What are load and speed ratings?

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The Load Index is a numerical code associated with the maximum load a tyre can carry at the speed indicated by its Speed Category symbol under specified conditions up to 210km/h. Using a 265/75R16 119N tyre size as an example, the 119N at the end of the size represents the tyre’s service description. A service description identifies the tyre’s load index and speed rating. The first three digits – 119 – represent the tyre’s load index and are followed by a single letter – N – identifying the tyre’s speed rating.

Speed Ratings

Speed ratings are based on laboratory tests where the tyre is pressed against a large diameter metal drum to reflect its appropriate load, and run at ever increasing speeds until the tyre’s required speed has been consistently exceeded.

Australian Vehicle Standards’ rules state that passenger cars must have a tyre speed rating of S (180 km/h) or greater. It is not a legal requirement to match the tyre placard’s speed rating so long as it is not less than S (180 km/h). The speed rating must be stamped on the tyre.

It is important to note that speed ratings only apply to tyres that have not been damaged, altered, under-inflated or overloaded. A tyre that has been cut or punctured no longer retains the original speed rating, even after being repaired.

Disclaimer: While a speed symbol is an indication of the speed capability of the tyre, we do not endorse the operation of any vehicle in excess of legal speed limits.

Category Speed km/h
E  70
F  80
G  90
J  100
K  110
L  120
M  130
N  140
P  150
Q  160
R  170
S  180
T  190
U  200
H  210
V  240
W  270
Y  300
Z  Over 240

 

Load Index

265/75R16 119N – The Load Index – 119 – is the tyre’s assigned numerical value used to compare relative load carrying capabilities. In the case of this example the 119 identifies the tyre’s ability to carry a maximum of 1360 kg (2998 lbs). The higher the tyre’s Load Index number, the greater its load carrying capacity. The Load Index rating also represents the load carrying capacity of the tyres when they are inflated to maximum psi so the load carrying capacity reduces as tyre pressures are reduced.

Load index kg lbs
60 250 551
61 257 567
62 265 584
63 272 600
64 280 617
65 290 639
66 300 661
67 307 677
68 315 694
69 325 716
70 335 739
71 345 761
72 355 783
73 365 805
74 475 827
75 387 853
76 400 882
77 412 908
78 425 937
79 437 963
80 450 992
81 462 1019
82 475 1047
83 487 1074
84 500 1102
85 515 1135
86 530 1168
87 545 1202
88 560 1235
89 580 1279
90 600 1323
91 615 1356
92 630 1389
93 650 1433
94 670 1477
95 690 1521
96 710 1565
97 730 1609
98 750 1653
99 775 1709
100 800 1764
101 825 1819
102 850 1874
103 875 1929
104 900 1984
105 925 2039
106 950 2094
107 975 2149
108 1000 2205
109 1030 2271
110 1060 2337
111 1090 2403
112 1120 2469
113 1150 2535
114 1180 2601
115 1215 2679
116 1250 2756
117 1285 2833
118 1320 2910
119 1360 2998
120 1400 3086
121 1450 3197
122 1500 3307
123 1550 3417
124 1600 3527
125 1650 3638
126 1700 3748
127 1750 3858
128 1800 3968
129 1850 4079
130 1900 4189
131 1950 4299
132 2000 4409
133 2060 4541
134 2120 4674
135 2180 4806
136 2240 4938
137 2300 5071
138 2360 5203
139 2430 5357
140 2500 5512
141 2575 5677
142 2650 5842
143 2725 6008
144 2800 6173
145 2900 6393
146 3000 6614
147 3075 6779
148 3150 6944
149 3250 7165
150 3350 7385
151 3450 7606
152 3550 7826
153 3650 8047
154 3750 8267
155 3875 8543
156 4000 8818
157 4125 9094
158 4250 9370
159 4375 9645
160 4500 9921
161 4625 10196
162 4750 10472
163 4875 10747
164 5000 11023
165 5150 11354
166 5300 11684
167 5450 12015
168 5600 12346
169 5800 12787
170 6000 13228
171 6150 13558
172 6300 13889
173 6500 14330
174 6700 14771
175 6900 15212
176 7100 15653
177 7300 16094
178 7500 16535
179 7750 17086

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