New labeling has appeared on studded tires
Not so long ago, a new marking in the form of a stylized letter "Ш" appeared on winter studded tires, and about what it means and why it was introduced, we tell in our material, prepared with the participation of Ikon Tyres.
The official name of the new symbol is Snow Grip Marking for Studded Tyres, and the goal is for the consumer to be confident that they have a studded tire that works effectively on snow-covered surfaces. A similar role in the segment of friction tires is played by the 3PMSF symbol (a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake), and in both cases, the tire must pass a special test on a snow-covered surface, where it is compared with a reference test tire.
Thus, unlike the M+S marking, the new symbol can be applied not at the discretion of the manufacturer, but only in accordance with international standards, which should guarantee the validity of its appearance on the tire.
The symbol itself looks like a 3PMSF pictogram with the added letter "Ш" (by the way, a variant with the word STUD ( "studs") above the letter was considered, but it was eventually abandoned) and has strictly regulated dimensions: at least 16 mm at the base and 15 mm in height, thanks to which the marking should be well visible and recognizable. In addition, in accordance with UN Regulation No. 164, which establishes requirements for marking, the inscription STUDDED ("studded") with a height of at least 4 mm should be located nearby.
The marking should be located in the lower part of one of the sidewalls, however, in the case of tires with a non-standard mounting configuration on the rim, its placement in any place on the outer sidewall is allowed, i.e., as noted in Ikon, "to find the coveted letter "Ш", you may need to turn the wheel a little bit".
"The manufacturer, applying this mark, confirms that its products meet international standards, which is critically important for admission to operation in countries where these rules apply," say in the company, emphasizing that "the "Ш" sign is not just a formality, but an important indicator of quality, safety and legality of winter tires".