Im looking at buying some tires for my '63 Biscayne. I figured out it weighs around 3390 lbs. Question is on load rating of tires. Below is a copy of the chart from Tire rack of load ratings <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 align=center><TBODY><TR align=middle><TH bgColor=#555555>Load Index</TH><TH bgColor=#555555>Pounds</TH><TH bgColor=#555555>Kilograms</TH><TH rowSpan=21 width=20> </TH><TH bgColor=#555555>Load Index</TH><TH bgColor=#555555>Pounds</TH><TH bgColor=#555555>Kilograms</TH></TR><TR align=middle><TD>71</TD><TD>761</TD><TD>345</TD><TD>91</TD><TD>1356</TD><TD>615</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>72</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>783</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>355</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>92</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1389</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>630</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>73</TD><TD>805</TD><TD>365</TD><TD>93</TD><TD>1433</TD><TD>650</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>74</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>827</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>375</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>94</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1477</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>670</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>75</TD><TD>853</TD><TD>387</TD><TD>95</TD><TD>1521</TD><TD>690</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>76</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>882</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>400</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>96</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1565</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>710</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>77</TD><TD>908</TD><TD>412</TD><TD>97</TD><TD>1609</TD><TD>730</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>78</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>937</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>425</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>98</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1653</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>750</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>79</TD><TD>963</TD><TD>437</TD><TD>99</TD><TD>1709</TD><TD>775</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>80</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>992</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>450</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>100</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1764</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>800</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>81</TD><TD>1019</TD><TD>462</TD><TD>101</TD><TD>1819</TD><TD>825</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>82</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1047</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>475</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>102</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1874</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>850</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>83</TD><TD>1074</TD><TD>487</TD><TD>103</TD><TD>1929</TD><TD>875</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>84</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1102</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>500</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>104</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1984</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>900</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>85</TD><TD>1135</TD><TD>515</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>2039</TD><TD>925</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>86</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1168</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>530</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>106</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>2094</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>950</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>87</TD><TD>1201</TD><TD>545</TD><TD>107</TD><TD>2149</TD><TD>975</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>88</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1235</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>560</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>108</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>2205</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1000</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>89</TD><TD>1279</TD><TD>580</TD><TD>109</TD><TD>2271</TD><TD>1030</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD bgColor=#dddddd>90</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1323</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>600</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>110</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>2337</TD><TD bgColor=#dddddd>1060</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Question is, then is that per tire or over all? If per tire I figure I need at leas a 75 load range tire. Am I correct? Thanks ahead for any input.
Yeah,that's how I was told to work it out, weight divided by 4 to give you the load rating for each corner. Paul
You also have to figure what the load would be with the car full of adults and a load of luggage in the truck and put that into the equation. figuring that you could conceivably carry six 200 lb people and 300 lbs of luggage in the car that would add 1500 lbs to the figure or put it at 5000 lbs that you would want to have the car rated for. Unless it is a trailered show queen that never gets driven with people or luggage in it.
also keep in mind that most cars are heavier on one end than the other. Your Chevy is probably 500 to 600 pounds heavier in the front than the rear. you might want to consider stepping up to an 81 or 82 to be safe.
Well what I didnt mention, as I just needed to figure out how to figure it out. Was that I plan on towing my '67 Apache pop up camper also, for weekend camping trips. So I will take all that into consideration. But needed to know how to figure it before I just bought something and had a blow out from overloading a tire. The info is very helpfull thanks.
I've never seen that chart on there. How did you get that. All the times I've looked there, including just now, it has shown the max load for the tire
I did a yahoo search for tire ratings and found it. You can also find all tire sizes they have by searching 15'' tire on yahoo, or what ever size you need.
Rather than looking at load range chart then converting it I would think it would be easier to just look at the weight rating on each tire. A 215/70/15 has a load rating of 1653#. The lowest rating they show for a 15" tire is 1168# for a 185/65/15. So buy a tire of the size that will look right on the car and it will be heavy enough
Also, different manufactures have different ratings on the sizes. Check the specific tire brand info first.