Estimated class examples
70–250
Based on the sample shipments below
Tires LTL Shipping Guide
Freight Class for Tires
Tires freight class commonly ranges from Class 70 to Class 250 in the examples below.
Nested passenger tires
Class 70
Palletized truck tires
Class 125
Oversized loose tires
Class 250
These are density-based examples. Your final estimate depends on the finished packaged dimensions, total weight, stackability, fragility, value, and handling requirements for the tires shipment.
Main class factor
Packaged density
Final dimensions and total weight
Assembly effect
Flat-packed ships denser
Assembled tires occupy more space
Carrier review
Stackability and damage risk
Custom, fragile, or glass-front tires
Tires density calculator
Calculate Your Tires Freight Class
Example palletized tire shipment loaded. Adjust the dimensions or weight to calculate your tires freight class.
Your result
Cubic feet
80.00
Density
11.25
lb/cu ft
Estimated freight class
92.5
Example density-based estimate. Update any field to calculate your shipment.
Tires shipment comparison
Tires Freight Class by Shipment Type
Tire freight class varies sharply because nested passenger tires can be relatively dense while large truck, agricultural, or off-road tires consume substantial cube. Diameter, width, nesting method, palletization, exposed sidewalls, and securement all affect handling and density.
| Tires shipment | Typical packaging | Density tendency | Stackability | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger tires | Nested and banded bundles | Medium to high | Limited | Keep bundles stable and labels visible. |
| Truck tires | Palletized or cradled | Medium | Limited | Control rolling and sidewall deformation. |
| Agricultural tires | Skids or custom cradles | Low | Non-stackable | Plan for oversized dimensions and forklift access. |
| Loose oversized tires | Individual tires or custom frames | Very low | Non-stackable | Confirm carrier acceptance before pickup. |
tires shipping options
Choosing a Shipping Method for Tires
The right service depends on tires size, packaging, stackability, and handling needs.
| Tires shipment | Common shipping option |
|---|---|
| Nested passenger-tire bundles | Standard or volume LTL |
| Palletized truck tires | Limited-stack LTL |
| Agricultural or off-road tires | Oversize LTL |
| Very large loose tires | Dedicated or specialized service |
Large, irregular, non-stackable, unusually valuable, or specially handled tires shipments may need carrier review before booking.
Tires shipment examples
Tires Freight Class Examples
These examples use packaged outside dimensions and the site’s density-to-class chart. They are examples only, not fixed classes for all tires shipments.
Nested passenger tires
Compact nested and banded passenger-tire shipment
48 × 48 × 48 in
Packaged weight: 1100 lb
- Cubic feet
- 64.00
- Density
- 17.19 lb/cu ft
Estimated class
Density-based
70
Palletized truck tires
Truck tires secured upright on a pallet
48 × 48 × 60 in
Packaged weight: 900 lb
- Cubic feet
- 80.00
- Density
- 11.25 lb/cu ft
Estimated class
Density-based
92.5
Oversized loose tires
Large agricultural or off-road tires with high cube
72 × 72 × 72 in
Packaged weight: 1000 lb
- Cubic feet
- 216.00
- Density
- 4.63 lb/cu ft
Estimated class
Density-based
175
Tires Packaging
- Nest compatible passenger tires where permitted, band bundles securely, and protect sidewalls from band abrasion.
- Use pallets, cradles, blocking, or frames for truck and oversized tires to prevent rolling, tipping, and footprint expansion.
- Keep size labels, serial or DOT markings, tread surfaces, and matched sets visible and protected from contamination.
Tires Stackability
- Nested passenger-tire bundles may accept limited top load only when bundle stability and banding are verified.
- Palletized truck tires should use rigid cradles or upright supports and generally require limited-stack handling.
- Treat agricultural, off-road, specialty, and loose oversized tires as non-stackable unless an engineered frame carries the top load.
Tires Rolling, Sidewall, Bead, and Oversize Handling Protection
- Prevent rolling, tipping, sidewall cuts, bead deformation, band abrasion, tread contamination, and separation of matched sets.
- Protect DOT or serial markings, whitewalls, finished sidewalls, sensors, mounted accessories, and customer-specific labels.
- Document tire size, quantity, nesting pattern, bundle count, pallet footprint, declared value, and center of gravity.
Measure the fully packaged tires shipment
- Measure after all nesting, banding, pallets, cradles, frames, blocks, and wraps are installed.
- Include tire bulge, sidewall projections, cradle width, banding hardware, and pallet overhang.
- Use the total packaged weight of tires, pallets, cradles, frames, bands, and securement.
Before Requesting a Tires Freight Quote
- Measure the finished nested-tire bundle, palletized truck-tire load, agricultural-tire skid, or oversized loose-tire shipment.
- Record the total packaged weight, tire sizes, tire count, bundle count, pallet count, and nesting method.
- State whether any verified top load is allowed or the shipment must remain limited-stack or non-stackable because of round shape, cradles, sidewall exposure, or oversize dimensions.
- Include photos of sidewalls, bead areas, size labels, banding, cradles, blocking, and forklift access points.
- Confirm oversize review, forklift capacity, dock access, liftgate, appointment, limited-stack, and specialized-handling requirements.
Calculate your actual shipment
Calculate Tires Freight Class
The calculator returns cubic feet, pounds per cubic foot, and a density-based freight class estimate for your tires shipment.
Freight classes shown on this page are density-based estimates for shipment planning. Actual classification may also depend on value, handling requirements, liability, stowability, dimensions, and other commodity-specific factors. Confirm the final freight class with your carrier, broker, or official NMFC resources before shipping.
NMFC® is a registered trademark of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. FreightClassCalculator.tools is an independent calculator and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by NMFTA.