Tire Guides And Advice That Make The Grade


tire load index

Tire Load Index


ย |ย 

Time To Read:

7 minutes

ย |ย 

Time To Read:

7 minutes

It can be a little confusing trying to understand tire size and the importance and effects of a lower load carrying capacity versus higher capacity tires.

In simple terms, the tire load index tells you how much weight each tire can carry.ย 

Properly inflated tires that meet the original equipment specifications means your tires can handle the maximum load carrying capacity of your car or truck.

What Does Tire Load Index Mean?

A tireโ€™s load index number is a number that corresponds to the load carrying capacity that a vehicleโ€™s individual tires can support safely at maximum air pressure.

Load index numbers range from 0 to 150 and correspond to 99 pounds to 7385 pounds of load carrying capacity per tire.

Ensuring your tires have the proper load index rating is important to ensure you can safely drive your car or truck without worry of a blowout due to sidewall failure.

Letโ€™s take a closer look.

Where To Find Load Index On A Tire

how to read tire size

The load index of a tire is molded into the sidewall of the tire as part of the tire size. It is the last numerical code included in the tire size. It is preceded by the wheel diameter and followed by the speed rating.

Load range, which is meant to be a simpler version of load index, is being added to some tires now. You can find this after the speed rating as a one or two letter designation.

Tire Load Index Chart

The full chart ranges from 0 to 150 but we will abbreviate it to 70 through 126 since the more extreme numbers are much less common. You can view the full chart at Discount Tire.

Load IndexCarrying Capacity (pounds)Carrying Capacity (kilograms)
70739335
71761345
72783355
73805365
74827375
75853387
76882400
77908412
78937425
79963437
80992450
811,019462
821,047475
831,074487
841,102500
851,135515
861,168530
871,201545
881,235560
891,279580
901,323600
911,356615
921,389630
931,433650
941,477670
951,521690
961,565710
971,609730
981,653750
Load IndexCarrying Capacity (pounds)Carrying Capacity (kilograms)
991,709775
1001,764800
1011,819825
1021,874850
1031,929875
1041,984900
1052,039925
1062,094950
1072,149975
1082,2051,000
1092,2711,030
1102,3371,060
1112,4031,090
1122,4691,120
1132,5351,150
1142,6011,180
1152,6791,215
1162,7561,250
1172,8331,285
1182,9101,320
1192,9981,360
1203,0861,400
1213,1971,450
1223,3071,500
1233,4171,550
1243,5271,600
1253,6381,650
1263,7481,700

What Load Rating Tire Do I Need?

The easiest way to determine the required load rating you need for your tires is to match your new tires to the load rating on your OEM tires.

If you donโ€™t have the original equipment tires still installed you can refer to your ownerโ€™s manual for this requirement.

If youโ€™re hauling heavy loads you will need to calculate the load capacity needed based on your needs.

OEM tires are chosen to be able to support the weight of your vehicle, all of the potential passengers, and a sizable load in the storage areas such as a trunk.ย 

If your vehicle is capable of towing heavier loads, it is likely also equipped with tires that can handle some extra towing load but you should take a moment to calculate the amount of extra load and ensure your tires are up to the challenge.

Is Tire Load Index Important?

It should be obvious that the load index of your tires is one of the more important specifications. The truth is that many people donโ€™t even realize itโ€™s something they should be concerned with.

This is because the tires on your car or truck are usually more than capable of supporting your car or truck plus a common amount of excess weight and an additional margin of safety on top of that.

Load index isnโ€™t very important to most passenger car owners, but it should be given more attention. For instance, with the rise of electric cars with large and heavy battery packs, the need for higher load rated tires has become necessary.

Light truck owners that haul heavier loads or tow trailers with heavy loads often pay more attention to the load carrying capacity of their tires, but not all light truck owners give it the attention it deserves.

Trailer tires probably get the most attention since their main purpose is hauling heavy items.

How To Determine Tire Load Index

To roughly calculate the tire load index needed for your car or truck you can divide the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) by four. You can find the gross vehicle weight on a sticker in the driverโ€™s door jam or ownerโ€™s manual.

This is not meant for trailer tires or for determining the tires you need for towing a trailer. This is simply the method for determining the maximum load your tires will need to support at each corner.

For a more accurate number you should always refer to your ownerโ€™s manual.

Does Load Index Affect Ride Quality?

Small differences in load index will likely not have any noticeable affect on ride quality. Large differences between load index ratings can have a noticeable difference in ride comfort, but the load index shouldnโ€™t be your main factor for determining how comfortable a tire will ride.

Can I Buy Tires With A Different Load Index?

Itโ€™s not recommended to lower the index rating when you install new tires. The original equipment specifications should always be met or exceeded.

You can safely four tires with load indexes greater than the OEM specification. But you should never install tires with a lower carrying capacity.

Tire Load Index Vs Load Range

Load index and load range are often confused with each other but are not actually directly related to each other.

  • Tire load indexย is a number (2 or 3 digits) that corresponds to a specific maximum weight a tire can safely support.ย 
  • Tire load rangeย is a letter (1 or 2 letters) designation that indicates the amount of structural reinforcement within a tire and the maximum load carrying air pressure that can be used.

What Load Index Is Load Range E?

Load Range E doesnโ€™t correspond with a load index. Load range refers to a tires ability to withstand more air pressure while the index refers to how much weight a tire can safely support.

Load range โ€œEโ€ means that the tire is reinforced to handle up to 80 psi of air pressure if the tire is 295mm/11.5in in width or less and up to 65 psi of air pressure if it is wider.ย 

The load index of a load range โ€œEโ€ tire could vary quite a bit. Youโ€™ll need to check the individual tireโ€™s index on the sidewall to determine how much weight itโ€™s capable of supporting.

What Does SL Mean On A Tire?

A โ€œSLโ€ or โ€œStandard Loadโ€ tire means that it has a max load carrying air pressure rating of 36 psi.

SL on tires stands for โ€œStandard Loadโ€ and is common for most typical gas-powered cars and smaller trucks and SUVs. Many tire manufacturers will not actually add the SL designation to their tires. If there is no load range designation then it is assumed that it is SL.

What Does XL Mean On A Tire?

A โ€œXLโ€ or โ€œExtra Loadโ€ tire means that it has a max load carrying air pressure rating of 42 psi.

XL on tires stands for โ€œExtra Loadโ€ and is common for most heavier passenger cars and trucks such as heavy electric cars and large trucks and SUVs. XL tires are also more common on high performance vehicles due to the reinforced sidewall design.

Tire Load Range Chart (Ply Rating)

Load RangePly RatingMax Load Carrying Air Pressure
SL436 PSI
XL442 PSI
C1650 PSI
C2635 PSI
D1865 PSI
D2850 PSI
E11080 PSI
E21065 PSI
F11295 PSI
G14110 PSI

Resources

Below are some links you may find helpful when learning about tires

Final Thoughts

When you shop for tires you need to make sure that your brand new tires wonโ€™t be carrying too much weight for their rating.

This isnโ€™t too much of a problem for most people but can get a little more complicated with light truck tires and work vehicles that regularly haul heavier loads.

Hopefully you know have a good handle on how to ensure that your tires are up to the challenge and now that you wonโ€™t need to worry about overloading you tireโ€™s sidewall.

Good luck and happy motoring.

About The Author

It can be a little confusing trying to understand tire size and the importance and effects of a lower load carrying capacity versus higher capacity tires.

In simple terms, the tire load index tells you how much weight each tire can carry.ย 

Properly inflated tires that meet the original equipment specifications means your tires can handle the maximum load carrying capacity of your car or truck.

What Does Tire Load Index Mean?

A tireโ€™s load index number is a number that corresponds to the load carrying capacity that a vehicleโ€™s individual tires can support safely at maximum air pressure.

Load index numbers range from 0 to 150 and correspond to 99 pounds to 7385 pounds of load carrying capacity per tire.

Ensuring your tires have the proper load index rating is important to ensure you can safely drive your car or truck without worry of a blowout due to sidewall failure.

Letโ€™s take a closer look.

Where To Find Load Index On A Tire

how to read tire size

The load index of a tire is molded into the sidewall of the tire as part of the tire size. It is the last numerical code included in the tire size. It is preceded by the wheel diameter and followed by the speed rating.

Load range, which is meant to be a simpler version of load index, is being added to some tires now. You can find this after the speed rating as a one or two letter designation.

Tire Load Index Chart

The full chart ranges from 0 to 150 but we will abbreviate it to 70 through 126 since the more extreme numbers are much less common. You can view the full chart at Discount Tire.

Load IndexCarrying Capacity (pounds)Carrying Capacity (kilograms)
70739335
71761345
72783355
73805365
74827375
75853387
76882400
77908412
78937425
79963437
80992450
811,019462
821,047475
831,074487
841,102500
851,135515
861,168530
871,201545
881,235560
891,279580
901,323600
911,356615
921,389630
931,433650
941,477670
951,521690
961,565710
971,609730
981,653750
Load IndexCarrying Capacity (pounds)Carrying Capacity (kilograms)
991,709775
1001,764800
1011,819825
1021,874850
1031,929875
1041,984900
1052,039925
1062,094950
1072,149975
1082,2051,000
1092,2711,030
1102,3371,060
1112,4031,090
1122,4691,120
1132,5351,150
1142,6011,180
1152,6791,215
1162,7561,250
1172,8331,285
1182,9101,320
1192,9981,360
1203,0861,400
1213,1971,450
1223,3071,500
1233,4171,550
1243,5271,600
1253,6381,650
1263,7481,700

What Load Rating Tire Do I Need?

The easiest way to determine the required load rating you need for your tires is to match your new tires to the load rating on your OEM tires.

If you donโ€™t have the original equipment tires still installed you can refer to your ownerโ€™s manual for this requirement.

If youโ€™re hauling heavy loads you will need to calculate the load capacity needed based on your needs.

OEM tires are chosen to be able to support the weight of your vehicle, all of the potential passengers, and a sizable load in the storage areas such as a trunk.ย 

If your vehicle is capable of towing heavier loads, it is likely also equipped with tires that can handle some extra towing load but you should take a moment to calculate the amount of extra load and ensure your tires are up to the challenge.

Is Tire Load Index Important?

It should be obvious that the load index of your tires is one of the more important specifications. The truth is that many people donโ€™t even realize itโ€™s something they should be concerned with.

This is because the tires on your car or truck are usually more than capable of supporting your car or truck plus a common amount of excess weight and an additional margin of safety on top of that.

Load index isnโ€™t very important to most passenger car owners, but it should be given more attention. For instance, with the rise of electric cars with large and heavy battery packs, the need for higher load rated tires has become necessary.

Light truck owners that haul heavier loads or tow trailers with heavy loads often pay more attention to the load carrying capacity of their tires, but not all light truck owners give it the attention it deserves.

Trailer tires probably get the most attention since their main purpose is hauling heavy items.

How To Determine Tire Load Index

To roughly calculate the tire load index needed for your car or truck you can divide the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) by four. You can find the gross vehicle weight on a sticker in the driverโ€™s door jam or ownerโ€™s manual.

This is not meant for trailer tires or for determining the tires you need for towing a trailer. This is simply the method for determining the maximum load your tires will need to support at each corner.

For a more accurate number you should always refer to your ownerโ€™s manual.

Does Load Index Affect Ride Quality?

Small differences in load index will likely not have any noticeable affect on ride quality. Large differences between load index ratings can have a noticeable difference in ride comfort, but the load index shouldnโ€™t be your main factor for determining how comfortable a tire will ride.

Can I Buy Tires With A Different Load Index?

Itโ€™s not recommended to lower the index rating when you install new tires. The original equipment specifications should always be met or exceeded.

You can safely four tires with load indexes greater than the OEM specification. But you should never install tires with a lower carrying capacity.

Tire Load Index Vs Load Range

Load index and load range are often confused with each other but are not actually directly related to each other.

  • Tire load indexย is a number (2 or 3 digits) that corresponds to a specific maximum weight a tire can safely support.ย 
  • Tire load rangeย is a letter (1 or 2 letters) designation that indicates the amount of structural reinforcement within a tire and the maximum load carrying air pressure that can be used.

What Load Index Is Load Range E?

Load Range E doesnโ€™t correspond with a load index. Load range refers to a tires ability to withstand more air pressure while the index refers to how much weight a tire can safely support.

Load range โ€œEโ€ means that the tire is reinforced to handle up to 80 psi of air pressure if the tire is 295mm/11.5in in width or less and up to 65 psi of air pressure if it is wider.ย 

The load index of a load range โ€œEโ€ tire could vary quite a bit. Youโ€™ll need to check the individual tireโ€™s index on the sidewall to determine how much weight itโ€™s capable of supporting.

What Does SL Mean On A Tire?

A โ€œSLโ€ or โ€œStandard Loadโ€ tire means that it has a max load carrying air pressure rating of 36 psi.

SL on tires stands for โ€œStandard Loadโ€ and is common for most typical gas-powered cars and smaller trucks and SUVs. Many tire manufacturers will not actually add the SL designation to their tires. If there is no load range designation then it is assumed that it is SL.

What Does XL Mean On A Tire?

A โ€œXLโ€ or โ€œExtra Loadโ€ tire means that it has a max load carrying air pressure rating of 42 psi.

XL on tires stands for โ€œExtra Loadโ€ and is common for most heavier passenger cars and trucks such as heavy electric cars and large trucks and SUVs. XL tires are also more common on high performance vehicles due to the reinforced sidewall design.

Tire Load Range Chart (Ply Rating)

Load RangePly RatingMax Load Carrying Air Pressure
SL436 PSI
XL442 PSI
C1650 PSI
C2635 PSI
D1865 PSI
D2850 PSI
E11080 PSI
E21065 PSI
F11295 PSI
G14110 PSI

Resources

Below are some links you may find helpful when learning about tires

Final Thoughts

When you shop for tires you need to make sure that your brand new tires wonโ€™t be carrying too much weight for their rating.

This isnโ€™t too much of a problem for most people but can get a little more complicated with light truck tires and work vehicles that regularly haul heavier loads.

Hopefully you know have a good handle on how to ensure that your tires are up to the challenge and now that you wonโ€™t need to worry about overloading you tireโ€™s sidewall.

Good luck and happy motoring.

About The Author

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