What tyre size do I need for my truck?

Truck tyre size contains a number of essential pieces of information that determine their compatibility (or incompatibility) with a vehicle. These include:

the width of the tyre in millimeters
the aspect ratio (determines the height as a percentage of the width)
the type of construction (example: R for ‘Radial’)
the wheel diameter in inches
the load rating (corresponds to the maximum load the tyre can support)
the speed rating (corresponds to the maximum speed at which the tyre can be driven)

The vehicle manufacturer recommends certain dimensions for the truck. Generally speaking, the wisest thing to do is to stick to them. However, when you buy a truck, you can sometimes choose a tyre size other than the one recommended. As we'll see below, this can be decided according to the particular use you want to make of the truck.

Once your truck has been purchased and when the need arises to replace one or more tyres, it is generally advisable to keep the same size as the one originally fitted.

1 - Tyre size designation: 315/70 R 22.5

2 - Load rating and speed rating: 154/150 L

3 - Singular point: any additional load ratings and speed ratings

4 - Category of use:

3PMSF/M+S : 'snow’ category tyres in accordance with “R54” (EC) regulations
661/2009 : 'snow’ category tyres in accordance with “R117” regulations.
Traction: tyres for traction use in accordance with ‘R117’ regulations

5 - Tyre position code - in our example, D for ‘DRIVE’ = drive axle

6 - Rolling direction

7 - Tubless: mounting without inner tube

Small-diameter tyres reduce the overall height of the truck, which increases the interior height of the semi-trailer so that a greater load volume can be carried. Whenever possible, this optimisation improves productivity by reducing the number of vehicles needed on the road.

For vehicles carrying voluminous but light goods, for example, smaller diameter tyres can be used to increase the interior volume of the semi-trailer while respecting the 4 metre height limit required in certain countries. However, we do not recommend small diameter tyres for long distances.