How Much Does A Tire Weigh? (Average Weight By Type Of Vehicle)

• Emma Davies

Updated on September 16, 2022

Changing a tire on your average car can be a workout in itself, now imagine doing that on an SUV or monster truck. The weight of the tire changes in order to support the increasing weight of the car as well as help it operate as safely and effectively as possible.

There are many different factors to consider when looking at the weight of a vehicle’s tire such as what it is and where it’s meant to go. For example, an SUV that regularly goes through snow might have special snow tires that weigh more than the average tire.

The average car tire weighs between 15-27 pounds. But there are many things that change the weight of this tire such as the type and size of the tire. For example, a small car tire might weigh 15 pounds but a tire for a large truck can weigh up to 80 pounds.

We’ll be taking a closer look at how much certain tires weigh, why different vehicles need different ones, and what affects the weight.

What Changes the Weight of a Tire?

1. Size

The most obvious factor that determines the weight of a tire is its size. A truck tire is almost always going to weigh more than a car tire purely because it’s bigger. The bigger the diameter is, the more material is used which naturally means more weight.

The width along with how much air a tire can hold also affects its weight. If your tire has a large diameter and width then it’s going to be able to hold more air. This air does in fact weigh something and adds to the overall weight of the tire.

2. Vehicle and Tire Type

The weight of tires varies massively from vehicle to vehicle, imagine the size you’d need for something like a Jeep Wrangler compared to a Fiat 500. So not only does the vehicle type matter but also the tire type.

An SUV tire is already much bigger than you’re standard car but you can also switch these out for all terrain or snow tires which also vary in weight and size.

This is why it’s so important to know what you’re looking for before you make any decisions on what type to go for.

3. Application

The tread and application on tires are other factors that have to be considered when looking at the weight. All-terrain tires have additional tread that helps them do their job which is getting you through those tough and bumpy roads, this is all extra weight.

So even though these tires might look the same size as regular SUV tires, that doesn’t mean they weigh the same. Premium tires can also have extra weight due to extra layers of rubber for extra protection and use.

Different Types of Tires

1. Passenger Car

The average passenger car wheel weighs 50 to 60 pounds in total (27 for the tire and 30 for the rim). But with sizes varying from 13-20 inches means this weight can change.

13-inch tires will weigh less than this again which might be what you’re looking for. It’s always best to see which size works best for your vehicle.

As you can see even one type of vehicle has a massive difference in tire weight which shows why it’s crucial to check the optimal size for your vehicle. This helps with performance and overall safety.

2. Commercial Truck

You can obviously expect a commercial truck tire to weigh significantly more than a passenger car tire but just how much does a tire weigh? These tires can range from 19.5 inches to 24.5 inches so you can already imagine the weight of some of these!

With a weight ranging from 66 to 176 pounds and the potential to get bigger, there’s no wonder commercial trucks do as many miles as they do. Trucks need such big tires simply because of how much weight is going to be added on top.

A passenger car will usually carry up to 7 people and not much more whilst these trucks could be carrying whole loads of stock for grocery stores.

The weight of this load is incredible and has to be evenly distributed in order to arrive safely where it’s going. This is one of the many reasons for such heavy tires.

3. Truck/SUV

SUV tires are much bigger than you might think as they can be anywhere from 17 to 24 inches in diameter.

Trucks and SUVs are used for so many different things whether that’s moving to your dream home or family camping trips which means the weight they have to carry is always changing. This means the weight of the tire is also always changing.

Something bigger might be better for a truck that’s going to be used for hauling boxes across states or off-roading but if you’re using your SUV as a family car then 18-inch tires should work great.

17-inch tires weigh 24 pounds on average whereas 24-inch tires can weigh up to 176 pounds. The most popular SUV tires in 2019 were 18 inches and weigh around 30 pounds.

4. Monster Truck

Monster truck tires need to be massive in order to complete the crazy stunts they do daily. These are specially made, not necessarily to carry weight but certainly to ensure they don’t blow out mid-jump.

The tires used most commonly are the same used on farming equipment and measure 66 inches tall and 43 inches wide. This can reach a weight of 800 pounds which is hard to imagine but with 6 feet of pure rubber, it makes sense.

5. Golf Cart

Golf cart tires are usually 18 inches tall and 8 inches wide which is quite surprising when you think of the size of the vehicle.

As golf ranges are usually smooth and the carts don’t need to go over rough terrain, the tires don’t weigh all that much. Most weigh about 10 pounds and manage perfectly.

6. Motorcycle

It’s crucial that the weight on a motorcycle is as small as possible in order to keep the driver safe, this is why such small and light tires are used. The average size is 16 inches and weighs between 8 and 30 pounds with the front tires weighing less than the rear.

A big difference between motorcycle and passenger car tires is that both tires on a motorcycle weigh different amounts whereas passenger car tires usually weigh the same.

7. All-Terrain/Snow

These tires are built to withstand rough surfaces which means they typically have more rubber and tread and that of course adds weight. These come in at about 20 to 40 pounds in order to get the job done.

8. Trailer

Trailers come in all different shapes and sizes which means so do the tires. You tend to carry a bit of weight in a trailer but even so, the tires don’t weigh all that much. These tires are usually around 10 pounds each but you could have up to 8 on a singular vehicle.

9. Tractor

As previously mentioned, the tires used on a tractor are similar if not the same to the ones used on monster trucks that weigh roughly 800 pounds. Other farming equipment can have tiny tires compared to this with some weighing only 30 pounds!

FAQs

How Much Does an Average Tire Weigh?

It’s hard to give the average weight of a tire because of all the different factors that determine the weight. The average usually varies from 12 pounds to 132 which is obviously quite a big jump!

Do Bigger Tires Give a Smoother Ride?

The size of your tire can massively affect how your vehicle drives. The bigger the tire, the more grip you have on the ground as you are covering more surface area but this doesn’t always mean you’ll have a smoother ride.

You might have an easier ride when it comes to difficult terrain but bigger wheels mean a rougher ride. If you’re looking for a smoother ride then you might want to try changing the thickness of the tire rather than the diameter.

How Do You Know the Weight of a Tire?

It’s super important to know what size tires you use for your car as it makes buying and changing them so much easier. If you don’t know what size your current ones are then you can easily find this on the sidewall of the tire after the actual tire size.

Does a Tire or Wheel Weigh More?

Something that confuses many people is the difference between a wheel and a tire, although they can be used interchangeably there is a difference. A tire is the actual rubber part which usually weighs around 27 to 33 pounds.

Wheels are the metal part or rims that the tire is fixed to and weighs 27 to 31 pounds. The short answer is tires weigh more!

Do Heavier Tires Affect Gas Mileage?

Tires are simply extra weight when it comes to gas mileage. Think about it like when you have a heavier load in the back.

If you compare the amount of gas you use with a heavy load compared to a lighter load then you’ll notice you use significantly more when you have more weight in the vehicle. So just like when your tires weigh more, you use more gas.

Conclusion

Tires can range from 17 to 800 pounds depending on what they’re being used for and what they’ve been made to do.

For passenger vehicles, the average weight of a car tire is around 27 pounds while an SUV tire averages 48 pounds.

You can always change the tire size on your vehicle if you wish to in order to get the performance you want out of it but be sure not to change too drastically or you could cause some problems.

The weight of tires is super important when it comes to safety, gas mileage and how well your car drives. This is why you should always check the best size and weight for your vehicle.

Here are some more articles for you to check out:

Is 40 PSI a Good Tire Pressure? Will It Damage Your Tires?

Yokohama Tires vs Michelin Tires: Which Is Best?

Tire Air Cap Missing: Will Tires Lose Air Faster?