Guys, I've been looking around and reading trying to learn about load capacity and how it affects the rims tires and car, but I'm pulling up a blank. The search function doesnt return anything on it, SOOOO, I thought why not start a thread so others can learn from this also. Now Please DONT FLAME CAUSE YOU'RE SMARTER .

So can anyone explain how load capacity works, how to know what is too much or too little and etc. Thanks guys .

 

I think I've got this for ya...anyone can jump in and correct me if I am wrong.

The load capacity of the tire and the vehicle should go hand in hand with each other. If you have a tire that has a load capacity of 1600lbs at 44psi, and a vehicle with a load capacity of only 1000lbs, the tires are going to wear incorrectly.

I think there are ratings for tires when it comes to load capacities. I think for the Integra, the stock load number is an 84. I know our cars can handle approx. 1000lbs at 35 psi. So, you need to find a tire that is the same. A tire that supports at least the minimum weight at 35 psi is correct.

You should always inflate tires to the vehicle manufacturers specs!!! NOT the tire specs!

Does that simplify it for you?

 

Yes it does, can you explain a little more on the load capacity of a vehicle and why it changes at different PSI, sry im jsut getting into this.

 

Simple answer, it's how much load can the tire carry. But the air pressure is what really carries the load. Less load, lower pressure. More load, higher pressure. Either way, if you do it right the deformation of the tire at the ground is 'correct'. If the tire casing were strong enough, you could put 100psi in there & carry 3 times as much weight. But the tire isn't strong enough to carry any more than what's stamped in the sidewall.

Then it gets more complicated when you figure the load transferring around when you drive around a corner or put on the brakes.

Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) & gross axle weight ratings (GAWR) are on a sticker inside your door jamb. For my '95 GSR 4-door they're 1985front, 1740rear, & 3680 total. That's the maximum each axle & the whole vehicle is allowed to weigh, fully loaded.

That has to do with the size & strength of the wheels, tires, brakes, wheel bearings, springs, shocks, control arms, etc... Unless you know the people who actually designed the car, it's hard to say which piece is the weakest link. But your owners manual should say you need tires with a load rating of at least ???. You can't just take 1/2 of the axle rating because in a corner the outside wheel sees more load.

Tire Rack has a page about load & speed ratings:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...d.jsp

Picking a tire with a higher load rating isn't so bad as a rating that's too low. A car designer can pick a tire with a load rating higher than what's needed. Then they specify a lower air pressure, to get the proper deflection in the tire when it's used on the car.