Tips & Advice for Car, SUV & Van tires
What is a tire load rating and what is a tire speed rating? Do they have to be respected when replacing tires? Find the answers to your questions in this article.
What are tire ratings?
The sidewall of your tire has various alphanumeric markings that allow you to understand a number of things about it. (Learn how to read tire markings)
Part of this coding is the tire load rating and the tire speed rating, which are indicated by a number and a letter respectively.
There may be tire ratings written in your car owners manual or on the sticker in the driver's door. This information describes the tires recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.
What do these tire ratings mean? Do you have to comply with them when you replace your tires? We will discuss this in this article.
Tire load rating
What is the tire load rating?
The tire load rating is a numerical code which corresponds to a maximum load (in kg) that can be carried by a single tire. The load rating and corresponding maximum tire loads are listed in a standard table.
To identify the maximum load your tire can carry, or the load index recommended by your vehicle manufacturer, simply do the following:
1 - Find the tire load rating
On the sidewall of your tire, you will find a string of numbers and letters that look like this:
You may also find them on the sticker on your driver's door or your vehicle owner’s manual.
These numbers and letters vary between tires. They indicate the tyre dimensions, load and speed ratings.
Let's see what this coding means:
Tire width | Tire height | Internal tyre diameter | Tire load rating | Tire speed rating |
205mm | 55% of the height/section ratio | 17” | 91 | V |
Note that tires of the same dimension can have different tire load and speed ratings. This is why it is important to understand the dimension, tire speed and tire load rating before replacing tires.
In this example, the tire load rating is 91.
2 - Tire load rating chart
Once you have noted the tire load rating, you can find the maximum single tire load that it refers to by consulting this table:
In our example, we see that the tire load rating of 91 corresponds to a maximum tire load of 615 kg with the right pressure.
What does XL mean on tires?
Some tires are also marked XL. This stands for "Extra Load".
It simply means that the tire has been reinforced to be able to carry heavier loads than standard tires of the same dimension. Let’s use the same tyre size : 205/55R16 94V XL. In this case the load capacity of this tyre with the same dimension as in our previous example is now 650 kg instead of 615kg.
Can I switch to a tire with a higher load rating ?
As mentioned above, the tyre load rating corresponds to a maximum load (in kg) that can be carried by a single tyre.
However “who can do more can do less” and it is of course possible to fit your car with tires that have a higher load rating than the manufacturer’s specification.
Tire speed rating
What is the tire speed rating?
The tire speed rating indicates the maximum speed at which a tire can carry its maximum load.
On the sidewall of your tire (or the sticker in the driver's door, or the owner’s manual), the speed rating is defined by a letter right next to the load rating
Here, the tire speed rating is V.
Tire speed rating chart
To find out what speed this index corresponds to, simply refer to the tire speed rating chart below:
For example, if the tire has a speed rating of V, then the maximum speed it can sustain is 149 mph (240 km/h).
Can I switch to a tire with a higher speed index?
When your tires are worn out, it is perfectly possible to replace them with tires with a higher speed index than the one indicated on the old ones. However, you should never mount tires with a lower speed index unless fitting tires with winter capacities such as winter tires or All Season Tires, as discussed below.
There are specific cases for W, Y and (Y) speed ratings, which are specific to high-speed vehicles (> 270km/h). If you are concerned, please ask your dealer for advice.
Simplified sport ranges
As we said earlier, "who can do more can do less". With this in mind, we've simplified our Sport ranges, such as the MICHELIN Pilot Sport4, MICHELIN Pilot Sport4S and MICHELIN Pilot Sport 5, to make it easier for consumers to find their way around.
Most of the sizes in these ranges now have HIGHER possible load ratings than the original ones in order to meet all requirements.
Here's a concrete example:
If your original tyre size is 225/45 R17 91 V, you can opt for size 225/45 R17 94 Y.
The 94 load index means that the tyre is capable of carrying a higher load (up to 670 kg) than your original tyre (up to 615 kg). A tyre of the same size with a higher load index is therefore perfectly compatible.
The speed rating is also compatible if it is higher.
Choosing a lower speed index for winter tires
If you use tires with winter capacities (marked 3PMSF : either winter tires or All Season Tires), the speed rating may be lower than that of your summer tires or the original tire fitted to your vehicle.
Why is this possible? Tires with winter capacities are designed differently for driving in difficult climatic conditions (snowy, icy roads, etc.) and may not have the same speed rating.
However, generally you drive at a lower speed in winter than you would on dry roads with summer tires. In the UK the speed rating of tires with winter capacities will still be in excess of the national speed limit. In any case, the driver must limit the speed of the car so not to exceed the maximum speed of the tire.
Changing the tyre size
What about the size? Is it possible to change it?
You can find the answer to this question in our article on changing the size of a tyre.
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