Light Truck and LT Tires
The LT prefix on a tire size means light truck construction, and the difference from a P-metric passenger tire is structural rather than cosmetic. LT tires use more plies, stiffer sidewalls and heavier belt packages so they can hold higher inflation pressure, and higher pressure is what allows higher load capacity. An LT tire in the same nominal size as a P-metric tire will carry significantly more weight and resist sidewall flex under load.
Load range is the shorthand for that construction. Load range C is roughly a 6-ply rating and handles moderate loads. Load range D is roughly 8-ply. Load range E is roughly 10-ply and is the common choice for three-quarter-ton and one-ton trucks and for anyone towing seriously. Load range F is roughly 12-ply for the heaviest applications. The ply rating is an equivalence, not a literal count of plies in a modern radial.
Choose LT over P-metric when:
You tow a trailer regularly, especially anything over about 5,000 poundsYou haul weight in the bed or run a camper or service bodyYou run off-road and air down, where a stiffer sidewall resists pinch flatsYour truck is three-quarter-ton or heavier, where LT is usually the factory spec anywayThe tradeoff is ride quality and weight. LT tires ride firmer, weigh more, and cost some fuel economy. If your half-ton never sees a trailer and never leaves pavement, P-metric will ride better and serve you fine.
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Before you buy
Light Truck and LT Tires: the questions people ask
How do I read a tire size?
Metric sizes give section width in millimetres, then aspect ratio as a percentage of that width, then rim diameter in inches. So 275/60R20 is 275mm wide with a sidewall 60 percent of 275mm tall on a 20 inch wheel. Flotation sizes are simpler: 35x12.50R20 is 35 inches tall and 12.5 inches wide on a 20 inch wheel. Every listing here also publishes the overall diameter worked out for you.
Will a bigger size fit without a lift?
Usually one size up over stock clears on a half ton truck with a leveling kit. Going from a 33 inch to a 35 inch tire almost always needs a leveling kit plus trimming at the front bumper corners. 37 inch tires need a real lift and normally a re-gear to get the drivability back.
What do load index and speed rating mean?
Load index is the weight one tire carries at its rated pressure. Speed rating is the sustained speed it is certified for. Never fit a tire with a lower load index than the placard in your driver door jamb calls for. On a truck that tows, going under the placard rating is the commonest cause of a tire failing under load.
Do tires arrive mounted?
Loose tires ship on their own and need a local shop to mount and balance them. Wheel and tire packages ship mounted, balanced and ready to bolt on.
How fast do orders ship?
Orders ship from a United States warehouse, normally within 1 to 3 business days of clearing. Orders over $199 ship free, and below that a flat rate is shown at checkout before you pay. Tracking is emailed as soon as the shipment is created.
What can I return?
Unmounted, uninstalled parts in original packaging can be returned within 30 days. A wheel that has had a tire mounted on it, and a tire that has been fitted, cannot be returned because neither is new any more. That is why we check the fitment data on every order against the vehicle you give us before it ships.
Can someone check fitment for me before I order?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Send us the year, make, model, trim and what is on the vehicle now, and we will tell you what fits, what will rub and what it takes to clear.
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