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How to determine tire load index


Tire Load Index Chart | Tire Buying Guide

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A Tire’s Load Index

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 based on the right tire size and pressure. This is what we call the “tire load index.” The tires that come on your vehicle will have the proper load index, so stick to that number or higher when you purchase new tires. You can also check the vehicle’s manual to find the recommended tire size and load rating.

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.

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 example, if a tire has a load index of 92, it can support 1,389 pounds at maximum air pressure. Multiply that by four tires (4 x 1,389 = 5,556 pounds) to get your car’s maximum load carrying capacity. Never install tires with a lower load carrying capacity than the original tires that were factory installed on your vehicle.

Tire Load Index Chart

Load- Carrying Capacity Index Ratings
Load Index Load (lbs) Load Index Load (lbs) Load Index Load (lbs)
0 99 50 419 100 1764
1 102 51 430 101 1819
2 105 52 441 102 1874
3 107 53 454 103 1929
4 110 54 467 104 1984
5 114 55 481 105 2039
6 117 56 494 106 2094
7 120 57 507 107 2149
8 123 58 520 108 2205
9 128 59 536 109 2271
10 132 60 551 110 2337
11 136 61 567 111 2403
12 139 62 584 112 2469
13 143 63 600 113 2535
14 148 64 617 114 2601
15 152 65 639 115 2679
16 157 66 639 116 2756
17 161 67 677 117 2833
18 165 68 694 118 2910
19 171 69 716 119 2998
20 176 70 739 120 3086
21 182 71 761 121 3197
22 187 72 783 122 3307
23 193 73 805 123 3417
24 198 74 827 124 3527
25 204 75 852 125 3638
26 209 76 882 126 3748
27 215 77 908 127 3858
28 220 78 937 128 3968
29 227 79 963 129 4079
30 234 80 992 130 4189
31 240 81 1019 131 4289
32 247 82 1047 132 4409
33 254 83 1074 133 4541
34 260 84 1102 134 4674
35 267 85 1135 135 4806
36 276 86 1168 136 4938
37 282 87 1201 137 5071
38 291 88 1235 138 5203
39 300 89 1279 139 5357
40 309 90 1323 140 5512
41 320 91 1356 141 5677
42 331 92 1389 142 5842
43 342 93 1433 143 6008
44 353 94 1477 144 6173
45 364 95 1521 145 6393
46 375 96 1565 146 6614
47 386 97 1609 147 6779
48 397 98 1653 148 6844
49 408 99 1709 149 7165
        150 7385

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, you must select tires that can support your car’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This number can be found in the owner’s manual. 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. If you think that sounds like a lot of math, don’t worry. Sit back, relax, and let the expert of Tires Plus do the hard work for you. Schedule your appointment for brand new tires today!

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Tire Load Index & Chart

A tire’s load index is a number that can be used to look up the maximum amount of weight a tire can bear at its speed rating when inflated to its maximum PSI.

This number, which is usually between 75 and 100 for passenger cars, is not stated in pounds or any other unit of measurement.
It is used to find the actual rated value in pounds on a standardized chart.

HOW TO FIND THE LOAD INDEX ON A TIRE

The load index is the second-to-last component of the seven-part tire size code molded into the sidewall of your tire. It is a two or three digit number that precedes the tire speed index letter at the very end of the code.
In the example size code in the image, the load index is 96. You can find the load index on your tire, and then use this chart to find the maximum weight each tire can withstand:

TIRE LOAD INDEX CHART

Each load index number is tied to a real weight, measured in pounds, on the chart. A tire with a load index of 96, for example, is rated to hold 1565 pounds at max PSI and at its rated speed.

Load Index Load (lbs)
75 852
76 882
77 908
78 937
79 963
80 992
81 1019
82 1047
83 1074
84 1102
85 1135
86 1168
87 1201
88 1235
89 1279
90 1323
91 1356
92 1389
93 1433
94 1477
95 1521
96 1565
97 1609
98 1653
99 1709
100 1764
Load Index Load (lbs)
101 1819
102 1874
103 1929
104 1984
105 2039
106 2094
107 2149
108 2205
109 2271
110 2337
111 2403
112 2469
113 2535
114 2601
115 2679
116 2756
117 2833
118 2910
119 2998
120 3086
121 3197
122 3307
123 3417
124 3527
125 3638
Load Index Load (lbs)
126 3748
127 3858
128 3968
129 4079
130 4189
131 4289
132 4409
133 4541
134 4674
135 4806
136 4938
137 5071
138 5203
139 5357
140 5512
141 5677
142 5842
143 6008
144 6173
145 6393
146 6614
147 6779
148 6844
149 7165
150 7385

WHY IS TIRE LOAD INDEX IMPORTANT?

The load index is something you should pay attention to because overloading your tires can damage them and cause them to wear out quickly. In more severe cases, excess weight on a tire could lead to life-threatening blowouts. Your car’s manufacturer states the recommended load index for your tires on the placard on the doorjamb on the driver’s side.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEED AND LOAD INDEX

The load index and speed index appear together at the end of the tire size code. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two is that the load index is a two or three digit number, while the speed index is a single letter. In the example above, the load index is 97, while the speed index is V.

LIGHT TRUCK TIRE LOAD INDEX

The load index on light truck tires is different from that of passenger cars: it usually has two ratings separated by a slash. This is because most light truck tires are designed to be used in a dual back wheel system with two tires side by side. The first number is the load rating when the tire is used alone, and the second is the rating when it is used as a dual tire. The dual rating is usually lower to cover situations where one tire in the pair fails and the other has to carry the full load.

HOW TO READ YOUR TIRE

Aside from the load index, your tire’s sidewall contains lots of other useful information about its size, safety, and performance. Here you can find full information about your tire code.

FAQs

CAN I USE A HIGHER LOAD INDEX TIRE?

Using a load rating that is higher than the recommended one should not pose any problems for your vehicle. But you should never fit tires on your car that fall short of the recommended load index.

DOES LOAD INDEX AND SPEED RATING MATTER?

Though they may receive less attention than the height, width, and rim diameter in a tire’s size code, load index and speed rating are crucial. They affect the tire’s performance, durability, and safety. A tire that doesn’t meet load specifications could wear out quickly or lead to bad accidents.

DOES THE TIRE LOAD INDEX AFFECT RIDE QUALITY?

The tire load index is not directly correlated to ride quality. While major increases in load index will often mean taller, stiffer sidewalls and higher PSIs, and therefore a stiffer ride, there are many other factors such as suspension, tread, and correct inflation that have more noticeable effects on ride quality.

FIND YOUR TIRES

Now that you understand more about tire specs, you can browse Pirelli’s catalog to find tires for your size and weight requirements.

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RELATED ARTICLES

Tire marking: tire speed and load index

Contents:

  • Introduction
  • Speed ​​index
  • Load index
  • Tire marking example
  • Tire marking with colored labels

The selection of tires is carried out taking into account a number of parameters - their diameter, width, and profile height must be taken into account; in addition, the speed index and the load index are of no small importance. The manufacturer always indicates these indicators on the sidewall. What they mean will be discussed below.

The value corresponds to the maximum permissible speed at which tires of this type can be operated. Accordingly, if a motorist plans to drive at a higher speed, it makes sense to think about buying tires with a higher index value.

Speed ​​index table

Index K L M N P Q R S T U H V VR W Y ZR
Max. speed, km/h 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 240 >210 270 300 >240

For example, if the tire has a mark that the speed index corresponds to the letter V, then this indicates that it is strongly not recommended to drive on these tires at a speed of more than 240 km / h.


This is a no less significant parameter, which, in contrast to the value discussed above, is indicated by a number. In the tire label, the load index factor follows the tire diameter.
For example, a value of 91 indicates that the maximum allowable load per tire cannot exceed 615 kg. Accordingly, the total load calculated on 4 wheels should not exceed 2460 kg. The complete load index table contains coefficient values ​​from 1 to 279. For 13-inch passenger tires, the load index can be, for example, 75. And for R20 wheels, this coefficient will reach 120.

Load index table

Of course, the given load value does not mean that if it is exceeded, the tire will immediately be torn to pieces. A short-term excess of 20-30% is acceptable, but this should not become a habit.


According to EU regulations (ECE-R54), all tires that are planned to be used for commercial vehicles must be marked with a "Service Description" (translated as "Operating Conditions"). It is a special code next to the tire size, which carries information about the load index calculated for single and dual wheels (as an option - 102/100R).

The information must be recorded on both sidewalls of the tire. The 1st digit indicates the load capacity of the tire in the case of a single installation - the 2nd corresponds to the level of the maximum load on one tire with twin wheels. Additional markings are used to indicate the corresponding tire loads at higher speeds. Additional markings are always circled.



205/55 R16 94H XL

205 - the width of the tire profile, indicated in mm. In this case - 205 mm .
55 - the value of the height of the tire profile in%, determined from its width. In the situation under consideration - 55% of 205 mm will be equal to = 112.75 mm.

Given that the tire profile is a relative value, the following point must be taken into account when selecting rubber: if instead of size 205/55 R16 want to install tires with size 215/55 R16 , then not only the width of the tire will increase, but also its height! Such a situation is in most cases unacceptable (the only exception is the situation in which both sizes are given in the car's operating book). If this ratio is not given (as an option - 185 / R14С ), then this means that its value is 80-82%, and the tire is considered full profile. Reinforced tires with this marking are most often used on minibuses and light trucks - in these vehicles, the maximum allowable wheel load is of great importance.

R - characterizes the design of the tire. In the situation under consideration, the tire is radial - the design determines the location of the carcass cord threads.
It is completely wrong to assume that the designation R indicates the radius of the tire. The symbol refers solely to its radial design. There is also a diagonal design (it corresponds to the letter D ), but today almost no one produces it. Reason: poor performance.

16 - the value of the diameter of the wheel (disk), indicated in inches. This diameter for the tire is internal, for the disk it is external. That is why it is called "landing".

94 - load index (it was already mentioned above). The interpretation of the most commonly used coefficients is given in the table of load indices. Often, the load is decoded on the tire itself: two numbers follow the Max Load inscription - the first in kg, the second in pounds.

H - tire speed index. Please note that with this parameter, the tire manufacturer guarantees the normal operation of the rubber when the vehicle is driven non-stop at the specified speed for several hours. The decoding is given in the speed index table.

XL - this characteristic indicates that the tire is reinforced. Its load index is 3 units higher than conventional tires of the same size.

Separately, it is necessary to mention the RunFlat technology, which provides for the strengthening of the sides of the tire. As a result of damage, such a tire does not deflate and sag under the weight of the car, but allows you to drive a certain distance at a certain speed even after a complete loss of pressure. Those. The wheels are provided with additional protection. This quality is marked on tires in different ways - RSC, MOE, AOE - depending on the brand of car.




In addition to the above symbols in the form of letters and numbers, important information is indicated on the tires through colored labels. Below is an interpretation of each of them.

The marking is yellow (may be in the form of a circle or a triangle).

Apply in the lightest part of the tire. When installing a new tire on a rim, the yellow mark should be aligned with the heaviest part of the rim (easy to identify - it always corresponds to the nipple attachment point).



The label makes it possible to optimize the wheel balance and use lighter weights. On used tires, the yellow marking is no longer relevant - tire wear leads to a shift in its balance.

Red marking

It has the appearance of a red dot on the tire and indicates the location of the maximum deviation of the radial force. At this point, the tire has the largest radius due to the greater number of layers and it is the most rigid. Inhomogeneity of tire plies is normal during tire manufacture.



The red dot on the tires during installation must match the white dot on the rims (note that both marks are placed on the original car tires). The white dots on the rims indicate the location closest to the center of the wheel. Alignment of the red dot on the tires and the white dot on the rims is recommended to reduce the effect of maximum heterogeneity in the tire. So it is possible to provide a better balance of the power characteristics of the wheel. In conventional tire fitting, one should not attach great importance to the red mark - it is better to focus on the yellow mark, combining it with the nipple.

Number in white stamp


Corresponds to the individual number of the inspector conducting the final inspection of the tire at the manufacturing plant. The stamp can also be of other colors, this does not change the meaning of the label.

Colored stripes

These designations are applied to the tire tread for easy identification of the tire in stock. For tires of all models and different sizes, this marking is different. There is no single unification of the application of colored stripes. Details on the marking of certain colors on tires are prescribed in the manufacturer's specifications, and can also be indicated on its official website.



Colored stripes make it easy to identify the size and model of a single stack of tires stacked in a warehouse. The semantic load of color bars on the bus is unambiguous.

Additional data that can be identified from the marking on the side of the tire


  • The letter C in the tire marking means that the tires are “reinforced” (added up to 8 reinforcing layers), with a large load factor.

  • The letter E, circled - compliance with European standards.

  • DA (stamped) - Minor manufacturing defects, which do not interfere with normal operation.

  • DOT - compliance with US quality standards.

  • M + S (mud and snow) - the designation indicates that the tires are all-weather. The designation AS and All seasons are interpreted in the same way.
    The snowflake design indicates that the rubber can be used in the most severe winter conditions. In its absence, the tire can only be used in the warm season and in the absence of a large amount of precipitation.

  • Made in Finland - country of origin.

  • MaxLoad - the maximum permissible load based on each wheel of the machine, in kg.

  • Max Pressure - the maximum allowable pressure level in the tire, in kPa.

  • Outside or Side Facing Out and Inside or Side Facing Inwards - indicates tire asymmetry. It is necessary to install with the Outside inscription outward, and the Inside inscription - inward.

  • PLIES: TREAD - tread compound.
  • RF (Reinforced) - designates a reinforced structure (up to 6 reinforcing layers.
  • RSC tires are tires that allow you to continue driving a car at a speed not exceeding 70 km / h with an absolute decrease in pressure in the tire that occurs due to a puncture or cut). The distance that can be driven is determined by the manufacturer - the value varies from 50 to 150 km.
  • Rotation - indicates that the tire is directional. When installing a tire, it is necessary to strictly observe (along the arrow) the direction of rotational movements created by the wheel. With asymmetric tires: LEFT - the tire is installed on the left side of the car. RIGHT - the tire is installed on the right side of the car.


  • Sidewall - composition of the sidewall layer

  • Tubeless - tubeless tire. If this inscription is not present, then it is possible to use a tire only with a camera.

  • TubeType - indicates the possibility of operation with a camera only.

  • Steel - indicates the presence of a metal cord in the tire.

  • Temperature A, B, or C is the level of heat resistance (A is best).
  • Traction A, B or C - the mark indicates that the tire is capable of braking on wet roads.
  • Treadwear - estimated mileage.


  • TWI - tread wear indicator specifications. The TWI marking can also be marked with an arrow. Pointers are distributed evenly in 8 or 6 places around the entire circumference of the tire. They indicate the lowest possible tread depth.

  • Umbrella image - indicates rain tires.


How is the date of manufacture of a tire encrypted?



This characteristic is indicated in the form of 4 digits (as an option - 2516). Here, the first 25 is the week of manufacture, the last 16 is the year (so the tire was manufactured in June 2016).


What does SUV mean on tires How to store wheels on rims in the garage

Tire load indexes

Every car enthusiast wants new tires to last at least a couple of seasons - this is both convenient and profitable. However, increased loads on the tire can negate all efforts to keep the rubber in good condition for as long as possible. That is why, when choosing new tires, it is necessary to pay attention to such an indicator as the tire load index, the decoding of which contains important information for each driver. On the tire, it is applied next to the speed index and is indicated by numbers - for example, 98T (where 98 is the load index, T is the speed index).

What is the load index and why is it needed

The load index can be loosely referred to as the load carrying capacity of a tire - in other words, it is the load limit of a car equipped with specific tires at the maximum specified speed. The load indexes of passenger car tires range from 60 to 125 units (or from 250 to 1650 kg).

It is worth noting that a variety of indicators influence this parameter: the degree of tread wear, the tire temperature, and much more. To slightly smooth out the influence of these factors, the manufacturer always leaves a margin of safety of at least 20%.

It is especially important to take into account the load index when moving on domestic roads - the wheel, once in the pit, must withstand the blow. If you do not pay attention to these parameters and load the car more than it is provided, then the likelihood that the tire will not withstand the load increases significantly.

Of course, such coefficients are always calculated with a margin, but it is better to save tire resources for some unforeseen event, and in normal operation it is better to save rubber. After all, tires whose load index is within the acceptable level last longer.

How to calculate the maximum load capacity of a vehicle?

Consider a specific example - your tire is marked 98 T:

  • coefficient 98 shows that the load on one tire in this case should not exceed 750 kg.
  • , respectively, the load on all four wheels reaches 3000 kg - this is the total load capacity of the tires.
  • subtract from this number the weight of the car itself (for example, 1600 kg), driver (90 kg) and passengers (85 + 75 kg) and get the potential weight of the cargo that you can load into your car - in this case, 1150 kg. This is the load that your car will withstand at speed 190 km/h

However, the load index is the maximum allowable value, the top, which is not worth climbing. The weight of the car and load is not always evenly distributed between the front and rear axles, and passengers often sit in the wrong place for balance, and therefore there should always be a small margin. The most optimal and safe is the load in the amount of not more than 35% of the total mass of the car. In the end, for the transport of particularly heavy loads, you can always buy tires whose tire load index, the table of which is presented on our website, will be higher. But keep in mind that in this case, the load on the suspension will also increase, and this can lead to its premature wear.

In conclusion, we note another important nuance - the tire load index should not be less than that indicated on the tires in the basic configuration of the car. Failure to follow this rule may result in an accident. The best solution for calculating the load index is the recommendations of the car manufacturer, indicated in its technical documentation.

Below is a complete table of indexes (coefficients) of load capacity :

LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg
0 45 40 140 80 450 120 1400 160 4500 200 14000 240 45000
one 46.2 41 145 81 462 121 1450 161 4625 201 14500 241 46250
2 47. 5 42 150 82 475 122 1500 162 4750 202 15000 242 47500
3 48.7 43 155 83 487 123 1550 163 4875 203 15500 243 48750
four fifty 44 160 84 500 124 1600 164 5000 204 16000 244 50000
5 51.5 45 165 85 515 125 1650 165 5150 205 16500 245 51500
6 53 46 170 86 530 126 1700 166 5300 206 17000 246 53000
7 54. 5 47 175 87 545 127 1750 167 5450 207 17500 247 54500
eight 56 48 180 88 560 128 1800 168 5600 208 18000 248 56000
9 58 49 185 89 580 129 1850 169 5800 209 18500 249 58000
ten 60 fifty 190 90 600 130 1900 170 6000 210 19000 250 60000
eleven 61. 5 51 195 9one 615 131 1950 171 6150 211 19500 251 61500
12 63 52 200 92 630 132 2000 172 6300 212 20000 252 63000
13 65 53 206 93 650 133 2060 173 6500 213 20600 253 65000
fourteen 67 54 212 94 670 134 2120 174 6700 214 21200 254 67000
fifteen 69 55 218 95 690 135 2180 175 6900 215 21800 255 69000
16 71 56 224 96 710 136 2240 176 7100 216 22400 256 71000
17 73 57 230 97 730 137 2300 177 7300 217 23000 257 73000
eighteen 75 58 236 98 750 138 2360 178 7500 218 23600 258 75000
19 77. 5 59 243 99 775 139 2430 179 7750 219 24300 259 77500
twenty 80 60 250 100 800 140 2500 180 8000 220 25000 260 80000
21 82.5 61 257 101 825 141 2575 181 8250 221 25750 261 82500
22 86 62 265 102 850 142 2650 182 8500 222 26500 262 85000
23 87. 5 63 272 103 875 143 2725 183 8750 223 27250 263 87500
24 90 64 280 104 900 144 2800 184 9000 224 28000 264

25 92.5 65 290 105 925 145 2900 185 9250 225 29000 265 92500
26 95 66 300 106 950 146 3000 186 9500 226 30000 266 97500
27 97.

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