Overloaded tyres can quickly lead to poor handling, faster wear, and even blowouts. This article explains the signs that your vehicle may be too heavy for its tyres, why load ratings matter, and how to choose stronger, safer replacements.
When it comes to tyre maintenance and the process of matching tyres with your vehicle, there are several pieces of information you need to consider. One of these is the tyre load rating – that is, how much weight the tyre is designed to hold.
With most drivers knowing that the tyre load rating is cumulative, it might seem virtually impossible to fill a vehicle so much that it ends up weighing more than the load rating of all four tyres combined. However, add a trailer to your vehicle load, or a car-full of stuff, and you will soon find that weight adding up.
Here are a few signs that could mean your tyres are struggling to hold the weight…
Tyre Pressure Warning Light
If your tyre pressure warning light comes on, it means that your tyres are not suitably inflated.
Vehicles that use run flat tyres, and those with sophisticated mechanical systems, will find that their TPMS lets them know whenever the pressure in their tyres has dropped too low or is under strain.
If the weight on those tyres is excessive, there is a chance your TPMS will illuminate to draw attention to the lack of pressure. It could also mean that the pressure has worn a hole in one of the tyres, causing it to lose pressure at an even more rapid rate.
The Tyres Will Look Flat
Another very visual and obvious sign of excess and unsupported pressure is a flat-looking tyre.
When a tyre pools around the bottom, instead of appearing plump and well-inflated, it means that the tyre is not strong enough to hold the weight of the vehicle.
It could also mean that the tyre is simply underinflated, so be sure to take your vehicle to a fuel station and run a tyre pressure check before confirming if it’s underinflated or unsupported.
Improper Handling
If, when driving, your vehicle rolls around and feels like it isn’t being sufficiently controlled by you as the driver, then it could be that the weight of the vehicle is too much for the tyres to handle.
Tyres play an integral role in safety as well as performance – and without proper inflation, they do not respond to steering in the correct way. This increases the risk of both an accident and a blowout or puncture.
