Quick Answer
- Load range letters match ply ratings: C 6, D 8, E 10, F 12, G 14, H 16, J 18, L 20, M 22 and N 24 (Bridgestone and General Tire data books).
- Load range E is 10-ply, up to 80 psi (5.5 bar). LT265/70R17 load range E is rated 3,195 lb single and 2,910 lb dual.
- Ply rating has no industry-wide definition; it identifies the load and inflation limits of that tire. XL and SL are passenger tire load types, not load ranges.
Pick the load range letter from the tire sidewall (for example a tire marked LT265/75R16 E).
Load Range
E
Ply Rating
10
also marked 10PR
Max Pressure in the Data Book
80 psi
In kPa and Bar
552 kPa
5.5 bar at 80 psi
Example From the Data Book
LT265/70R17: 3,195 lb single, 2,910 lb dual (121)
Load range is a marking that identifies the load and inflation limits of a particular tire (Bridgestone Truck Tire Data Book 2023). The maximum pressure depends on the size, so use the pressure stamped on the tire and the pressure on your vehicle's tire placard or in the owner's manual.
Get a plain-English explanation of your results and what they mean for your vehicle.
Tire Ply Rating Chart: Load Range A to N
Bridgestone and General Tire list the same load range to ply rating pairs from A to M, and General Tire adds N as 24-ply. Bridgestone says there is no industry-wide definition of ply rating: truck tires are marked with a ply rating and an equivalent load range to identify the load and inflation limits of that tire. The pressure is the maximum printed in the data books for the example size, so it depends on the size.
| Load range | Ply rating | Marked as | Max psi | kPa | Bar | Example size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2-ply | 2PR | n/a | n/a | n/a | No size in the tables used |
| B | 4-ply | 4PR | n/a | n/a | n/a | No size in the tables used |
| C | 6-ply | 6PR | 50 | 345 | 3.4 | LT265/70R17 |
| D | 8-ply | 8PR | 65 | 448 | 4.5 | LT265/70R17 |
| E | 10-ply | 10PR | 80 | 552 | 5.5 | LT265/70R17 |
| F | 12-ply | 12PR | 95 | 655 | 6.6 | 225/70R19.5 |
| G | 14-ply | 14PR | 110 | 758 | 7.6 | 295/75R22.5 (105 psi on 11R22.5 and 11R24.5) |
| H | 16-ply | 16PR | 120 | 827 | 8.3 | 295/75R22.5, 11R22.5 |
| J | 18-ply | 18PR | 120 | 827 | 8.3 | 275/70R22.5 |
| L | 20-ply | 20PR | 130 | 896 | 9.0 | 315/80R22.5 (445/50R22.5 is 120 psi) |
| M | 22-ply | 22PR | 130 | 896 | 9.0 | 455/55R22.5 |
| N | 24-ply | 24PR | n/a | n/a | n/a | Ply rating from General Tire; no size in the tables used |
For other units use the PSI to kPa and bar converter. The ply rating guide explains how the letters are used.
Load Range Weight Capacity Chart
Single is the load when the tire is used alone on each end of an axle, and dual when two tires share each end. Loads are from the Bridgestone Truck Tire Data Book 2023 at the pressure that marks each load range.
Light truck sizes: load range C, D and E
| Size | C at 50 psi, single / dual | D at 65 psi, single / dual | E at 80 psi, single / dual | Load index (E) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT245/70R17 | 2,205 / 1,985 lb | 2,600 / 2,335 lb | 3,000 / 2,755 lb | 119/116 |
| LT265/70R17 | 2,470 / 2,270 lb | 2,910 / 2,680 lb | 3,195 / 2,910 lb | 121/118 |
| LT225/75R16 | 1,940 / 1,765 lb | 2,335 / 2,150 lb | 2,680 / 2,470 lb | 115/112 |
| LT215/85R16 | 1,940 / 1,765 lb | 2,335 / 2,150 lb | 2,680 / 2,470 lb | 115/112 |
| LT245/75R16 | 2,205 / 2,006 lb | 2,623 / 2,381 lb | 3,042 / 2,778 lb | 120/116 |
| LT235/85R16 | 2,205 / 2,006 lb | 2,623 / 2,381 lb | 3,042 / 2,778 lb | 120/116 |
| LT265/75R16 | 2,470 / 2,270 lb | 3,000 / 2,755 lb | 3,415 / 3,085 lb | 123/120 |
Medium truck sizes: load range F, G, H, J, L and M
| Load range | Ply | Size | Max load, single | Max load, dual | Load index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | 12-ply | 225/70R19.5 | 3,640 lb @ 95 psi | 3,415 lb @ 95 psi | 125/123 |
| F | 12-ply | 245/70R19.5 | 4,080 lb @ 95 psi | 3,860 lb @ 95 psi | 129/127 |
| G | 14-ply | 295/75R22.5 | 6,175 lb @ 110 psi | 5,675 lb @ 110 psi | 144/141 |
| G | 14-ply | 285/75R24.5 | 6,175 lb @ 110 psi | 5,675 lb @ 110 psi | 144/141 |
| G | 14-ply | 11R22.5 | 6,175 lb @ 105 psi | 5,840 lb @ 105 psi | 144/142 |
| G | 14-ply | 11R24.5 | 6,610 lb @ 105 psi | 6,005 lb @ 105 psi | 146/143 |
| G | 14-ply | 225/70R19.5 | 3,970 lb @ 110 psi | 3,750 lb @ 110 psi | 128/126 |
| G | 14-ply | 245/70R19.5 | 4,540 lb @ 110 psi | 4,300 lb @ 110 psi | 133/131 |
| G | 14-ply | 265/70R19.5 | 5,510 lb @ 110 psi | 5,205 lb @ 110 psi | 140/138 |
| H | 16-ply | 295/75R22.5 | 7,160 lb @ 120 psi | 6,610 lb @ 120 psi | 149/146 |
| H | 16-ply | 285/75R24.5 | 6,780 lb @ 120 psi | 6,175 lb @ 120 psi | 147/144 |
| H | 16-ply | 11R22.5 | 6,610 lb @ 120 psi | 6,005 lb @ 120 psi | 146/143 |
| H | 16-ply | 11R24.5 | 7,160 lb @ 120 psi | 6,610 lb @ 120 psi | 149/146 |
| H | 16-ply | 255/70R22.5 | 5,510 lb @ 120 psi | 5,070 lb @ 120 psi | 140/137 |
| H | 16-ply | 245/70R19.5 | 4,940 lb @ 120 psi | 4,675 lb @ 120 psi | 136/134 |
| J | 18-ply | 275/70R22.5 | 6,940 lb @ 120 psi | 6,395 lb @ 120 psi | 148/145 |
| J | 18-ply | 385/65R22.5 | 9,370 lb @ 120 psi | — | 158 |
| L | 20-ply | 315/80R22.5 | 10,000 lb @ 130 psi | 9,090 lb @ 130 psi | — |
| L | 20-ply | 385/65R22.5 | 9,920 lb @ 130 psi | — | 160 |
| L | 20-ply | 445/50R22.5 | 10,200 lb @ 120 psi | — | 161 |
| M | 22-ply | 455/55R22.5 | 11,700 lb @ 130 psi | — | 166 |
Medium truck rows are ranges across the Bridgestone and Firestone models listed for each size, and load index is derived from the listed loads. Always use the load and pressure stamped on your tire and the maker's own table.
Load and Inflation Table: How Load Changes With Pressure
A tire's load capacity comes from its size and its inflation pressure. The load range sets how high the pressure, and so the load, may go. In Bridgestone's LT265/70R17 table the load at 45 psi is 2,255 lb single whichever load range the tire carries.
LT265/70R17 (Bridgestone)
| Pressure | kPa | Single | Dual | Load range marked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 psi | 241 | 1,890 lb | 1,720 lb | |
| 40 psi | 276 | 2,075 lb | 1,890 lb | |
| 45 psi | 310 | 2,255 lb | 2,050 lb | |
| 50 psi | 345 | 2,470 lb | 2,270 lb | C (6-ply) |
| 55 psi | 379 | 2,595 lb | 2,360 lb | |
| 60 psi | 414 | 2,760 lb | 2,510 lb | |
| 65 psi | 448 | 2,910 lb | 2,680 lb | D (8-ply) |
| 70 psi | 483 | 3,005 lb | 2,735 lb | |
| 75 psi | 517 | 3,100 lb | 2,820 lb | |
| 80 psi | 552 | 3,195 lb | 2,910 lb | E (10-ply) |
11R22.5 and 11R24.5, load range G (General Tire)
| Size and use | 70 psi | 75 psi | 80 psi | 85 psi | 90 psi | 95 psi | 100 psi | 105 psi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11R22.5 single | 4,530 | 4,770 | 4,990 | 5,220 | 5,510 | 5,730 | 5,950 | 6,175 |
| 11R22.5 dual | 4,380 | 4,580 | 4,760 | 4,950 | 5,205 | 5,415 | 5,625 | 5,840 |
| 11R24.5 single | 4,820 | 5,070 | 5,310 | 5,550 | 5,840 | 6,095 | 6,350 | 6,610 |
| 11R24.5 dual | 4,660 | 4,870 | 5,070 | 5,260 | 5,510 | 5,675 | 5,840 | 6,005 |
General Tire 2019 Truck Tire Data Guide, loads in pounds at a maximum speed of 65 mph. The pressure shown is the minimum for the load. The 105 psi column matches the load range G maximums in Bridgestone's book. NHTSA says to use the pressure on your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information label, not the maximum on the tire, and to check pressure when the tires are cold.
Load Range, Ply Rating, Load Index, XL and SL Compared
| Marking | What it tells you | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Load range (C, D, E, F, G...) | A letter paired with a ply rating that identifies the load and inflation limits of a light truck or commercial tire. | Bridgestone, General Tire |
| Ply rating (6PR, 10PR, 14PR...) | The number paired with the load range letter. It is not a count of layers. | Bridgestone, General Tire |
| Load index (101, 121, 144/141) | A number that matches a maximum load per tire. Two numbers give single and dual. It does not convert directly to a ply rating. | Bridgestone, Michelin |
| SL (Standard Load) | The standard version of a passenger tire size. | Michelin |
| XL (Extra Load) | A reinforced passenger tire that carries more weight at higher inflation pressure than an SL tire of the same size. If the factory tires are XL, replacements must be XL. | Michelin |
| HL (High Load) | A newer designation for heavy electric vehicles that supports more weight than XL at the same pressure. | Michelin |
Load index to load
| Load index | Kilograms | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| 111 | 1,090 kg | 2,405 lb |
| 115 | 1,215 kg | 2,680 lb |
| 120 | 1,400 kg | 3,085 lb |
| 125 | 1,650 kg | 3,640 lb |
| 135 | 2,180 kg | 4,805 lb |
| 144 | 2,800 kg | 6,175 lb |
Load index values are from the International Load Index table in Bridgestone's data book. The load index to pounds and kilograms chart lists every index.
How to Use This Calculator
- Find the load range letter on your tire sidewall, for example "Load Range E" or just "E" after the size. A marking such as 10PR is the ply rating.
- Select that letter in the calculator to see the ply rating, the maximum pressure in the data books and the same pressure in kPa and bar.
- Use the weight capacity chart and the load and inflation tables below for the load at a given pressure. The load depends on the tire size, not on the letter alone.
- Use the pressure on your vehicle placard or in the owner's manual for the car, and the maker's load and inflation table for the tire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer
This tool is for general reference and education only. Actual load capacity and required inflation pressures depend on the specific tire size, load index, and application. Always follow the tire manufacturer's data and load and inflation tables and your vehicle's tire placard.