Freight Class for Tires
Tires are heavy but round, and carriers bill the box around them, so a pallet of tires often measures 4 to 10 lb/ft³: class 100 to 175 on the current NMFC density scale. Six 114 lb truck tires on a 48 × 48 pallet come to 7.4 lb/ft³, class 125; on a 42 × 42 pallet the same stack is 9.6 lb/ft³, class 100. Tires were long quoted as class 77.5, but that class lost its density band on July 19, 2025.
Why a heavy tire ships as light freight
A Bridgestone R283A truck tire in size 295/75R22.5 weighs 114 lb and is 40.3 inches across and 11.4 inches wide, according to Bridgestone's data book. The carrier measures the square box around it, 40.3 × 40.3 × 11.4 inches, which is 10.7 cubic feet. That one tire comes to 10.6 lb/ft³, only class 92.5, even though it is solid rubber and steel.
The reason is shape. A circle fills about 79% of the square around it, and a tire also has a hole in the middle. Every inch of pallet beyond the tire's diameter adds more empty space, which is why the pallet size can move the class more than the tires do.
Worked examples
Tire weights and sizes come from the makers' published specs. Each example measures the full stack and pallet, the way a carrier does.
Six truck tires on a 48 × 48 pallet — class 125
Six 114 lb tires (40.3 in across, 11.4 in wide) stacked flat on a 48 × 48 in pallet about 5 in tall and 37 lb: 73.4 inches high, 721 lb.
48 × 48 × 73.4 = 169,114 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 97.9 ft³. Density = 721 lb ÷ 97.9 ft³.
7.4 lb/ft³ → class 125.
The same stack on a 42 × 42 pallet — class 100
The same six tires on a 42 × 42 in pallet (36 lb), still 73.4 inches high: 720 lb.
42 × 42 × 73.4 = 129,478 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 74.9 ft³. Density = 720 lb ÷ 74.9 ft³.
9.6 lb/ft³ → class 100. A pallet that fits the tire saves a full class step.
Ten passenger tires standing upright — class 175
Ten 28 lb tires (28.5 in tall, 9 in wide) standing in two tiers of five on a 48 × 40 pallet: 62 inches high, 317 lb with the pallet.
48 × 40 × 62 = 119,040 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 68.9 ft³. Density = 317 lb ÷ 68.9 ft³.
4.6 lb/ft³ → class 175. Lacing the tires so each one fills part of the next one's center fits more tires in the same space and raises the density.
Tires and class 77.5
Freight class charts long listed tires under class 77.5. Until July 19, 2025, that class covered freight at 13.5 to 15 lb/ft³. The new NMFC density scale has no 77.5 band: freight at that density now rates class 85, and over 15 lb/ft³ it is class 70.
Class 77.5 still exists for commodities whose own NMFC item names it. If your tires ship under a specific item, ask your carrier which class that item carries now, because it may not follow density at all.
How much tires weigh
A Michelin Defender2 passenger tire in size 225/65R17 weighs 28 lb and is 28.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide. A 295/75R22.5 truck tire weighs about four times as much. For rough planning, Ohio's scrap tire rules count 25 lb as one passenger tire equivalent, based on an average passenger and light truck tire.
When a load mixes sizes, weigh it rather than counting tires. The bill of lading needs the real total weight, and a guessed count times an average weight is often well off.
Check your tire load's class
Enter the pallet's length and width, the height of the stack from the floor, and the total weight. The calculator uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale and also shows the old table's class if it differs.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
9
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
480
lb
8–10 lb/ft³ → Class 100
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
Frequently asked questions
What freight class are tires?
Most tire loads are rated by density, and because tires are round, a pallet often measures 4 to 10 lb/ft³: class 100 to 175. A pallet close to the tire's diameter and a tighter stack push it toward the lower end.
Are tires class 77.5?
Not by density any more. Class 77.5 covered 13.5 to 15 lb/ft³ until July 19, 2025; that density is class 85 now. Tires shipped under an NMFC item that names a class keep that item's class, so ask your carrier.
How much does a tire weigh?
A Michelin Defender2 225/65R17 passenger tire weighs 28 lb. A Bridgestone R283A 295/75R22.5 truck tire weighs 114 lb. Ohio's scrap tire rules use 25 lb as one average passenger tire.
How can I lower the freight class of a tire shipment?
Use a pallet that is close to the tire's diameter, stack the tires square and band them, and lace passenger tires so they fill each other's centers. Each step cuts empty space inside the measured box.