What Size Tire Do I Need?

Adjusting your tires is a straightforward way to enhance your vehicle’s functionality, improve traction, grip, and handling, and can even impact fuel consumption. However, using improper tires can significantly compromise your vehicle’s capabilities and safety on the road.

So if you’re asking, "what size tires fit my car?” If you’re also considering tweaking your car’s tires, understanding how to choose the right tire size is crucial.

Importance of Tire Size

Tires are one of the most critical pieces of equipment on your vehicle. The material, tread pattern, size, design, and overall construction of your tires are carefully considered to meet the vehicle's performance requirements.

Tire size, in particular, can significantly influence your vehicle control, especially in adverse weather conditions like rain, snow, or ice. The size of the tire directly affects the contact area between the tire and the road surface.

A larger tire provides a larger contact patch, improving traction and grip. This can help improve acceleration and braking. It also impacts your vehicle’s handling characteristics, steering response, and stability.

Wider tires typically offer more stability during cornering, as they provide better lateral grip. This leads to enhanced control and reduced risk of skidding or sliding.

To sum it up, suitably sized tires can significantly enhance the driving experience and reduce the likelihood of accidents.

So if you’re wondering, "What size tires fit my car?" the best course of action is to consult the vehicle's owner's manual or seek advice from a tire specialist to ensure you select the appropriate tire size.

How to Read Tire Size

Reading a tire size involves understanding the combination of numbers and letters on the sidewall of a tire.

Let's break down the components of a typical tire size:

Tire Type: Before the number sequence, you will see a letter to denote the type of vehicle the tire is designed for. For instance, in the tire size P225/75R16, P stands for ‘Passenger’ car. This means the tire can be used for cars, SUVs, and minivans. Similarly, LT stands for “Light Truck,” “T” for Temporary, and “ST” for Special Trailer.

Tire Width: This number denotes the tire's width in millimeters, measured from one sidewall to the other. In our example, the tire has a width of 225 millimeters.

Tire Aspect Ratio: The second number after the slash mark indicates the tire’s aspect ratio. This ratio measures the height of the sidewall in proportion to the tire’s width. If the tire has an aspect ratio of 70, this means the height of the tire is 70% of its width.

Construction Type: Next to the Aspect Ratio is a number representing the tire’s construction. This is typically an R (Radial) or D (Diagonal or Bias Ply). Radial construction is used for the majority of the tires in the industry.

Rim Diameter: This is the last number in the tire size. It measures the diameter of the wheel (in inches) that the tire is designed to fit.

The sidewall also has two essential markings that provide additional information regarding the tire size.

The load rating refers to the maximum weight capacity of the tire. The speed rating is the maximum speed at which the tire can carry its load, and it is denoted by the following letters: “H” for up to 130 mph, “V” for up to 149 mph, and “W” for up to 168 mph.

Factors to Consider When Changing Tire Sizes

Several factors should be considered when changing tires to ensure the best performance, safety, and compatibility with your vehicle.

Let's take a look at the key aspects you must consider:

Tire Width

For better grip and control, wider tires are usually a good choice. However, excessively wide tires tend to have a higher rolling resistance, which can lower your vehicle’s fuel economy. While the wider contact patch offers improved cornering abilities, these tires can sometimes feel heavy or clumsy.

Wide tires typically work best with vehicles with high horsepower and torque, as they can significantly enhance acceleration, reduce wheelspin, and improve grip.

On the other hand, narrow tires also have their pros and cons.

If you opt for narrow tires, you might enjoy better mileage and lower fuel consumption due to reduced rolling resistance. The narrow tread pattern also makes them a suitable choice in extreme winter, as they can cut through the snow and ice more effectively.

However, this also means limited traction and handling and reduced stability, particularly at higher speeds.

Tire Height

Taller tires can give your vehicle more ground clearance, deliver a smooth ride, and change overall handling. These tires are more popular among 4WD vehicles.

While bigger tires do offer several advantages, it is recommended that you follow your vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines for the most appropriate tire sizing.

Width & Aspect Ratio

A key component of tire sizing is the width and aspect ratio, which influences the tire's overall profile and performance characteristics.

To find the correct aspect ratio, consider the vehicle's specifications and load requirements.

Tires with a lower aspect ratio (40, 45, 50) have a shorter sidewall height, giving the car a sporty look. Additionally, this ratio enhances handling and stability, particularly when driving at higher speeds. It's important to note that opting for lower aspect ratio tires may compromise ride comfort.

Conversely, tires with a higher aspect ratio (70, 75, 80) have a taller sidewall. This delivers a more comfortable and cushioned ride with better impact absorption. However, it's worth noting that tires with higher aspect ratios typically offer comparatively less responsive handling.

Unsprung Weight & its Role in Performance

Another critical aspect of a vehicle’s design process is its unsprung weight. This refers to the mass of all the components not supported by the vehicle’s suspension system. It includes wheels, tires, axles, brake assemblies, and wheel bearings.

Higher unsprung weight can result in a slower suspension response, reduced traction, and increased vibration. In comparison, lower unsprung weight can lead to improved handling, better traction, and a more comfortable ride.

Reducing a vehicle's unsprung weight also reduces the amount of mass the engine needs to overcome to accelerate the car. In simpler terms, when the unsprung weight is lighter, the engine doesn't have to work as hard to make the vehicle move faster.

This also leads to better braking performance and enhanced maneuverability for superior driving performance.

When choosing larger and heavier aftermarket wheels, note that it may lead to a decline in ride quality due to increased unsprung weight.

Optimizing Larger Wheels and Tires

When switching your tire size, it’s also essential to consider the accuracy of your speedometer.

Larger tires have a larger overall diameter which can disrupt the readings displayed on the speedometer. It is recommended to have the vehicle's speedometer recalibrated to ensure accurate readings.

For instance, installing tires that are approximately 10% larger than the original stock tires can cause the speedometer to display a reading that is roughly 10% lower than the actual speed you are traveling.

Due to the increased mass and inertia, the ABS (anti-lock braking system) may also take longer to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

To accommodate larger tires, consider adding a lift kit or upgrading your suspension to provide additional clearance and tackle challenging terrain more easily.

Why You Should Stick with the Original Tire Size

Considerable thought and engineering efforts go into designing the tires that come as original equipment on your vehicle. These original tires typically provide maximum versatility, comfort, and performance.

It is generally advisable to adhere to the factory size of your car's tires or select a size that closely matches it.

So, how can you find your OE tire size? Every vehicle that leaves the factory comes with a place card containing all OEM tire information. This card or sticker can usually be found in the door jam and, sometimes, under the vehicle's hood.

Final Words

While it is possible to enhance your vehicle’s characteristics and driving performance by swapping tires, there is usually a tradeoff in one area. It is imperative to research the pros and cons of a new tire size to ensure the safety of your vehicle.

As a rule of thumb, your replacement tire should not exceed 3 percent of your original tire’s diameter.

Using the right tools and getting professional guidance can help you make the best decision for your car’s new tires. Caliber Auto Care offers a virtual tire shopping tool to help you pick the most suitable tire for your specific vehicle.

References: ​​https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr286.pdf