Lt stands for Light Truck that indicates tires which are for light trucks. These are tires which are specifically engineered for heavy duty pickup trucks, vans and SUVs.
The label LT can be found written before the tire size.
Table of Contents
LT Tire Plys
LT tires are accessible in 3 different plys. A tire which is rated C is six-ply.
One which is rated D is an eight-ply and an E rated tire is a 10-ply tire.
E rated LT tire is suited best for carrying heavy loads and when spending a lot of time off road.
| Load Range | Ply Rating |
| A | 2 |
| B | 4 |
| C | 6 |
| D | 8 |
| E | 10 |
| F | 12 |
| G | 14 |
| H | 16 |
| J | 18 |
| L | 20 |
| M | 22 |
| N | 24 |
Varieties of Lt Tires
These tires are divided into three categories:
Numeric: These are created to transport heavy cargo loads and tow trailers.
Wide Base: They are engineered to carry heavy cargo loads and tow trailers on a (16.5 inches’ diameter) wheel rim.
Flotation: These are robust and huge tires that help transfer heavy cargo loads and tow trailers on surfaces like sand or dirt.
Tread Wear of LT Tires
These tires are designed to carry heavy weight and to provide high durability.
They are specifically styled to have reinforced sidewalls with extra material and thicker tread patterns to assist heavier loads and potential off road driving.
Their heavy duty design will provide you with durability and stability needed in almost any circumstances to help navigate.
Since they are formulated to resist chipping from stones, they can function well on gravel roads.
Moreover, they are built very strong and use higher inflation pressure to their advantage so that they can carry a variety of load ranges.
Advantages and Disadvantages of LT Tires
They have stiffer sidewalls so that stability is provided when carrying large amounts of loads. They also have extra layers in the sidewalls and under the tread which decreases the chance of the tires being harmed, increasing its service life.
While on the other hand, rides with Lt tires are not smooth which means that the journey will not be as comfortable and also they don’t last longer than tires of other categorizes.
Speed Rating
A single letter or an A with one numeral make up the symbol of speed.
This symbol is used to indicate highest speed against which a tire can carry goods equivalent to its load index.
Detailed table is given below:
| Code | Km/h | mph | Code | Km/h | mph |
| A1 | 5 | 3 | L | 120 | 75 |
| A2 | 10 | 6 | M | 130 | 81 |
| A3 | 15 | 9 | N | 140 | 87 |
| A4 | 20 | 12 | P | 150 | 94 |
| A5 | 25 | 16 | Q | 160 | 100 |
| A6 | 30 | 19 | R | 170 | 106 |
| A7 | 35 | 22 | S | 180 | 112 |
| A8 | 40 | 25 | T | 190 | 118 |
| B | 50 | 31 | U | 200 | 124 |
| C | 60 | 37 | H | 210 | 130 |
| D | 65 | 40 | V | 240 | 149 |
| E | 70 | 43 | Z | OVER 240 | OVER 149 |
| F | 80 | 50 | W | 270 | 168 |
| G | 90 | 56 | (W) | OVER 270 | OVER 168 |
| J | 100 | 62 | Y | 300 | 186 |
| K | 110 | 68 | (Y) | OVER 300 | OVER 168 |
Difference between Lt and P Metric Tires
P metric stands for passenger vehicle. Passenger vehicle are cars, mini vans and CUVs but can also be trucks which don’t carry much weight.
LT tires are bigger than P metric tires and also have higher force and air pressure.
They have different load ranges, LT tires offers range of loads which can be up to 10 plies while passenger tires can deliver a load range of only 4 plies proving that LT tires have more strength and are more long lasting when compared to passenger tires.
LT tires are less flexible and more durable with stiffer sidewalls but passenger tires have a low rolling resistant.
| Criteria of Comparison | LT – Tires | P – Tires |
| Developed-Form | Light Truck Tires | Passenger Tires |
| Elasticity | Low-Medium | High |
| Handling | Medium | High |
| Power | High | Medium |
| Price | High | Medium |
| Stack Range | Have a higher stack range. (10 ply) | Have a lower stack range. (4 ply) |
| Landscape | LT tires can easily travel on uneven lands. | P tires are made to be used on flat surfaces. |
| Inflexibility | High | Medium |
Bottom Line
Lt informs you with these things:
- Specifically engineered to work with trucks and SUVs.
- Used to carry heavy load.
- Work best on tough terrains.
