Tires are the round and black air-filled car modules placed around a vehicle rim to provide traction. The question of how much does a car tire weigh cannot be answered by most people if asked. 

Various factors come into play when the weight of a car tire is being determined.

While an average 16-inch passenger car tire has an estimated weight of 20 to 22 pounds when new, the exact weight depends on the car brand, model, make, and type. 

It also depends on the size of the tires. As these tires age, the weight keeps on reducing.

How Does the Tire Weight Affect The Car Performance?

Lighter car tires are highly in demand today. Car tires of lower weight provide a whole lot of benefits. The benefits include lowering the fuel consumption rate and rolling resistance. 

Also, it does provide a lower unsprung weight, which leads to better performance during acceleration, precision steering maneuvering, and braking.

When riding on a car with lower tire weight, you are also going to have more fun. Issues with extreme wear and tear on your car’s suspension components will be reduced, as well.

Considering the many benefits low weight tires provide, most manufacturers are creating high-end tires with reduced weights.  

That has contributed to the enhanced performance of the products and lower production costs to the manufacturers. 

However, the case is different during the production of high-performance tires since the technologies and materials used are a bit advanced, and their cost is a bit higher.

How to Determine How Much Does A Car Tire Weigh?

The manufacturing of car tires has advanced significantly recently.  Manufacturers are putting in more effort to create high-performance and wider tires while keeping the weight low. 

As we said earlier, low car weight guarantees better performance, driving comfort, and extended suspension life.

The process of determining car tire weight is not so complicated. The information is usually written on the car tire and the car service manual. 

You can as well determine the total weight of your car tires by use of a balance or scale.

How To Reduce Your Car Tire Weight

Lowering car tire weight can be done through slimming. Tire slimming involves lowering the weight of each component. Some of the tire contents that can be trimmed include the tapered banding, tire front, and tread.

Manufacturers are using lighter construction technologies and lighter-weight materials to create high-performance yet low weight tires. 

There are pre-established standards, which every car manufacturer follow must follow while creating their car tires. As well, they must meet all the approved weight guidelines and accepted tolerance.

Car tires that have off-tolerance are considered non-compliant and may not always reach the target customers. 

Extremely low or high tire weight is mostly caused by the absence of essential components such as using substandard compounds, instable production procedures, and the presence of foreign bodies.

What Is the Weight of Exemplary Tires?

When researching to determine how much does a car tire weigh, you must determine the type of tires your car runs on. The passenger car tire market is big enough to accommodate the needs of different customers. 

Regardless of whether you own a small-city car running 13-inch tires, 20-inch SUVs, and minivans or 20-inch sports cars, you will find high-quality tires suitable for your car. Here are the standard weights for major types of exemplary tires.

•  20-inch tires have weights of up to 15 kilograms
• 195/65 R15 have weights of 8.2 to 9 kilograms
• 175.65 R14 have weights ranging from 6.5 to 7.2 kilograms
• 185/70 R13 have weights ranging from 7.0 to 7.2 kilograms
• 155/70 R13 have weights of 6.5 kilograms

How Much Does A Car Tire Weigh? Differences in Weights?

The mass or weight differences in different car sizes differ based on the production technology and materials.  Car tires are designed to perform differently, depending on the types of cars they will be used on. 

As well, car tires are designed to withstand different load ranges and speeds. Even within the same size and model, tires can have better load and speed ratings.

You’ll often realize that the extra load tires are heavier than standard size car tires. That’s linked to the additional components they are added with to boost their mass structure and strengthen their construction.

The most common components you will find in car tires including but not limited to butyl caps, treads, side with allot belt, headbands, textile cord later, and wire with filler. 

These are the major parts that determine how much does a car tire weigh.

How Different Car Tire Components Affect the Weight?

The structure of car tires is composed of different components, which depend on the load indexes and speed, intended use, production method, and manufacturer’s construction concept. 

While these components can add some weight to the tires, their share of weight percentage is usually meager when compared to the standard components.

When talking about the standard car tire components, the treads are the most prominent weight contributors. They contribute around 35% of the tires’ total weight. A simple case is of 155/70 R13 tire weighing 6.5 kilograms. The treat weight will be approximated at around 2.3 kilograms.

As for the low-profile car models that have more circumference, wider forehead and low sidewalls, the tread weight proportion is always more than 40% of the total tire weight. 

The tread is the only tire component that reduces in weight as the tire wears outs over time.

Conclusion

These are the factors that affect the total weight of a car tire. Regardless of the car brand and model you’re driving, these are the main factors that will determine the mass of your car tires. 

They are the most important factors to consider when shopping for car tires if you want your car to be stable and for your rides to be enjoyable and comfortable.

It would be great if you understand the current weight of your car tires, so when next you head to the market to buy a car tire, you will be able to settle for the right weight. 

Consult with your mechanic to have a clear picture of how heavy your car tires should be.