Few purchasing decisions in a US truck fleet are repeated as often as this one: 11R22.5 in load range G or load range H. The two tires look the same, share the same rim and often the same tread pattern, and the price difference is modest. Yet they have different maximum pressures and different load limits, and choosing the wrong one can mean either overpaying for capacity you never use or running a tire at the edge of its rating. This guide uses the Hankook load inflation table and the Bridgestone size chart to compare G and H on 11R22.5, so you can choose with numbers instead of habit. For the practical psi-by-axle approach, also read our 11R22.5 pressure by axle load guide.
What load range actually means
Load range is a letter code that describes how strong a tire is and how much pressure it may carry. The letters come from the old ply-rating system: E is 10 ply, F is 12 ply, G is 14 ply and H is 16 ply. A modern radial truck tire does not literally contain 14 or 16 plies of cord; the rating is an equivalent strength. What matters is the result: a higher letter allows a higher maximum inflation pressure and therefore a higher load.
For the 11R22.5, the numbers from Hankook’s load limit table, which follows Tire and Rim Association standards, are:
| Load range | Max cold pressure (psi) | Single tire (lb) | Dual pair (lb) | 4-tire axle (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G (14 ply) | 110 | 5,675 | 10,710 | 21,420 |
| H (16 ply) | 120 | 6,005 | 11,350 | 22,700 |
| Difference | +10 psi | +330 lb (+5.8%) | +640 lb (+6.0%) | +1,280 lb (+6.0%) |
In kilograms, that is 2,575 kg versus 2,724 kg for a single tire and, on a four-tire axle, 9,716 kg versus 10,297 kg. The H gives about 6 percent more capacity for 10 psi more air. It is not a dramatic jump, which is the first lesson: load range is a fine adjustment, not a different class of tire.
Same pressure, same capacity
The second lesson is even more useful. The table shows load by pressure, not by load range. At 110 psi a G and an H deliver the same capacity, because they sit on the same line of the table. The H simply continues up to 120 psi. That means the H gives you nothing extra until you actually inflate it above 110 psi. If your axle loads never need more than 5,675 lb per tire, the extra strength of the H is unused, and you have paid for headroom you do not exploit.
Here is the same table at several pressures for the single-tire row:
| Pressure (psi) | Single tire (lb) | Dual pair (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 4,675 | 8,820 | E range reaches rating |
| 95 | 5,205 | 9,880 | F range reaches rating |
| 100 | 5,360 | 10,160 | |
| 105 | 5,515 | 10,440 | |
| 110 | 5,675 | 10,710 | G range reaches rating |
| 115 | 5,840 | 11,030 | |
| 120 | 6,005 | 11,350 | H range reaches rating |
Capacity rises about 150 to 165 lb per tire for each 5 psi in this range, which is roughly 2.7 percent. That gives a simple rule of thumb: every 10 psi you remove costs you about 5.5 percent of capacity.
When load range G is enough
- Regional and local distribution with trailers running below 80,000 lb gross vehicle weight.
- Trailer axles where the weight per tire is moderate and the tires rarely see peak load.
- Fleets that already run 100 to 105 psi cold on their drives and trailers, and have room to go to 110.
- Applications where ride and traction matter, because a lower pressure gives a larger footprint.
When load range H is worth the premium
- Heavy-haul and vocational use, such as bulk haulers, dump trucks and tankers, where axle loads are regularly at the legal limit.
- Tandem drive axles with single-axle load above 20,000 lb, where a 4-tire axle at 21,420 lb (G, 110 psi) leaves no margin.
- Fleets that suffer from overloaded axles because of weight shifts or loading errors, who need headroom up to 120 psi.
- Applications with frequent curb strikes or off-road sections where a stronger casing is a benefit independent of pressure.
What the Bridgestone chart says about availability
Bridgestone’s size and availability chart lists load range together with tread depth in 32nds. For the 11R22.5 the chart shows G/H at 18/32 for several highway patterns, H at 18/32 and 19/32 for others, G at 24/32 and 27/32 for deeper regional and mixed-service tires, G/H at 21/32, H at 28/32 and G at 32/32 and 31/32 for the deepest-tread drive and on/off patterns. The takeaway is that load range is not tied to tread depth. You can buy a G with a deep tread and an H with a shallow tread. Your decision should reflect load and application first, and tread depth second.
If you choose among patterns, our guide to low rolling resistance truck tires explains how shallow-tread, fuel-efficient designs behave, and the total cost of ownership article helps compare tread depth with price.
The cost view: how much is the extra 6 percent worth?
Suppose an H tire costs US $20 more than a G. On an axle with four tires, that is $80, or about $0.80 per 1,000 miles over 100,000 miles of life. If the H avoids a single premature casing loss per axle per year, it pays for itself many times over. If it merely sits at 110 psi with the same wear as a G, the $80 is wasted. The way to decide is to weigh your axles and look at the actual peak load: if the highest recorded load per tire exceeds about 95 percent of the G rating, choose H.
How to check your fleet in one afternoon
- Weigh a sample of loaded trucks axle by axle, recording the heaviest axle weight in each class.
- Divide by the number of tires on the axle (2 for single, 4 for dual) to get load per tire.
- Compare with 5,675 lb (G, single) or 10,710 lb per dual pair (G).
- If load per tire is within 5 percent of the G rating, move to H, or reduce axle weight.
- Set cold pressure to match the load, not the maximum, and record it per axle.
This one-day exercise often reveals that steer axles, not drives, are the limiting position, because steer tires carry a high load per tire in single fitment. It also shows whether liftable axles are being used correctly. For steer-specific wear signs, see steer tire wear patterns.
Common mistakes with G and H tires
- Assuming H tires carry more at the same pressure. They do not.
- Mixing G and H on the same axle without checking that both run at the pressure of the lower range.
- Inflating a G to 120 psi. That exceeds its rating and risks failure.
- Specifying H everywhere and then running every tire at 100 psi, which wastes the capacity and the premium.
- Forgetting the rim: 22.5 x 8.25 wheels have their own pressure limits.
A short case study
Consider a hypothetical bulk-haul fleet running 11R22.5 G tires on tandem drives. Weighing shows that on its heaviest routes the loaded drive group reaches 40,000 lb, or 5,000 lb per tire across eight tires. The dual rating of a G at 110 psi is 10,710 lb per pair, or 5,355 lb per tire, so the margin is only 7 percent. Moving those routes to load range H and running 120 psi lifts the per-tire rating to 5,675 lb (11,350 lb per pair), a margin of about 13 percent. The lighter routes stay on G at 105 to 110 psi. The result is a two-tier specification that matches cost to need, which is better than choosing one range for everything. The figures are illustrative; use your own weights.
FAQ
Can I mix G and H on the same axle?
Avoid it. If you must, run both at the pressure appropriate to the G and never exceed the G rating, since the lower range limits the pair.
Is 11R22.5 H the same as 16 ply?
It is a 16-ply rating equivalent. Radial tires do not contain 16 literal plies; the term describes strength.
Does load range affect fuel economy?
Not directly. Pressure and tread design have more effect, and the higher range allows higher pressures that some fleets use to cut rolling resistance on lightly loaded trailers.
Key takeaways
Load range G and H differ by 10 psi of maximum pressure and about 6 percent of capacity. At equal pressure, they carry the same load. Choose H when peak axle loads exceed the G rating, and G when they do not. Start from your own scale data, set pressure to match, and continue with our pressure management hub.
