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Last updated 1/19/2023 - Originally published 1/19/2023
Written by SimpleTire
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Tire Buying Guides
If you own a truck, SUV, or van, you may have noticed the letter "LT" embossed on your tires before the string of numbers and letters indicating the tire size. You may have also made an effort to comprehend what LT tires are and why they are used. Finding the right tires for your vehicle, on the other hand, can cause a lot of confusion and frustration for almost every driver.
Let us look at what” LT” tires means and whether you should consider getting a set if you're in the market for new tires. This is necessary because it is a critical classification based on the weight of your vehicle and how it is used.
LT stands for "light truck," which refers to a particular class of passenger tire, but the goal of designing LT tires is for very specific heavy-duty tasks. An LT tire is essentially a reinforced tire with thicker, stiffer sidewalls and a deeper tread compared to the p-metric tire commonly used for passenger vehicles. These tires have stronger internal cords and belts that allow them to support the added weight of trucks and other larger vehicles. The rubber composition may vary as well because LT tires will generate more heat as a result of carrying more weight.
Furthermore, you can sometimes identify the LT tires with their squared-off shoulders and deeper, more aggressive tread patterns.
For more challenging driving conditions, LT-metric tires are appropriate and their load capacities of 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton are also available. Moreover, an LT tire on a truck or car indicates that they are more efficient when hauling, working, and driving on unpaved roads.
The Tire and Rim Association has standardized the designation LT-Metric for a "light truck" type tire. LT tires are designed for trucks, but full-size SUVs and vans that frequently travel off-road also utilize these tires to carry heavy loads.
Older tire models and commercial tires frequently used the LT tire size. Today, it is still utilized in a large number of commercial tires in addition to off-road, heavy cargo, trailer, and tires with higher sidewall ratios than usual. This is one of the explanations for the variety of names this size goes by, including LT, Wide Base, Numeric, and Floatation sizes.
Numeric tires, such as trailer tires, are used for heavy cargo or towing. Wide Base tires have a 16.5 inch rim or higher or are taller (so these would fall under the higher sidewall ratio). A "Flotation Light Truck" tire has the tire size ending in LT. These are off-road tires that are designed to drive on loose surfaces such as sand or dirt (they "float" on top of these surfaces).
The letters "LT" will appear before the size number sequence on LT-Metric tires. We can break down the LT metric size LT265/65R17 in the following way:
There is one more sizing type to be aware of, especially if you are looking for off-road tires for a light truck or SUV. Given that they are in-inch measurements, this will not be the same as a metric size with the prefix "LT." In fact, the "LT" notation here typically comes after the size rather than before it. An LT at the end of the tire size designates a special "Flotation Light Truck" tire capable of towing and handling heavy loads.
Let’s analyze the LT tire size 33X12.50R17LT in order to better understand this.
Superior performance for heavier vehicles is what the term "LT tire" means for drivers of light trucks, SUVs, and vans. The tire's sidewalls and bottom are reinforced with materials, which reduce sway and increase load capacity. When the vehicle is hauling heavy cargo, the internal steel belt structure, wider tread, and thicker rubber all help to keep the vehicle stable. In summary, it's critical to understand LT when changing tires.
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Yes, LT tire sizes are still used today for off-road tires, heavy cargo or trailer tires, or tires with higher sidewall ratios than usual and also in many commercial tires.
The majority of passenger tires have metric or "P-metric" sizing. However, there is a different system of sizing available called LT sizing, which is mainly used for light truck and off-road tires. You can calculate how much clearance the tire will have in your wheel well using the diameter.