By Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks. Last updated: October 21, 2026. Based on Suzuki, Honda and Daihatsu catalogs, JATMA and Bridgestone load tables, and NHTSA tire guidance; catalog sizes and load tables verified October 2026; pressures are tire-table maximums, not door-label values (sources at the end). General information; figures come from the sources listed at the end.
Key facts
- Factory size: Most 1990–2001 kei trucks came on 145R12 6PR LT: the Carry, Acty and Sambar catalogs list it, and Daihatsu's current Hijet sheet lists the same tire under its newer name, 145/80R12 80/78N LT.
- Two names, one tire: JATMA, Japan's tire standards body, renamed 145R12 6PR LT as 145/80R12 80/78N LT to match ISO notation. Load index 80 means 450 kg (about 990 lb) per tire at 350 kPa (about 51 psi).
- Kei SUVs are different: The Suzuki Jimny JA11, JA22 and JB23 use 175/80R16 91Q on 16-inch wheels. The Jimny Wide JB33 uses 205/70R15 95Q.
- Pressure comes from the truck: Set pressure from the vehicle's label, not the sidewall. The 350 kPa molded on a 6PR tire is its ceiling at full load, not a target. Check monthly, cold, spare included.
- Age beats tread in Texas: NHTSA says some tire makers recommend replacement at six to ten years regardless of tread, and that Sun Belt heat speeds aging. The last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year the tire was made.
What size tires do kei trucks use?
Kei truck tires are rated like small commercial tires, because the trucks are built to carry 350 kg (about 770 lb) in the bed. The table lists the factory sizes we could confirm from manufacturer catalogs and spec sheets; our buyer's guide explains the model codes.
| Model | Code and years | Factory tire | Where it is listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Carry | DC51T / DD51T, 1991–1998 | 145R12 6PR LT; some versions 5.00-12 4PR ULT bias-ply | Suzuki 1991 catalog |
| Suzuki Carry | DA52T / DB52T, 1999–2001 | 145R12 6PR LT | Suzuki 1999 catalog |
| Honda Acty | HA6 / HA7, 1999–2009 | 145R12 6PR LT, front and rear (2009 sheet); 8PR rear tires at the 1999 launch | Honda spec sheet, 1999 release |
| Subaru Sambar | KS4, 1990–1999 | 145R12 6PR LT, front and rear | KS4 catalog page |
| Daihatsu Hijet | S500P / S510P, current | 145/80R12 80/78N LT (ISO name for 145R12 6PR LT) | Daihatsu spec sheet; see note |
| Suzuki Jimny | JA11, 1990–1995 | 175/80R16 91Q; some versions 6.00-16 4PR bias-ply | Suzuki 1990 catalog |
| Suzuki Jimny | JA12 / JA22, 1995–1998 | 175/80R16 91Q; some versions 6.00-16 4PR | Suzuki 1995 catalog |
| Suzuki Jimny | JB23, 1998–2018 | 175/80R16 91Q | Suzuki 1998 catalog |
| Suzuki Jimny Wide | JB33, 1998–2000 | 205/70R15 95Q | Suzuki 1998 catalog |
The 1991 Carry catalog and the 1990 and 1995 Jimny catalogs list a bias-ply tire alongside the radial, depending on the version. Both fit the same rim; the radial is what you will find today. On the Acty, Honda's May 1999 launch release says the new truck got 8PR tires with a rear maximum of 4.5 kgf/cm² (450 kPa, about 65 psi), while the 2009 sheet lists 6PR all round, so a 1999–2001 Acty may carry 8PR on the rear. The sidewall settles it.
We could not open Daihatsu's archived pages for the 1990s S110P and S210P Hijet, so that row shows the current sheet, which lists the ISO name for the same 6PR tire. On a 1990s Hijet, read the sidewall before you order.
What do 145R12 6PR and LT mean?
In 145R12 6PR LT, 145 is the section width in millimeters (about 5.7 inches), R means radial, 12 is the rim diameter in inches, 6PR is the ply rating and LT marks a light-truck tire. JATMA's tire guide says the ply rating is a strength index, not a count of plies: a 6PR tire has the strength of six cotton-cord plies.
The newer name says the same thing in ISO form. In 145/80R12 80/78N LT, 80 after the slash is the aspect ratio (sidewall height as a percentage of width), 80/78 is the load index for single and dual fitment, and N is the speed symbol. JATMA's conversion table pairs the names and says not to mix the two series on one axle. The loads below are from Bridgestone's light-truck table: each size's maximum load at its maximum pressure.
| Old name | New name | Maximum pressure | Maximum load per tire, single / dual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145R12 6PR LT | 145/80R12 80/78N LT | 350 kPa (about 51 psi) | 450 kg / 425 kg (about 990 / 940 lb) |
| 145R12 8PR LT | 145/80R12 86/84N LT | 450 kPa (about 65 psi) | 530 kg / 500 kg (about 1,170 / 1,100 lb) |
| 155R12 6PR LT | 155/80R12 83/81N LT | 350 kPa (about 51 psi) | 485 kg / 460 kg (about 1,070 / 1,010 lb) |
| 145R13 6PR LT | 145/80R13 82/80N LT | 350 kPa (about 51 psi) | 475 kg / 450 kg (about 1,050 / 990 lb) |
Why 6PR matters: the bed carries 350 kg on top of the truck and two people, most of it over the rear axle, and two 80/78N tires give that axle 900 kg (about 1,980 lb) of capacity at 350 kPa. A lower load index means less, and JATMA's guide says capacity falls as pressure falls, while an underinflated tire builds heat until its plies separate.
What pressure should kei truck tires run?
The right pressure is on the vehicle's label, not the sidewall. NHTSA puts it plainly: the correct pressure is what the vehicle manufacturer lists, not what is listed on the tire. Look at the driver's door opening or in the owner's manual. Japanese labels use kgf/cm² or kPa; 100 kPa is 1.0 kgf/cm², about 14.5 psi. If the label gives empty and loaded figures, use the one that matches the trip.
The sidewall number is a ceiling. Bridgestone's table pairs the 80/78N's full 450 kg with 350 kPa (about 51 psi), and the 8PR version, 86/84N, reaches 530 kg at 450 kPa (about 65 psi). JATMA allows a light-truck tire to run 0 to 70 kPa (up to about 10 psi) above the vehicle's figure, no more, and notes that standard snap-in valves are rated to 450 kPa.
Check monthly and check cold: NHTSA defines cold as parked for at least three hours, and both NHTSA and JATMA include the spare. Do not bleed air from a hot tire; it reads low again once it cools.
What wheels do they take?
The trucks in the table ride on 12-inch wheels. Yokohama's size table fits its 145/80R12 light-truck tire to rims from 3.50 to 5.00 inches wide (about 89 to 127 mm), with 4.00 inches as the standard rim; on that rim the tire stands 537 mm (about 21.1 inches) tall. A wheel outside that range is outside the maker's table.
We could not confirm bolt patterns from a manufacturer page, so measure the bolt circle, center bore and offset on your truck, or take a stock wheel to the shop. The Jimny JA11, JA22 and JB23 use 16-inch wheels, and the Jimny Wide JB33 15-inch.
Where can you find kei truck tires in the US?
A US tire shop's computer does not know what a kei truck is, so give it the size string: 145R12 6PR LT, or its ISO name, 145/80R12 80/78N LT. Three kinds of sources carry it: Japanese parts exporters, which sell the JATMA-standard tires the trucks were built with; US kei truck parts specialists; and local tire dealers that can order a 12-inch light-truck tire through a distributor. Our parts FAQ covers the first two.
Match three things: the LT marking, a load index of 80 or more for single fitment, and the same size on both tires of an axle. JATMA says every wheel should carry the same load index and speed symbol, and not to mix 80-series and 82-series tires on one axle, so buy in pairs when the new tire carries the ISO name. A 12-inch car or trailer tire may share the rim diameter, but a load index below 80 means less than the factory tire's 450 kg.
The kei SUVs are easier. The Jimny's 175/80R16 91Q and the JB33's 205/70R15 95Q are passenger-car designations; match the load index and speed symbol and the choice is wide.
Can you go up a size?
Owners go up a size for ground clearance (160 mm, about 6.3 inches, on the 1999 Carry and the current Hijet) or for a wider choice of tires. Within JATMA's light-truck table the next steps from 145R12 6PR LT are 155R12 6PR LT (155/80R12 83/81N, 485 kg per tire) on the stock wheel, and 145R13 6PR LT (82/80N, 475 kg) on a 13-inch wheel. Each carries more than the original.
Three things change. The tire gets taller: by nominal dimensions a 155R12 is about 3 percent taller than a 145R12 and a 145R13 about 5 percent, so the speedometer and odometer read low by about that much. A wider or taller tire can touch the fender or spring at full lock or full load, so look at the clearance before you buy four. And the load tables are per size, so a new size needs its own pressure figure, not the old label's.
Keep the LT marking: a passenger-car tire on a 13-inch wheel may carry a lower load index than the 6PR LT it replaces, so compare the number before the speed symbol with 80. The kei trucks on our lot leave on their factory sizes.
How old is too old for a kei truck tire?
A low-mileage truck can be riding on tires older than their tread suggests, so read the date first. The DOT Tire Identification Number is on the sidewall, and NHTSA notes it may be on one side only; the last four digits are the week and year of manufacture, so NHTSA's example, 0308, is the third week of 2008. NHTSA says some manufacturers recommend replacing tires that are six to ten years old regardless of tread, that aging cannot be seen by looking, and that the risk is higher in the Sun Belt and on low-mileage vehicles. A kei truck in Houston is both.
Tread: NHTSA's limit is 2/32 of an inch, the depth at which a penny inserted head-down shows the top of Lincoln's head; Japan's legal minimum, in JATMA's guide, is 1.6 mm, the same depth. JATMA also sets a 2.4 mm (about 3/32 inch) wear limit for light-truck tires used above 80 km/h (50 mph), which covers highway driving.
Heat is the other Texas factor. NHTSA notes that sustained high temperatures on long drives can make a tire deteriorate, leading to blowouts and tread separation, and JATMA says low pressure adds heat of its own. New tires want a short break-in: JATMA suggests 200 km (about 124 miles) at 60 km/h (37 mph) or less.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires does a kei truck use?
Most 1990–2001 Hijet, Carry, Acty and Sambar trucks use 145R12 6PR LT, now sold as 145/80R12 80/78N LT. Some early-1990s Carry versions came on a bias-ply 5.00-12 4PR on the same 12-inch rim. The Suzuki Jimny uses 175/80R16 91Q.
Are 145R12 6PR LT and 145/80R12 80/78N LT the same tire?
Yes. JATMA renamed its 82-series light-truck sizes with ISO-style 80-series names, and its table pairs the two. Bridgestone's load table lists the 80/78N at 450 kg (about 990 lb) per tire at 350 kPa. JATMA says not to mix the two names on one axle, so replace in pairs.
Can I put regular car tires on a kei truck?
They fit the rim, but look at the load index. The bed is rated for 350 kg (about 770 lb), and the factory 6PR LT carries 450 kg per tire at 350 kPa. A tire with a load index below 80 carries less, and capacity drops further as pressure drops. For a working truck, keep the LT tire.
What tire pressure should a kei truck run?
Use the vehicle's label at the driver's door opening, which may differ front to rear and empty versus loaded. The sidewall figure is a ceiling: 350 kPa (about 51 psi) for a 6PR tire and 450 kPa (about 65 psi) for an 8PR. Check monthly when cold, spare included.
Sources
- Suzuki Carry catalog, January 1999 (DA52T/DB52T), Suzuki Digital Library
- Suzuki Carry catalog, 1991 (DC51T/DD51T), Suzuki Digital Library
- Honda: Acty Truck 2009 grade data (HA6/HA7)
- Daihatsu: Hijet Truck specifications (S500P/S510P)
- Nextage catalog page: Subaru Sambar Truck V-KS4 SDX Supercharger
- Suzuki Jimny catalog, March 1990 (M-JA11V/JA11C), Suzuki Digital Library
- Suzuki Jimny catalog, November 1995 (E-JA22W/E-JA12W/V-JA12C), Suzuki Digital Library
- Suzuki Jimny catalog, October 1998 (GF-JB23W), Suzuki Digital Library
- Suzuki Jimny Wide catalog, January 1998 (GF-JB33W), Suzuki Digital Library
- Honda news release, May 27, 1999: new Acty truck (HA6/HA7)
- JATMA: compatibility of 82-series and 80-series light-truck tires
- Bridgestone Japan: van and light-truck tire sizes, load capacity and air pressure list
- JATMA: tire basics for truck, bus and light-truck tires
- Yokohama: SUPER VAN Y356 size table
- NHTSA: Tires
Written by Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks
Farhad imports more than 300 kei trucks a year to Houston and meets buyers at the lot at 6100 Harvey Wilson Dr. He writes these guides from the paperwork our buyers take to the county tax office and the official sources listed on each page. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will check it.
Ready to look? Browse kei trucks for sale in Houston, see what is in Houston now or arriving soon, or call or text (713) 385-9798.
All vehicles are sold by Wideway Motors LLC as is, with no warranty.