You do not need to know your vehicle's build sheet to buy tires. You need to be able to read the tire you already have. All of it is printed on the sidewall.
The main number
You are looking for something like 265/70R17 115T. It breaks down like this.
- 265 — the width of the tread in millimetres.
- 70 — the aspect ratio. The sidewall height is 70 per cent of the width. A lower number means a shorter, stiffer sidewall.
- R — radial construction. Effectively every modern passenger and light-truck tire is radial.
- 17 — the wheel diameter in inches. This is the one that decides whether it will physically go on your rim.
- 115 — the load index. Not a weight in kilograms; a code that maps to one.
- T — the speed rating.
Load index and why it matters on a truck
The load index is the number people most often ignore and the one that matters most on a pickup. It tells you the maximum weight that tire can carry. Fitting a tire with a lower load index than the vehicle calls for is not a saving, it is a safety problem — especially if you tow, haul, or run a heavy cover and a full box.
Your vehicle's required load index is on the placard inside the driver's door frame. Match it or beat it. Never go under it.
The season markings
- M+S — mud and snow. It is a self-declared marking with no test behind it. Treat it as "probably fine in slush", not as a winter rating.
- The three-peak mountain snowflake — this one is tested. It means the tire meets a defined standard for severe snow service. In Alberta this is the marking worth caring about.
- No marking at all — a summer or touring tire. It will harden and lose grip well before it gets properly cold.
The date code
Find the four digits at the end of the DOT code, for example 3524. That is the 35th week of 2024. Rubber ages whether it is driven on or not, so it is worth knowing how long a tire has been sitting.
That is the whole job
Width, aspect, diameter, load index, season marking. Read those five things off the tire you are replacing, and you can order with confidence. Bring the numbers to us on (780) 518-1000, or read them into the vehicle finder on the site, and we will match them across 13 lines and 79 sizes.