Load Ratings

Check out some other videos

How to fit snow chains onto tyres - A step by step guide

How to fit snow chains onto tyres? We teamed up with kunanyi Mt Wellington Explorer Bus to demonstrate how!Read the full article >

Tyre Advice

PRESSURE TEST: DRIVING ON SAND

What tyre pressure should you run on sand? We did some testing to find out!Read the full article >

Review

Reviewers Rides Mitsubishi Lancer 2003

A Reviewer's Rides of a Mitsubishi Lancer 2003. Jared talks to Ash about his 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, the tyres and the modifications that have been done over the years.Read the full article >

The load rating, or load index, is an assigned number (ranging from 0 to 279) that tells you what the heaviest load is that your vehicle’s tyres can manage - when operating at maximum speed. Most passenger vehicle load indexes range from 62 to 126. These ratings exist to keep us all safe on the road by ensuring that we don’t overload our tyres, causing a possible blowout. Now is probably a good time to mention that the load rating given applies to a properly inflated tyre.

The load rating can be located on the sidewall of all tyres and is represented by a numerical value. The higher the load rating number, the stronger the tyre. Tyres with a higher load rating can take a greater amount of air pressure, which means they can also carry heavier loads. Take note - the maximum weight that the load rating refers to is in kilograms. To find your vehicle’s correct load rating, look on the tyre placard.

The load rating works hand in hand with the speed rating. This means that when you are looking to replace your tyres, you need to look at the load and speed ratings together. It’s illegal to install tyres that have a lower load index than the vehicle manufacturer’s original tyre fitment. Consider yourself warned.

This table helps you to identify the load (in kilograms) that a tyre can carry based on it's load index (you might want to bookmark our site for easy future reference - we’re so helpful!).