What Are The Most Common Truck Tire Sizes?

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Choosing the right tire size is of paramount importance for truck owners. When the tires fit like a peas in a pod, it just makes driving a tad better. In this blog, we will discover the best tire sizes for trucks and what factors you need to consider before choosing one.

The most common truck tire sizes used for commercial trucks and heavy-duty vehicles are 295/75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 225/70R19.5 and 385/65R22.5. You will hear that from most truck road service near you.

A truck tire size refers to the dimensions of a tire. It is indicated by a combination of numbers and letters which provide specific information about the tire’s width, aspect ratio, construction type, and rim diameter. The tire size helps identify the appropriate tire for a particular vehicle or application.

How To Read Tire Sizes

For example, if a tire’s size is 295/75R22.5, then 295 stands for the width of the tire in millimeters, while “75” represents the tire’s aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the tire’s sidewall height to its width. In this case, the tire has an aspect ratio of 75, which means the side wall height is 75% of the tire’s width. The letter “R” indicates the tire’s construction type, which stands for radial, while the last number “22.5” indicates the diameter of the wheel rim in inches.

Several factors like the type of truck, load capacity, axle configuration, terrain, speed rating and regulatory requirements can affect the size of a truck tire.

Pros And Cons

According to most truck road service near you, these are are some general pros and cons of common truck tire sizes mentioned above:

Tire size 295/75R22.5 provides good traction and stability, is suitable for regional and long-haul applications, as well as widely available. Yet, it is limited by its reduced load carrying capacity and is more prone to side wall damage in off-road conditions.

Tire size 285/75R24.5 provides balanced size for traction and fuel efficiency, commonly used in regional applications, available options. Availability of this size is limited as compared to some other sizes, and it may have slightly reduced load carrying capacity.

Tire size 225/70R19.5 is suitable for medium-duty trucks and delivery vehicles, good stability and ride comfort. It has limited load capacity compared to larger tire sizes and may have reduced traction in challenging road conditions.

Tire size 385/65R22.5 has a high load carrying capacity, and provides excellent stability for specialized applications like flat bed trailers, with good traction. However, its availability is limited and it may have higher rolling resistance and a potential impact on fuel efficiency.

Choosing The Right Size

To choose the right size of tires, first and foremost, consult your vehicle manufacturer and truck tire service near you. Select tires with a load-carrying capacity that exceeds the total weight to ensure safe operation and avoid overloading the tires.

It is important to analyze the axle configuration of your vehicles, including the number of axles and their arrangement (single, tandem, tri-axle, etc.). Each axle has weight limits, and it’s important to choose tires that can handle the load distribution and comply with axle weight restrictions. Consult axle weight rating charts and guidelines provided by your vehicle manufacturer.

Seek Expert Advice

Seek expert advice from tire manufacturers and experts at any commercial tire shop near you. They can guide you on tire size options, load ratings, speed ratings, and tread designs suitable for your truck and application.

Ensure that the selected tire size can be easily installed on your truck’s existing rims. Additionally, plan for regular tire maintenance, including proper tire inflation, rotation, balancing, and alignment, to maximize tire life and performance.

The best way to stay well updated about all other aspects is by visiting Aidride, which is a very resourceful guide for truck tires.

Having the correct semi-truck or 18-wheeler tire size is vital in the operation of any size fleet of trucks. Properly operating tires impact the bottom line regarding the amount of time the trucks can be on the road and the safety of your operators and others on the road. Having the wrong semi-truck tire size can mean that general wear and tear happens faster. The size matters when understanding how the placement of each tire. More maintenance or less time on the road means your payload is not being delivered. 

Common Semi-Truck Tire Sizes 

Over the last few years, the most common truck tire sizes include but are not limited to 295/75R22.5, 275/70R22.5, and 225/70R19.5. While these cover average truck tire sizes and the list is good information to have, it is not ultimately helpful if you don’t understand what these numbers mean to you and your truck/s.

If we take that first size, 295/75R22.5 and explain how semi-truck tires are sized, those numbers break down into several informative categories.

Truck Tire Sizes Explained

Tire Width - The first number in the series denotes the tire width. Semi-truck tire width can be displayed in terms of inches or millimeters. In this case, a 295-inch wide tire would be massive, so a quick assumption can be made that this is a millimeter marking. Having the correct semi tire width is vital as it is literally where the rubber meets the road.

Aspect Ratio - The second notation (75) after the slash mark is the aspect ratio. It represents the percentage of the length of height to width. This number is an important sizing calculation in tire fitting, and along with rim diameter will help you determine your best tire and wheel combinations. 

Tire Construction Type - In this example, the letter R stands for radial (this notates that the steel belts inside are running 90-degrees from the direction the tire is facing). If you see a dash, then the tire is bias-ply (this notates that the nylon belts running anywhere from 30 to 45-degrees from the direction the tire is facing). Much less common are B for bias belt and D for diagonal.

Rim Diameter - The following number, in this case, 22.5, is the diameter. This does not apply to the diameter of the whole tire, but rather the semi-truck wheel diameter (the hole in the center of the tire). You would need a 22.5-inch wheel to fit this tire.

When reading the sidewall, you will encounter two additional numbers.

Load index - This number will indicate how much weight or load carrying capacity a single tire can hold. For example, 89 = 1,279 pounds, while 88 = 1,235 pounds.

Speed rating - You will see a speed rating letter at the end of the string. This indicates how fast the tire can go under its maximum load. A tire can go faster than this number at a lower load, but typically the tires can withstand a higher speed than the speed limits you will encounter.   

How Can GCR Help You Find the Right 18-Wheeler or Semi-Truck Size Tire?

No matter the size of your fleet or the needs that your trucks meet, we have the right tires for you. Whether you are looking for steer tires, drive tires, trailer tires or all position tires, we can outfit every wheel position of your commercial truck. Whether you’re looking for a top-tier fuel-efficient tire or a more economical option, we carry a wide variety of brands and semi-truck tire sizes, and we can get you and your truck back on the road quickly.

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