Tire load range is a letter rating — B, C, D, E, or F — that indicates how much weight a tire can safely carry, and what maximum air pressure it can hold to do so. Higher letters mean stronger tires that can take more weight and higher inflation. The system replaced the old “ply rating” terminology decades ago, but the rough equivalence (Load Range D = 8 ply, E = 10 ply, F = 12 ply) is still commonly cited.
The load range matters because matching it to your vehicle protects both the tire and the drivetrain. A passenger car running Load Range E tires gets a brutally stiff ride for no usable benefit. A 3/4-ton truck running Load Range C tires risks tire failure under load. Picking the right load range is one of the simpler decisions in tire selection — just match what the vehicle was designed for.
This guide covers what each rating means, where the letters fit on the scale, and how to choose.
The Complete Load Range Chart
| Load Range | Ply Rating Equivalent | Max Inflation | Typical Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 4 ply | 35 PSI | Passenger cars, light trailers |
| C | 6 ply | 50 PSI | Light trucks, small SUVs, mid-size trailers |
| D | 8 ply | 65 PSI | Half-ton trucks (F-150, Silverado 1500), full-size SUVs, larger trailers |
| E | 10 ply | 80 PSI | 3/4-ton trucks (F-250, Silverado 2500), heavy SUVs, large trailers |
| F | 12 ply | 95 PSI | 1-ton+ commercial trucks, heavy hauling |
The “ply rating equivalent” is a holdover from when tires actually used multiple layers of fabric (cotton, then rayon, then nylon). Modern tires use just 1–3 plies of high-strength material that’s much stronger than the old multi-layer construction. The ply rating equivalent tells you how strong the modern tire is compared to the old standard.
What Each Letter Actually Means
Load Range B (4-ply equivalent, 35 PSI)
Standard passenger car rating. Most sedans, hatchbacks, coupes, and small crossovers came with Load Range B tires from the factory. Carries roughly 1,200–1,800 lbs per tire depending on size. Light trailers (under 3,500 lbs total weight) often use Load Range B as well.
Load Range C (6-ply equivalent, 50 PSI)
Light truck rating. Compact trucks, small SUVs, and mid-size trailers (3,500–6,000 lbs) typically use Load Range C. Carries 1,800–2,500 lbs per tire. A step up from B in load capacity and sidewall stiffness, still without the harsh ride penalty of D or E.
Load Range D (8-ply equivalent, 65 PSI)
The standard for half-ton trucks (F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500), full-size SUVs, and larger trailers (6,000–9,000 lbs). Carries 2,000–2,800 lbs per tire. The middle ground between everyday passenger tires and heavy-duty truck tires. Full guide to Load Range D here.
Load Range E (10-ply equivalent, 80 PSI)
Heavy-duty rating for 3/4-ton trucks (F-250, Silverado 2500), 1-ton trucks, large SUVs, work vans, and the largest travel trailers. Carries 3,000–4,000 lbs per tire. Significantly stiffer sidewall than D, with proportional ride harshness. Full guide to Load Range E here.
Load Range F (12-ply equivalent, 95 PSI)
Commercial-grade rating for 1-ton+ heavy-duty trucks (F-350, F-450 in dually configuration) and commercial hauling. Rare on passenger applications — usually only seen on work trucks and large RVs that need maximum load capacity.
LT vs Passenger: A Different Scale Entirely
Load Range letters apply to Light Truck (LT) tires. Passenger (P-metric and Euro-metric) tires use a different reinforcement designation: Standard Load (SL) for regular passenger tires, or Extra Load (XL) for reinforced passenger tires.
- SL passenger tire: roughly equivalent to Load Range B in capacity terms. Maximum inflation typically 35 PSI.
- XL passenger tire: reinforced passenger tire for heavier vehicles. Maximum inflation typically 41 PSI. NOT the same as Load Range E — the two are not interchangeable. See the XL vs E comparison here.
- LT tire with Load Range C/D/E/F: a true light truck tire, different construction from passenger tires entirely. The “LT” prefix appears before the tire size (e.g., LT265/70R17).
Many EVs are now coming with XL passenger tires because the battery pack adds significant weight that exceeds standard SL capacity. The XL/SL distinction is separate from the LT load range scale — don’t confuse them.
Load Range vs Load Index
Load range and load index measure different things:
- Load Range is the letter rating (B, C, D, E, F) describing the tire’s construction strength and max pressure capability.
- Load Index is a numeric code (typically 80–130) on the sidewall that translates to a specific weight in pounds the tire can carry at its max rated pressure. Look up the number on a load index chart to find the actual weight.
Example: a tire marked “LT265/70R17 121S” has load index 121, which corresponds to a load capacity of 3,297 lbs per tire (at the tire’s max rated pressure). The “Load Range E” stamping tells you the construction grade; the “121” tells you the specific weight capacity at max inflation.
How to Choose
- Default rule: match the load range your vehicle came with from the factory. The suspension, brakes, and load-carrying capacity were engineered around that spec.
- If you’ve started towing or hauling heavier loads than the original use case: consider stepping up one load range (e.g., D → E). Adds load capacity at the cost of ride harshness.
- If you bought a vehicle that came with a higher load range than you actually need (e.g., a 3/4-ton truck used only for daily commuting): stick with the OEM spec. Downgrading load range on a vehicle designed for heavier tires isn’t safe.
- For trailers: match the trailer manufacturer’s spec exactly. Trailer tires are unforgiving when under-rated — failures on trailers are more common than on tow vehicles.
- For passenger vehicles: if the OEM spec is SL, stick with SL. If the OEM spec is XL (common on EVs and luxury sedans), stick with XL. Don’t mix passenger ratings with LT ratings.
Where to Find the Rating on Your Tire
Look at the outer sidewall of the tire. The load range marking is typically near the size designation, in one of these forms:
- “Load Range E” spelled out
- “LRE” abbreviated
- “10PR” (10 ply rating — equivalent notation)
- “XL” or “Reinforced” for passenger XL tires
If the tire size starts with “LT” (e.g., LT265/70R17), it’s a Light Truck tire and will have a Load Range letter. If the size starts with “P” or has no letter prefix (e.g., 225/65R17), it’s a passenger tire and may have an “SL” or “XL” designation instead.
Bottom Line
Tire load ranges B through F describe how much weight a tire can safely carry. B is for standard passenger cars and light trailers; C is for light trucks; D is for half-ton trucks and full-size SUVs; E is for 3/4-ton+ trucks and large trailers; F is for commercial heavy hauling.
For everyday tire shopping, just match the load range your vehicle came with from the factory. Upgrading load range (e.g., D to E) makes sense if you’ve started towing or hauling significantly more weight. Downgrading is almost never the right call — if your vehicle was designed for a higher load range, going lower compromises safety.
