Tire sizing question...

[ajf3]

Hey all -

It's time for a new set of ties & I'm shopping around for price. Thing is, the original equipment is 225x6.5 r16 and not many places seem to have that one.

I'm wondering what range of numbers I can shop for to get the best price - ie, can the 225 width actually be a 215 or 235? Instead of the 6.5 height, would a 6.0 or 7.0 work?

I'm not looking for ultra high performance - basically just a good quality tire for the price - it's a minivan

 

[dartworth]

why are minivans called minivans?

 

[Mathlete]

Make sure your new tires have the same outer diameter of 27.5 inches

 

[Stumps]

well i have 235x60x15 on the front with 8inch rims and 285x50x15 on the rear with 10inch rims...the original equipement was 185x70x14 with 14x5.5inch rims..I don't think that the minor changes you are going to make will affect to much

 

[se7en]

225x6.5 r16

that number alone is a little misleading. Do you mean 225/65 16's?

Im guessing so.. anyway for price you can go down to a 215 but the whole set should be this same size. And for height of the wall the higher the cheaper but less performance. So a 215/60 or 215/70 would work but as I said youl will see a decline in general handling like curves but with higher walls there is a chance the ride will feel "slightly" more cushioned. As for going wider that would be determined by the car, wider = better driving but also equates to a higher price tag.So 235/60 might fit but would normally mean more cash out of your pocket.

I would check around and see what the best price is on like 215,225/60's then the same with 215,225/65's (I dont see many of these for sale around here) and then 215,225/70's (these should be common). You could go lower than 215 I suppose but I wouldnt put it on my car and definately no lower than 205 but check that out online depending on your car if you really need to go that cheap but as i said I would look hard @ 215's and 225's.

 

[se7en]

Originally posted by: Stumps
well i have 235x60x15 on the front with 8inch rims and 285x50x15 on the rear with 10inch rims...the original equipement was 185x70x14 with 14x5.5inch rims..I don't think that the minor changes you are going to make will affect to much

If hes sticking with original rims going to far up or down will cup/bow the tire out which a little is ok will affect only performance / tire wear but too much and will strain the sidewall which could lead to a safety concern.

 

[Triumph]

I'd say you can safely go withing +/- 10 mm of your width and not suffer any ill effects. My tires are 195 stock and I went with 205's for a little better grip. Just keep the outside diameter as close as you can or you'll screw with your speedo accuracy. Tire rack has a calculator for figuring out the OD.

 

[ajf3]

Thanks guys - that's what I'm really looking for - a common size that I can go with since I'll have more flexibility in where to get them & the price will probably be cheaper too...

So, right now I have 225/65 16's on all 4. If I go to 225/70 16's (said to be common in a post above), is the change in handling going to be perceptable? Will it affect the traction control?

Also, I bought 2 215/65 16 snow tires for the front this year - would I be able to use those with the newer 225/70 16's that I'm now focusing on in the rear next winter?

 

[FoBoT]

why not just use what the owner's manual says to use

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
why not just use what the owner's manual says to use

Did you not read his post at all?

 

[FoBoT]

yeah, but i think he should use the same type tires. see the skoorb thread titled "POLL: What's your favourite topic to be self-righteous and holier-than-thou on?"

 

[JOJOBEAN]

gooooogle it

 

[Bullhonkie]

Tire Size Calculator

May help you visualize how moving up or down in sizes will change your overall diameter and how much it'll throw your speedometer off by.

 

[JDMnAR1]

As far as a proper fit goes, you need to be concerned with rim width and tire height. Most tire manufacturers will list the approved rim width for each size tire, and you really need to stick to those sized appropriately for your rims. In fact, some shops will refuse to mount tires on rims that are not within those guidelines. Also, they will list the overall diameter of the tire, which is important if you want it to fit in your wheel well with no rubbing, etc. As was already mentioned, you start changing sidewall height, etc. and your ride characteristics may change - not necessarily for the better.

 

[Vic]

Get 215/65/16. It's common, should fit without rubbing, should fit the rim width, and your speedo will only be 1mph off at 60mph.

 

[isekii]

I went from 215/45/17 to 225/40/18 1.5% diff according to that tire calc

 

[redly]

hey ajf3....what year/make/model of van??

 

[ajf3]

2004 Nissan Quest