Tire Load Index

TEAM NEWS: Gaunt Brothers Racing Lands Sponsor

Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) and Fuel Doctor USA announced today they will team together in 2011, beginning with this weekend's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West Combination race at the Iowa Speedway. The #75 Fuel Doctor Toyota Camry will be driven by former K&N Pro Series champion and this year's Toyota NASCAR All-Star Showdown winner Jason Bowles.

Fuel Doctor and their revolutionary FD-47 fuel efficiency booster will be the primary sponsor on all of Gaunt Brothers Racing's events through the summer, including races north of the border in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

"The relationship with Gaunt Brothers Racing, Triad Racing Technologies and Co-Pilott Motorsports Marketing is one we are really excited about," said Mark Soffa, President and CEO, Fuel Doctor USA. "We like the varied racing schedule GBR has on tap for 2011 in the states and in Canada; it's a great opportunity for us to showcase our brand and work strategically to increase Fuel Doctor's FD-47 footprint at retail."

Gaunt Brothers Racing is owned by NASCAR veteran Marty Gaunt, principal and CEO of Triad Racing Technologies and former General Manager of Red Bull Racing, Penske Racing and Bill Davis Racing in the Sprint Cup Series.

The goal for his team is to give young, talented drivers like Jason Bowles experience and exposure within the sport, while at the same time compete and win.

"Bringing in a high-profile sponsor like Fuel Doctor is a big boost for our team," Gaunt said. "We're going to run a handful of races this year with Jason and it'll be great to have them on board as a partner. The Fuel Doctor FD-47 product is all about saving fuel and giving its consumers better gas mileage. We are about the same thing in racing, just at a much faster pace, so it's a natural fit."

Fuel Doctor Sr. VP of Motorsports, Tanya Hall sees GBR and Bowles as a perfect fit with the brand. "Partnering with a winning team like GBR and a NASCAR Champion like Jason in the Fuel Doctor Motorsports program only strengthens our position within the sport. We will also be announcing a limited schedule of Nationwide races with Bowles this season to add to our multi-series exposure. Our hope is to join both GBR and Bowles in future victories and championships and really promote the effectiveness of the Fuel Doctor FD-47 product."

Bowles will be making his fifth career start at Iowa Speedway in the K&N Pro Series.

tire load index - sidewall stiffness?: Grassroots Motorsports ...

Hey guys,

Picking a 'max performance' summer tire for my 05 civic si...

The size I'm looking to buy, has a 45 series sidewall with a load index of "87" (1201lbs), the size I currently have on the car has 50 series sidewall with a load index of "94" (1411lbs), and I understand what the #'s signify.

A few of the honduh forms (with their questionable knowledge) recommend getting the 50 series size 'because the increased load index will translate to a stiffer sidewall and much less sidewall rollover at the same psi'.

My hunch is the 45 series will have plenty of sidewall stiffness for my 2,800lb car, and the tire's load index doesn't translate as directly to the sidewall stiffness/less rollover as they believe, if anything I'll get greater performance from the 45 series's shorter height & less rotating mass...

?

This is a commonly misconceived thing.

Sidewall stiffness is relative. If you're comparing the same exact tire - one with a higher load rating than the other - the sidewall will most likely be stiffer on the higher load rated tire... but not as a function of supporting weight. Loads on tires are fully suspended by air (ok, maybe 10% of it is supported on the sidewall) but the heavier-rated tire is stiffer because of the extra material needed to contain the higher pressures that are associated with the higher load rating.

Load rating is more a factor of the max PSI the tire can hold, not the actual rigidity of the tire. Its just that tires which can hold more PSI tend to be stiffer. But... it doesn't matter which one you use, chances are the proper inflation required will be within a few PSI regardless of whether or not you're using 315/25/20 or 215/65/16.

A good example - take for instance my truck. It had Toyo A/T tires with an E load range. (80 psi max) I replaced them with the same tire in D range. (65 psi max) Both tires require about 42 psi to suspend my truck properly, but the E range tires had more ability to carry more weight because they could hold more air.

So, in a nutshell, as long as the tires you choose can support the weight of your vehicle without exceeding the max PSI, you're good to go.

As far as handling vs sidewall stiffness/load rating... its usually assumed that the effects are similar to aspect ratio changes... a stiffer sidewall from a higher load index will somewhat act like a shorter sidewall - less deflection in cornering at the risk of a less progressive slip ratio. But, in the case of stiffer sidewalls, the trade off isn't as favorable. The handling gets skittish faster than it reduces cornering deflection. Not really a good trade off.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Auto Repair

The 14 refers to your vehicle's wheel diameter in inches. ♦ The 82 is the tire's load index, which gives you an idea of how much weight it will support. ...

Truck accident litigation

Currently all tires have a load index number molded into the sidewall. For example, a P215/65 R15-size tire has a load index of 95. When a tire is replaced ...

Auto Repair For Dummies

(Also check the load index information farther down this list.) 215 = Tire section width. This is measured across the tread, from one sidewall to the other , ...

American Motorcyclist

Load index: Indicates the maximum load-carrying capacity of a tire. Load range A is the lowest and C is the highest for motorcycle tires. ...

Fleet owner

Improper tire inflation, Evernham notes, compromises-tire load capacity, decreases fuel economy and results in sluggish handling and heat buildup. ...

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