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When shopping for a new tire to replace the stock ones that came with your car, it is important to pay attention to the inscriptions on the tire sidewall. The inscriptions are codes that carry the load capacity, speed rating, size, and other necessary information you should know about the tire, including the DOT notes.
Among the main codes to look out for on a tire are the load index and speed rating; these codes are usually written together, e.g., 95H. But what does 95h mean on a tire? It is a code that carries a tire’s load index and speed rating information.
To better understand this code, you have to refer to the load index and speed rating charts. However, on a quick note, a 95H tire is a passenger car tire that can carry a maximum load of 1,521 pounds and is designed to be driven at speed levels below 130mph.
Well, don’t get confused; below is what load index and speed rating mean.
What Is Tire Load Index and Speed Rating?
The “Tire Load Index” number is a code that tells you the maximum load capacity of a particular tire when properly inflated. It is expected that you do not load the tire above its capacity – doing such would cause the treads to wear faster. Tire load indexes are represented with numbers “0” to “150.”
On the other hand, “Tire Speed Rating” refers to the recommended maximum speed you should drive with the selected tire. If you exceed this (recommended) speed level, more pressure would be exerted on the tire, which would cause the treads to peel or wear faster.
So, the tire load index and speed rating codes are used to indicate the amount of load and the speed level you should subject a tire to. These two are always written together, e.g., 95H, 95W, 87T, 120N, 150Y, and so on. The load index is represented with numbers, and the speed rating is represented with alphabets.
To better understand the meaning of tire load index and speed codes, hereunder are the charts (the Load Index chart is shortened). The charts let you know the maximum load you should carry on a tire and the maximum running speed.
See Also: What Does 95W Mean On a Tire?
Tire Load Chart
Load Index | Maximum load (lbs) |
80 | 992 |
81 | 1019 |
82 | 1047 |
83 | 1074 |
84 | 1102 |
85 | 1135 |
86 | 1168 |
87 | 1201 |
88 | 1235 |
89 | 1279 |
90 | 1323 |
91 | 1356 |
92 | 1389 |
93 | 1433 |
94 | 1477 |
95 | 1521 |
96 | 1565 |
97 | 1609 |
98 | 1653 |
99 | 1709 |
Speed Rating Chart
Speed Ratings | Maximum Speed at MPH |
L | 75 mph |
M | 81 mph |
N | 87 mph |
P | 93 mph |
Q | 99 mph |
R | 106 mph |
S | 112 mph |
T | 118 mph |
U | 124 mph |
H | 130 mph |
V | 149 mph |
W | 168 mph |
Y | 186 mph |
Z | 149+ mph |
What Does 95H Mean On a Tire?
Looking at the charts above, 95H refers to a tire with a load capacity of 1,521 pounds and a maximum speed rating of 130mph.
This means to say that such a tire is designed to carry a maximum load of 1,521lbs and run at a maximum speed of 130mph. Exceeding any of these can cause the tire to wear faster or even tear.
So, if you’ve got 95H tires on your car, you’re not expected to drive above 130mph, and for the maximum weight, you have to multiply the load capacity (95) by the number of tires on your car. For example, most passenger cars have four (4) tires, so it’s 1,521lbs x 4, which equals 6,084 pounds.
Therefore, with 95H tires on your car, the overall weight you carry (the car’s actual weight plus cargo and passenger weight) shouldn’t exceed 6,000lbs. Overloading the tires would make driving quite difficult, and the tires would wear out faster.
See Also: What Does 97W Mean On a Tire?
Summary
In summary, this article tries to answer the question – What does 95H mean on a tire – elaborating on the load index and speed rating charts.
Understanding the maximum load your car tires can carry and the highest speed you can drive with them is very important; this way, you’d be able to keep things minimal and have your car last for a very long time without any major problems.
Load capacity and speed rating are printed on all automobile tires.