper tires. I am wondering what does the P number stand for and is it possible to put a 195 in place of a 225?

Thanks

Answer
Ryan,

The first thing you need to do is find the vehicle placard.  It will tell you the original tire size and the proper pressure for that size.  On a Ford truck I think it is on the driver's doorpost.

So if the placard doesn't say P195/70R14 (and I know it doesn't), then you can't safely use them.

But if you want more info on what the sizing means, visit Tire Rack's web site and look for "Tire Tech".  There's lots of good info there including this little tidbit.