Choose truck tires by matching your vehicle’s original size, load capacity, and service use, starting with the sticker on your driver’s door jamb.
For the full breakdown, see our best Looking AT Tires for Trucks guide.
Picking the wrong tires for your truck isn’t just a mistake — it’s a safety hazard and a waste of money. The right way to choose tires for your truck comes down to one source of truth: the OEM tire size and load rating printed on your driver’s side door jamb. From there, you match load capacity, inflation, and speed rating to how you actually use the truck. Most of a tire’s job happens before you ever think about tread pattern.
Where To Find Your Truck’s Correct Tire Size
The tire size you need is not a guess, and it’s not whatever looks good in the parking lot. Your truck’s correct size is documented in several places, and the most reliable is the driver’s side door jamb sticker. The owner’s manual, glove compartment door, and inside the gas tank door also list it. Once you have that number, the rest of the selection process follows from it.
The tire sidewall itself carries the same info in code. You’ll see a string like “LT265/70R17” — the size — followed by a load index number and a speed rating letter. Those two characters matter more than the brand name on the sidewall, because they tell you whether the tire can actually carry your truck’s weight at highway speeds.
The Load Rating Rule: Never Go Lower
Every truck has a maximum axle and vehicle weight rating, and your tires must be able to handle it. The rule is strict: a lower load index than what your vehicle requires should never be selected. If your door sticker says the truck needs a load index of 115, a tire with a load index of 112 is not an option — even if the tire is cheaper or looks tougher.
Light truck tires add a wrinkle. When they come with dual load ratings separated by a slash, the first number is the load rating when the tire runs alone, and the second is its rating when mounted as a dual tire. That distinction keeps fleets and heavy-duty owners from overloading a single tire that was designed for a pair.
Replacement tires should match the original equipment size designation exactly, or use approved options from the vehicle or tire manufacturer. Don’t assume a bigger tire will fit — clearance depends on your truck’s make, model, and suspension. If you must switch from the OEM size, use the vehicle or tire manufacturer’s approved options instead of improvising.
Matching Tread And Service To Real Use
Before you look at tread patterns, look at the truck’s job. Tread design should be considered only after the vehicle type and the user’s vocation are examined. A daily commuter hauling light loads needs a highway terrain tire, not a mud-terrain tire that hums at 70 mph and wears fast on pavement. A work truck towing on gravel needs something with sturdier sidewalls and a tread that digs in.
Bridgestone’s commercial guidance is blunt: prioritize operational needs, match the service application, choose tread design accordingly, and confirm the selection with dealer expertise. Commercial trucks face the same math as personal trucks, just with more zeros — load capacity, inflation, and speed capability come first, and retreading considerations enter the picture for fleet operators.
References & Sources
- Bridgestone Commercial. “How to Select Truck Tires.” Outlines the load, inflation, and service-selection priorities for commercial trucks.