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

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!