What does the 120-load index on tires mean? A light truck tire with a load index of 120/116, for example, has a single tire load capacity of 3,086 pounds and a two-tire load capability of 2,756 pounds. The capacity of two tires is lower than that of a single tire to ensure that the vehicle can bear the load even if one tire fails.
What is load index rating on tires?
The load index rating tells you how much weight a tire can bear. In other words, it’s the maximum weight that your tire can safely hold. The load indices of passenger vehicles and light truck tires typically vary from 70 to 126. Assume that your tire’s load index is 85.
What is the load index of a tire?
Tire load index is an assigned number that corresponds to the maximum weight that a tire can support when properly inflated. The higher the tire's load index number, the greater its load carrying capacity.
What is tire load index?
Tire load index tells you how much weight a tire can carry at its maximum air pressure. The engineers who designed your vehicle determined exactly how much weight your vehicle could safely support based on your tire size and tire pressure: the load index. A load index of 91, for example, translates to a safe carrying capacity of 1,356 pounds or ...
What does load rating mean on tires?
What does the load rating mean on tires? The tire load rating refers to the amount of weight each tire can safely carry when properly inflated. Because the weight of the vehicle is distributed among all four wheels, each tire has a significant amount of weight to support.
What Exactly Is Tire Load Index?
When the super smart engineers designed and built your car, they crunched some numbers and determined exactly how much weight it could carry safely...
Why Is Tire Load Index Important?
The tire load index tells you how much weight your tire can carry, and overloading your tires is never a good idea! When you put too much weight on...
Using The Tire Load Index Chart
The tire load index lets you know the load carrying capacity of a tire. In other words, it’s the amount of weight your tire can support safely.For...
Considering Load Index When Tire Shopping
As you can tell, the tire load index is massively important when you’re shopping for new tires. When it’s time to select new tires for your vehicle...
Why Is Tire Load Index Important?
The tire load index tells you how much weight your tire can carry, and overloading your tires is never a good idea! When you put too much weight on your tires, you can cause damage and wear them down prematurely. Even worse, you run the risk of experiencing a tire blowout. Imagine trying to carry a box full of cement blocks. Just like your legs would buckle under the weight, your tires can completely give out if they’re overloaded.
How to determine if a tire will work?
To determine if a set of tires will work on your particular car, use the tire load index chart to see how many pounds each tire can support. Multiply that by four (since your vehicle will use four tires). As long as that number is greater than the GVWR of your vehicle, those tires should work.
What is tire load index?
The tire load index lets you know the load carrying capacity of a tire. In other words, it’s the amount of weight your tire can support safely.
What happens if you put too much weight on your tires?
When you put too much weight on your tires, you can cause damage and wear them down prematurely. Even worse, you run the risk of experiencing a tire blowout. Imagine trying to carry a box full of cement blocks. Just like your legs would buckle under the weight, your tires can completely give out if they’re overloaded.
Where can I find the tire load index on my tires?
This number can usually be found on the sidewall of your tire. (The tire load index number is typically the last number on the sidewall that’s followed by a letter, which is the speed rating.) If you don’t know what load index your car should normally have, check your car’s manual.
Does the tire load rating matter?
Yes, knowing your proper tire load index can help prevent potential blowouts, structural damage and quickened wear-and-tear on your tires. This tire index is especially important for people hoping to haul equipment, trailers and more people. It’s important to remember that these ratings are for a fully inflated tire, rather than a poorly inflated one.
What is the most common tire load range?
Your average commuter car or light truck will range from about 70 to 124 for load index; 117 is a pretty typical load rating for a car.
Why Is Tire Load Index So Important?
Disaster can strike when you overload your tires, whether that’s in the form of gradual damage or a completely flat tire. Just think about what would happen if someone handed you a cardboard box and then started filling it up with bricks. At a certain point, your legs would buckle under the weight (and the bottom of the box would probably fall apart). When you put too much weight on your tires, they can wear down prematurely and even give out completely. Don’t risk it. Don’t overload your tires!
What is tire load index?
Tire load index tells you how much weight your car can safely carry based on the correct tire size and pressure. It was calculated by the people who built your vehicle, and they know what they’re talking about! You can check your owner’s manual to figure out the recommended tire size and load rating, or you can check out the tires that came on your car when you got it. You’ll need to stick to that number (or higher) when it’s time to buy new tires for your ride.
What is tire load index?
Tire load index tells you how much weight your tire can safely carry. During the process of switching tire sizes, try to always use tires with same or greater tire load index than the original equipment tires. Try to never overload your tires more than the maximum weight that is relative to your tire load index.
Can you overload tires?
Try to never overload your tires more than the maximum weight that is relative to your tire load index. Overloading can cause tire blowout, tire damage or uneven tire wear. Some tires may have dual load index, with second number indicating tire load index when used in dual rear tire set.
Load Index & Speed Rating Charts
This code, when present, appears after the size marking. The code comprises three characters, two numbers and a letter, e.g. 67 H, known as a service description. The two-digit number is a code for the maximum load carrying capacity of the tire.
Tire Conversion Charts
Size Conversion Tables: Use these tables to convert your older style inch size to the new metric sizing.
Is The Tire Load Index Crucial?
Definitely! Your tires can get damaged and wear out prematurely if you put too much weight on them. When you overburden your tires, disaster might hit, whether it’s in the shape of progressive deterioration or a fully flat tire.
How To Use The Tire Load Rating Chart?
The load index rating tells you how much weight a tire can bear. In other words, it’s the maximum weight that your tire can safely hold.
How much weight can a tire hold?
Assume that your tire’s load index is 85. We may deduce from this chart that it can support 1,135 pounds at maximum air pressure. To calculate your car’s maximum load-carrying capability, multiply that by 4 tires ( 4 tires * 1,135 lbs = 4,540 lbs ).
How to find load index of tires?
How to know the load index of your car’s tires? You can find recommended tire sizes and load ratings in your owner’s manual. In case the manual is out of your reach, take a look at the tiny numbers in the tires that come with your car.
What does load index mean on a tire?
Based on the proper tire size and pressure, the tire load index illustrates how much weight your automobile can transport in a safe way. The greater the weight carrying capacity of a tire, the higher its load index number.
Where is load index information on tire?
The load index information is provided after the tire size information on the sidewall of your tire . Let’s see the image of the tire load rating for an example of its position.
Is it wise to overload your tires?
And when your tires are overburdened, much like your legs buckle under the weight, they might entirely fail. Therefore, overloading your tires is never a wise decision!
Why are tires with a lower load index rating more likely to overload?
Overloaded tires are more prone to damage, blowouts and premature wear. Read: How to Choose the Right Tires for Your Car.
What is tire speed rating?
Like the load index rating, a tire speed rating is another shorthand way to reference how fast a tire can go in ideal conditions. But rather than numbers, it uses letters in (mostly) alphabetical order. (More on that later.)
What is load index number?
The load index number is a shorthand way to describe the total load capacity of the tire. To find out how much weight a tire can carry, you’ll need a tire load index chart, like the one below.
What is a 94Y tire?
Let’s look at the following tire size designation as an example: 225/40 R18 94Y. In this case, 94Y is the service description. The tire’s load index rating is 94, and the speed rating is Y.
How fast is the V category?
But as vehicles and tires improved, it became necessary to add more letters to accommodate the faster speeds. The V category changed to 149 mph and the Z speed rating was introduced to cover speeds over 149 mph.
Where to find load rating on car tires?
If your car doesn’t have its OE tires, you can find the manufacturer’s recommended load rating in the owner’s manual or the placard on the driver’s side doorjamb. Most tire installers will not sell or install a lower load-rated tire than the OE recommendation due to liability concerns. This is because if you install tires with a lower load index ...
How fast can a tire go?
Using the tire speed rating chart below, we can see that a tire with a Y speed rating can safely go up to 186 miles per hour (mph) —the fastest speed on the chart!
What does more plies mean in tires?
Historically, more plies meant a tire had a larger load carrying capacity, so manufacturers would count a tire’s plies and use this number to denote carrying capacity. However, the modern construction of tires uses fewer piles without sacrificing the carrying capacity.
What is the load rating of a tire?
The load rating of the tire displays the weight a tire can carry. The product of the load capacity of a single tire and the number of tires determines the load carrying capacity of all the tires combined. The rating of 121 shows that it has a load capacity of 3297LBS. Multiply that by four tires (4 x 3,297 = 13,188 pounds) to get your vehicle's max load carrying capacity. Always remember to install tires that have a load index that is equal or greater than your original factory-installed tires.
What is the code for a truck tire?
A typical code on a Light Truck & SUV tire looks like; 35 (Diameter)x12.5 (Width)R20 (Rim Size) E (Ply Rating) and our tires will have another spot on the tire with Load Index and Speed Rating. A speed rating will be an alphabetic number ranging from L-Z stating how fast the tire is rated for. Load Index will be numeric and will run from 0 - 150. The load index is typically found next to the speed rating. The load index will tell you the load capacity of the tires and will typically be first before the speed rating. For instance, our Claw 35x12.5R20 E has a load index of 121 and a speed rating of Q. To understand the actual meaning of the code, you need to read a tire load capacity chart.
What does E load range mean?
For example, an “E” load range indicates that a tire is equivalent to a 10-ply construction tire. In realitly, this tire is not built with 10 plies, but rather one or two plies of equivalent strength.
What is the alphanumeric code on a tire?
The alphanumeric code holds in itself the complete description of the tires, which helps people decide whether a tire is suitable for their vehicle or not.
