How important is the XL load rating?

[dparm]

I'm looking to replace my worn-out Pirelli Wintersport snow tires. The previous owner had bought them and gave them to me.

Some of the tires I'm looking to replace them with are not XL rated like the OEM summer tires and some winter tires are. The car's curb weight is about 3700lb empty. The size would be 215/55R17, roughly.

Is this going to be a problem? I have heard XL pretty much means stronger sidewalls, nothing more.

 

[Rand]

XL is extra load. Some tires only come in specific sizes as XL..

others are available in XL or reg for same size.

I'd say its not very important.

I got XL on my winter tires simply because they were 1/32 more tread on the XL rated ones and they cost 2 dollars more.

also to meet the load rating you have to inflate the tires to their max psi.

so for my winter tires to be at their max load rating of 1400 something lbs I would have to inflate them to 51psi...

thats not happening.

The car rides rough enough at 34psi I run them at.

 

[Quattro Pete]

XL means higher load carrying index. For example, a non-XL 235/40/18 tire has a load index of 91, while the XL version: 95.

Since the S4 is relatively heavy, that is why the mfg mandates tires with higher load index. If you run non-XL tires, they will generate more heat and will most likely wear out faster. Overheated tires may also fail/explode, but you'd have to be pushing them pretty hard for this to happen, I think.

 

[dparm]

Load index on the tires in question is 94. My current summer tires are 97, the OEM summers were 95.

Probably fine in that case? I have lost a few pounds recently.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Isn't 215/55/17 the wrong size though? I thought 215/50/17 was the correct alternative, and this size has a 91 load index (95 if XL).

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: dparm
......Is this going to be a problem? I have heard XL pretty much means stronger sidewalls, nothing more.


This is EXTREMELY important. This is all about load carrying capacity and reduced load carrying capacity increases the risk of a load related tire failure which sometimes has tragic results.

If your car (or truck) came with XL tires, replace them with XL tires (if you are using the same size)

 

[Rand]

if the oem xl tire had a load index of 95

and the replacement tire is non xl and has an index of 95..

XL means nothing by itself.. is what my point was..

in other words maybe the oem tire was some cheapo hankook and they had to use the xl rated one.. but say a bridgestone non xl would be find as long as it carries a equiv load rating.

 

[dparm]

Ah okay, thanks. So 94 vs 95 is not a big deal, but 91 to 95 is.