Lets talk about tire load range.

[Flip]

What is the best load range tire for on & off road? Why are do a lot of manufactures offer certain tires in E load range only?

Do certain load range tires last longer than others?

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[Gorilla57]

You’ll first have to understand that actual plies doesn’t equate to load rating.

Also, there is no E ply rating. It’s E load rating. Ply rating relates to bias tires.

 

[Flip]

You’ll first have to understand that actual plies doesn’t equate to load rating.

oops! I corrected it, thank you.

I thought they were one in the same?

Load Range is an older measure of tire carrying capacity equivalent to ply rating.

 

[Gorilla57]

oops! I corrected it, thank you.

I thought they were one in the same?

Load Range is an older measure of tire carrying capacity equivalent to ply rating.

Actually, load range is the NEWER measure. Ply rating was for bias ply tires.

 

[Flip]

Actually, load range is the NEWER measure. Ply rating was for bias ply tires.

What load range tires are you running? Have you ever ran an E load range tire?

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

4 or lower - P (passenger, non-LT tires)
LT
6 - C
8 - D
10 - E
12 - F

a 10-ply rating doesn’t necessarily have 10 actual plies in it. number of plies was used to determine the relative strength of the tire (back when layers of cotton were used). ply rating has become a redundant term because most tires have just one or two body plies. LT tires themselves, generally have only two or three plies on the sidewall.

 

[jo_xj]

For example, why are Firestone Destination MT LT285/70R17's only offered in load range E, while 255/70R17's are C. I've been advised to avoid load range E when upgrading my stock Destination 255's.

 

[Apples491]

Actually, load range is the NEWER measure. Ply rating was for bias ply tires.

Load rating is the newer more appropriate measurement. Load range was always supposed to be the equivalent of traditional ply ratings.

All of which is besides the point. Most people still look at the load range for a broad understanding of the "toughness" of the tire anyway.

OP, you can look at the load range as a gauge of how soft the sidewall will be. Given the same tire and size, a Load C will have more give in the sidewall than a D which will be softer than an E.

Stiffness of the sidewall has implications for both offroading and on road manners. An E load tire will not give as much, meaning you will have a stiffer ride on pavement and may not wrap around rocks as readily. But they also provide some more stability when you're aired down which can come in handy. Theoretically, E load tires could be more resistant to slices or punctures but I kind of waver on on the validity of that.

 

[C.Sco]

C is widely considered the best overall load rating to use on a wrangler.

That being said, I'm currently running E load range tires on mine, mostly because it's all I could get my hands on at the time. They're fine - a bit on the heavy side and a touch on the firm side. But they work.

Next time around, I'm going with C load range.

 

[jo_xj]

Another example, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3 LT285/75R17 is E, while the Falken Wildpeak M/T LT285/70R17 is C. So does it have something to do with the 70 vs 75 which influences the load range?

 

[Apples491]

For example, why are Firestone Destination MT LT285/70R17's only offered in load range E, while 255/70R17's are C. I've been advised to avoid load range E when upgrading my stock Destination 255's.

I'm not in the tire manufacturing industry, but my guess is, certain sizes are designed with vehicle classes in mind. The manufacturer decides that that for a certain vehicle class, there will be a general weight range.

Or it could be they don't expect demand for certain load ranges in certain tires. ?‍

 

[Apples491]

Another example, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3 LT285/75R17 is E, while the Falken Wildpeak M/T LT285/70R17 is C. So does it have something to do with the 70 vs 75 which influences the load range?

I don't think there's a technical reason. I think it has to do with marketing and product line decisions.

BTW, Tire rack has a better explanation of the tire size numbers than I could ever type out. It's more complicated than you think.
https://www.tirerack.com/upgrade-garage/how-do-i-read-my-tire-size-on-my-sidewall

 

[Flip]

Load rating is the newer more appropriate measurement. Load range was always supposed to be the equivalent of traditional ply ratings.

All of which is besides the point. Most people still look at the load range for a broad understanding of the "toughness" of the tire anyway.

OP, you can look at the load range as a gauge of how soft the sidewall will be. Given the same tire and size, a Load C will have more give in the sidewall than a D which will be softer than an E.

Stiffness of the sidewall has implications for both offroading and on road manners. An E load tire will not give as much, meaning you will have a stiffer ride on pavement and may not wrap around rocks as readily. But they also provide some more stability when you're aired down which can come in handy. Theoretically, E load tires could be more resistant to slices or punctures but I kind of waver on on the validity of that.

OK, thank you, that makes sense. I've noticed quite a few MT's are only offered in an E load range tire. I thought it had to do with mostly weight but 2 tires I'm looking at 285/75r17 Geolander E- load, 63.3lbs and Toyo C- load, 67lbs, for example.

I currently run an E load tire, when I air down (14psi) the thick side wall is definitely noticeable, outside of that it seems fine.

 

[Flip]

Another example, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3 LT285/75R17 is E, while the Falken Wildpeak M/T LT285/70R17 is C. So does it have something to do with the 70 vs 75 which influences the load range?

From what I've been reading the Max load changes between the two, C - 6ply vs E -10 ply

Size Diameter Width Rim Range Measured Rim Tread Depth Load Range Max Load Max psi Max Speed Weight Sidewall Letters Revs/Mile LT285/75R17 117/114Q C BSW 34.1" 11.3" 7.5-9.5" 8" 19.1/32" C - 6 ply 2835/2600 lbs 50 psi 99 mph 67 lbs Black 609 LT285/75R17 121/118P E BSW 34.1" 11.6" 7.5-9.5" 8" 19.1/32" E - 10 ply 3195/2910 lbs 80 psi 93 mph 69 lbs Black 608

 

[Apples491]

OK, thank you, that makes sense. I've noticed quite a few MT's are only offered in an E load range tire. I thought it had to do with mostly weight but 2 tires I'm looking at 285/75r17 Geolander E- load, 63.3lbs and Toyo C- load, 67lbs, for example.

I currently run an E load tire, when I air down (14psi) the thick side wall is definitely noticeable, outside of that it seems fine.

I ran an E load tire on my Xterra because everyone in the Nissan community swore it was a requirement if you were off-roading. When I moved to the Wrangler and everyone was saying a C load is the way to go, it prompted me to do my own research. Turns out, I could have had a better ride in my Xterra for years.

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