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TIRE LOAD INDEX & CHART

HOW TO FIND THE LOAD INDEX ON A TIRE

TIRE LOAD INDEX CHART

WHY IS TIRE LOAD INDEX IMPORTANT?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEED AND LOAD INDEX

LIGHT TRUCK TIRE LOAD INDEX

HOW TO READ YOUR TIRE

FAQs

FIND YOUR TIRES

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

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 tire size code molded into the sidewall of your tire. It is a two- or three-digit number that precedes the tire speed rating as indicated by a 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.