RV Tire Load Range Chart: C to J Ratings Explained

An RV tire’s load range identifies its load and inflation classification. It does not, by itself, tell you how many pounds the tire can carry or what pressure your RV needs. A travel trailer and a motorhome can use tires with the same load range letter but have very different tire requirements.

Quick answer: Use the chart to understand the letters. To choose a tire, match its exact size, type, and load rating to your RV’s tire label and axle ratings. Check wheel limits, and use the tire manufacturer’s guidance for pressure. For motorhomes, loaded axle-end weights and the applicable load/inflation table are especially useful.

Table of Contents

RV Tire Load Range Chart

Load range	Traditional ply-rating equivalent	Example application or tire size	What to check
C	6	Some ST trailer tires; Michelin also lists 205/65R15C C-metric, Load Range C	Exact tire load, size, and vehicle label
D	8	Some ST trailer tires; Michelin lists 195/75R16C C-metric, Load Range D	Tire capacity at the applicable pressure
E	10	Some ST and LT tires; Michelin lists LT235/85R16 E	Tire type, size, load rating, and wheel limits
F	12	Available in certain heavier-duty tires; check whether your specified size is offered	Manufacturer rating for the exact tire
G	14	Some ST trailer tires and motorhome tires; Michelin lists 225/70R19.5 G	Single/dual rating where applicable
H	16	Some commercial-size motorhome tires; Michelin lists 245/70R19.5 H	Measured load and tire-specific inflation table
J	18	Certain commercial-size motorhome tires; Michelin lists 275/70R22.5 J	Exact size, approved fitment, and load data

The examples illustrate where these letters appear; they are not tire recommendations for an RV class. Michelin’s listed sizes come from its RV tire catalog. A C in a C-metric size and a separate Load Range C are different markings.

Ply rating is a traditional strength equivalent, not the number of physical plies in a modern tire. The letter alone supplies no universal pounds-per-tire or PSI figure. The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s tire care guide explains load-range and ply-rating markings.

What Does Load Range Mean on an RV Tire?

Load range is one part of a tire’s specification. Size, construction, service type, and installation also affect its rated load.

For a concrete example, Michelin lists its Load Range E XPS RIB in LT225/75R16 at 2,680 lb single and in LT235/85R16 at 3,042 lb single, both at the catalog’s stated 80 PSI maximum-load condition. Those figures belong to those exact tires. They are neither a universal Load Range E capacity chart nor a pressure recommendation for your RV.

Read the full markings. In ST225/75R15, ST identifies a special trailer tire; the size does not, on its own, give its load range. Likewise, the final C in a size such as 225/75R16C is part of a C-metric size designation. It does not automatically mean Load Range C: Michelin lists a 225/75R16C tire separately as Load Range E.

ST, LT, and Motorhome Tires: Know Which You Have

Tire designation or application	Meaning	RV use
ST	Special trailer tire	Used on many travel trailers and fifth wheels; follow trailer and tire specifications
LT	Light-truck tire	Used on some tow vehicles, truck campers, and motorhomes; check its exact rated load
Commercial tire used on a motorhome	Identified by its full size and service markings, rather than one universal RV prefix	Used on some motorhomes; single/dual ratings and tire-specific tables can matter

ST is a trailer-service designation, while LT identifies a light-truck tire. A commercial tire used on a motorhome may have a size such as 275/80R22.5. Tires with the same load range are not necessarily interchangeable across these applications.

A truck camper also needs the truck’s tire and axle specifications checked with the camper installed.

How to Choose the Right Load Range for Your RV

Read the RV’s labels and manual. Record its specified tire size, cold inflation pressure, GVWR, and each axle’s GAWR.
Identify the installed tires. Note the full size, tire type, load range, sidewall load marking, and whether the tires run singly or in duals.
Weigh the RV loaded for travel. Include passengers, cargo, water, and equipment. Separate axle-end or wheel-position weights can reveal uneven loading hidden by an axle total.
Check the replacement tire’s exact rating. Confirm that its load capacity at the applicable cold pressure meets the vehicle and axle requirements. Check size, service type, and fitment as well.
Verify the wheels. The wheel must support the intended load and pressure and fit the tire correctly. A stronger tire does not raise the wheel’s rating.
Use the applicable pressure guidance. Follow the RV manufacturer’s instructions and the tire maker’s data for the exact tire. For a motorhome on Michelin tires, Michelin’s RV load and inflation tables explain how to use loaded axle-end weights and its matching tire table.

Do not substitute a load range letter for these checks. If changing tire type or size, confirm the complete replacement setup with the RV and tire manufacturers or a qualified tire professional.

Load Range vs. Load Index vs. Maximum Load

Marking	What it tells you	What it does not tell you alone
Load range, such as E	Load and inflation classification	Exact tire capacity or your RV’s required pressure
Load index, such as 120/116	Coded maximum-load ratings; paired numbers can mean single/dual service	Whether the tire fits your particular RV
Maximum load at a stated cold pressure	Tire-specific load marking at the stated pressure	A universal everyday inflation target

A paired load index such as 120/116, when marked for single/dual service, gives separate ratings. Check the rating that matches how the tire is installed. For a fuller explanation of sidewall load markings, see our tire load rating chart.

RV Tire PSI: Sidewall, Vehicle Label, or Load Table?

Reference	Purpose
RV tire label	Vehicle maker’s specified cold inflation for its listed tire setup
Tire sidewall	Tire’s marked load and corresponding cold pressure
Tire-maker load/inflation table	Load supported by the specified tire at listed cold pressures
Wheel specification	Wheel’s load and inflation limits

Use the RV label and manufacturer instructions as the starting point. For a motorhome weighed in travel-ready condition, a table for the exact installed tire can identify the pressure supporting its measured load.

Michelin says to weigh each axle end, use the heavier end to determine pressure for every tire on that axle, and never exceed wheel pressure limits. Its RV tables also distinguish single from dual installations. Other tire makers’ instructions may differ, so do not apply Michelin’s table to another brand.

For a trailer, follow the trailer and tire manufacturers’ instructions for its ST or LT tires. Do not copy a motorhome table value or another owner’s PSI simply because the load range matches. Check pressure cold according to the tire maker’s instructions.

Travel Trailer and Fifth-Wheel Load Ranges

There is no one correct load range for all travel trailers or fifth wheels. Their tire sizes, axle ratings, wheel limits, and loaded weights differ. Start with the trailer’s tire and certification labels, then verify the replacement tire’s rated load at the applicable pressure.

Some fifth wheels use ST tires; others have LT tires. Do not assume ST and LT tires with similar size numbers and load range letters have the same capacity. A higher range also cannot increase the trailer’s GAWR or GVWR.

For trailer-only capacity examples, see our trailer tire load range chart. If your replacement requires a different size, check the trailer tire size chart alongside the trailer and wheel specifications.

Class C and Class A Motorhome Load Ranges

Motorhome class alone cannot tell you whether the right tire is Load Range E, G, H, or another designation. Read the installed tire and motorhome specifications. Some motorhomes have rear duals, whose tire load ratings differ from single-tire ratings.

Weigh the motorhome loaded for travel. One side of an axle may carry more passengers, water, or equipment than the other. For Michelin RV tires, the heavier axle-end weight determines one cold pressure across that axle from the matching tire table. Check the motorhome’s guidance and wheel limits before applying the result.

Worked Example: Tandem-Axle Travel Trailer

Imagine a trailer with two 3,500-lb-rated axles. Loaded and attached to the tow vehicle for weighing, the front trailer axle reads 3,100 lb and the rear reads 3,300 lb.

These readings are trailer axle loads, not the trailer’s total loaded weight: the tow vehicle carries part of the trailer’s weight through the hitch.

Measurement	Front axle	Rear axle
Hypothetical GAWR	3,500 lb	3,500 lb
Hypothetical loaded axle weight	3,100 lb	3,300 lb
Average per tire if evenly distributed	1,550 lb	1,650 lb

Both axle totals are below their hypothetical GAWRs. The average per tire does not prove that each tire position carries that amount: left and right loads can differ.

These numbers also do not establish whether Load Range C, D, or E is suitable. To select tires, verify the trailer’s specified tire setup, actual tire ratings, applicable pressure, and wheel limits. Separate side-to-side weights improve the assessment when available.

These weights are hypothetical, not tire or PSI recommendations.

Worked Example: Motorhome With Rear Duals

Imagine a travel-ready motorhome with two tires at each end of the rear axle. A scale records 8,500 lb at the left rear axle end and 8,000 lb at the right. Its rear axle total is 16,500 lb; dividing that total in half would miss the heavier side.

First, identify the exact tire model and sidewall markings. Next, open that tire manufacturer’s current RV load/inflation table and read its dual column. Find an entry that supports at least the 8,500-lb heavier axle-end load, then follow the maker’s axle-pressure instructions and check the vehicle and wheel limits.

In Michelin’s RV tables, a dual axle-end figure covers the two tires together at that end; it is not a per-tire figure.

An exact PSI requires the installed tire’s current table, motorhome specifications, and wheel limits. The numbers above are hypothetical measured weights, not a proposed setup.

Can You Upgrade to a Higher Load Range?

Possibly, after checking the complete replacement setup. Confirm tire size, service type, approved wheel fitment, load capacity at the intended pressure, and the wheel’s load and pressure limits.

A higher load range does not increase the RV’s GAWR, GVWR, towing rating, or the wheel’s capacity. If the existing tire setup cannot support the RV as loaded, check for overloading and verify a suitable remedy with the RV and tire manufacturers or a qualified tire professional. Changing only the letter does not resolve an overloaded axle.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing by letter alone: Tires sharing a letter can have different rated loads.
Treating ply rating as physical ply count: Modern construction may use fewer actual plies.
Using the sidewall pressure for every RV: Check the vehicle and applicable tire-maker guidance.
Using a single rating for rear duals: Consult the dual rating and correct table.
Dividing axle load evenly without checking distribution: One side may be heavier.
Confusing a C-metric size suffix with Load Range C: Read the full tire marking.

RV Tire Load Range FAQ

Is Load Range E enough for my RV?

The letter cannot answer that alone. Compare the exact tire’s load capacity, size, and pressure requirements with your RV’s labels, axle ratings, loaded weight, and wheel limits.

Is Load Range G better than E?

G has a higher traditional ply-rating equivalent, but it is not automatically a suitable replacement. Tire fitment and load capacity for the exact application decide.

Should I inflate RV tires to the PSI on the sidewall?

Do not use the sidewall number as a universal target. Follow the RV and tire manufacturers’ instructions. For a motorhome, use the correct tire-maker table with measured loaded weights where applicable.

Can I replace ST trailer tires with LT tires?

Do not assume they are interchangeable. Confirm tire size, load rating, inflation requirements, and wheel compatibility against the trailer manufacturer’s requirements before changing type.

Does a higher load range increase towing or cargo capacity?

No. A tire change does not raise manufacturer-specified vehicle, trailer, or axle ratings.

What is the difference between single and dual ratings?

Single means one tire at each axle end; dual means two. Use the rating and table that match the installed configuration. When an RV table lists dual axle-end load, that figure covers both tires at that end, not each tire individually.