Reading a load-inflation table before you air up
A worked walkthrough of matching door-placard weight to the right chart row, with the LT versus P-metric split and a towing margin check.
Edited by Nicole
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A load-inflation chart turns truck weight into a cold PSI target. Every tire maker publishes one per size, listing what a single tire carries at each pressure step. After a size or construction swap, that chart row should set the pressure the owner runs. The max figure on the sidewall is a ceiling, not a target.
The door-jamb placard supplies the weight side. It shows the factory tire size and the cold PSI behind the truck's rated load per tire. Match that same weight in the new tire's chart and read across to the pressure column. Confirm the construction letter first, because LT and P-metric tables are published separately; a listing that omits the letter is worth trading for one that prints it.
One worked example covers most swaps. A placard that assumes 2,300 pounds per tire needs a chart row at or above that figure. If the new set reaches it at 55 PSI, then 55 is the floor for that axle. Towing shifts weight onto the rear pair, so run the loaded truck across a scale and check the rear row against real tongue weight.
Cold means cold. Take morning readings before driving; a warm sidewall reads high and can hide a soft tire. A 30-degree seasonal drop pulls real pressure out of all four corners plus the spare, so check again when the weather turns and check the spare while the gauge is out. Running max-sidewall pressure in an empty truck centers the tread wear and punishes the ride. The chart row that covers the actual weight, plus a small towing margin, is the honest number.
The chart habit sharpens price comparison too. In one size, a Falken Wildpeak A/T4W and a Nitto Recon Grappler A/T can want different pressures for the same placard weight, and each product page pairs size and load rating with current stock and return terms, which makes the two easy to compare. More of the category sits in the tire and wheel department.
Before airing up: confirm the placard weight, match the chart row, verify the wheels and valve stems handle the target PSI, and sanity-check the swap with the LT vs P-metric guide and the load range guide.
Product pages to compare
- Vehicle configuration
- Part number range
- Included hardware
- Return terms
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