Carrying heavy loads on passenger tires

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Is it safe to carry heavy loads on passenger tires? My Tundra comes with passenger tires (P265/70R16) and I've been using the truck to carry several loads of concrete (30 bags at a time, each bag weighing 80lbs).
 
Check the load rating of the tires you have. Calulate the truck weight on the back wheels and add the load to it 30X80=2400 lbs. The maxium tire load is at the maximum tire pressure listed on the side of the tire. The only way I know to figure it and the figure is for tires in excellent condition. Ed
 
I'm sure you are technically overloaded but inflate the tires to the max on sidewall and keep the speed down, like sub 50mph, and you should be fine.
 
Originally Posted By: PeteTheFarmer
A 2400# load in in Tundra? You must be over or at least near your truck's maximum payload.


Exactly what I was thinking.

To answer the OPs question, no, it's not safe to carry that much weight on passenger tires. You might get away with it for a while, then you're going to have trouble. You very well could have already damaged your tires, have then inspected by a professional. You don't want to be riding around on bad tires, especially if you do much freeway driving.
 
According to Toyota's web site a 2010 Tundra has a payload of 1620. That 800# less than the 2400# you've told us about - and we don't even know what YOUR Tundra's payload is! It might be less.

There is good news in this: According to Tire Guides, the tire placard on your vehicle ought to say to use 26 psi front and 29 psi rear. That means that if you were to use 35 psi, you could gain ~150# load carrying capacity per tire.

BTW, the maximum load written on the sidewall of the tires is based on the tire's use as a passenger car and since this is a pickup, the tire's capacity has to be reduced by 10%. Plus, the maximum load carrying capacity is based on some fairly ideal situations, so it's actual load capability would be less for less than ideal situations.

Nevertheless, whatever damage has been done has been done - and the tire will not forget this.

So why not find out what your truck's payload capacity is, use 35 (or more) psi, and limit your loads to something more reasonable.

Then which your tires very carefully. Any signs of bulges, or a gradually increasing vibration, would be a sign for immediate replacement.
 
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Is it safe to carry heavy loads on passenger tires? My Tundra comes with passenger tires (P265/70R16) and I've been using the truck to carry several loads of concrete (30 bags at a time, each bag weighing 80lbs).


For that many cubic yards, I usually have a concrete co. deliver it in their truck, pre-mixed. Cheaper, quicker and better than bag mix and a set of tires.
 
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Is it safe to carry heavy loads on passenger tires? My Tundra comes with passenger tires (P265/70R16) and I've been using the truck to carry several loads of concrete (30 bags at a time, each bag weighing 80lbs).


For that many cubic yards, I usually have a concrete co. deliver it in their truck, pre-mixed. Cheaper, quicker and better than bag mix and a set of tires.


OP is in Hawaii, the cost of having a concrete company delivering may be too high for him, that why he bought it and carrying back to his place in his Tundra.

I would not carrying that many bags in that small pickup, you need 2 trips and each trip carrying 15 bags.
 
I have the earlier model Tundra with a GVWR of 6200lbs. Empty weight is 4410lbs. I checked the tires weight handling and it says 2600lbs at 35psi. I have it inflated at 29psi. We do have an F250 but its a bigger truck with more suitable tires so it should have no problem carrying the same amount of load. And I was going almost 60mph so probably the life of my tires have drastically reduced.

We are having a cement truck coming in, but the cement company is fully booked and I'd have to wait a month for one to come in.
 
I doubt the tires are damaged. They can each carry between 2400-2600lb depending on the tire. So that is roughly 5,000 lb for the rear axle. I highly doubt there is 2500 pounds of empty weight on the rear of a tundra. Not to mention I would bet the bags were loaded to the front of the bed so the front tires were sharing some of the load.

NoW the vehicle was over loaded but the tires are probably ok. Back on the farm we used to put 2500# of bean seed in the bed of a 1/2 pick-up. The tires lived a normal life until the tread was worn out.

But always a good idea to inspect tires on a regular basis.
 
pah
I remember 640kG of concrete mix in an R16.

Dad chucked them all in the back, and the car wouldn't move, as the back tyres were squashed into the tubs.

Moved the load around, into the front and rear footwells and the car moved off and drove home.

Was a great car that. 7 people, a wheelchair, 7 people's luggage, and 800km in 40 degree summers were par.
 
Keep the pressure up and they'll be fine.

Side track:
Quote:
According to Tire Guides, the tire placard on your vehicle ought to say to use 26 psi front and 29 psi rear.


A few comments spring to mind
!? That low for a truck?

With 26psi in the front the thing must have steering response like a pig. I like my steering crisp and instantaneous so I'm usually at (or above depending on vehicle) max inflation pressure for the fronts.

Similar for the rears, there must be quite a bit of roll in those tires when cornering.

Alex.
 
My Ranger's is 30 on all four corners. I usually have 35 in the front and 32 rear though. I often worry about the stock conti's on Ranger. Had it loaded about a inch from the bumpstops severals times lately but I aired the rears up to 40ish. They seem to holding up fine under all the stress I throw at them. Like to replace with some lt's but may just stick with "p's".. grandpa never had a problem guess I worry to much.
 
My Frontier Crew Cab (2007) calls for 35 psi for each tire; I run 39 front and 37 rear. Helps gas mileage!
 
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