Tires and their load rating....how much does it matter?

Cooljt1

Golden Member
Jan 11, 2002
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I am going to be buying new tires for my 97 maxima se and the stock and recommended are 215/55/16 and a 93 load rating. i was looking into purchasing 225/50/16 with a 92 load rating. does it really matter that much? i think the difference is that 92 is good for 1389 lbs and 93 is good for 1433 lbs.
 

freebee

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 2000
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Given those size differences, I'd be worrying about more than just the load rating....it night not even fit on the same rim. Oh and btw, the maxima stock suspension can't handle 1433lbs per wheel anyway, so it doesn't really matter.
 

Cooljt1

Golden Member
Jan 11, 2002
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ahhh, i was mistaken i found out that the recommended load rating is 91 and higher. i'll ask around to see if the 225's will fit my rims
 

Nocturnal

Lifer
Jan 8, 2002
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Yeah if I'm not mistaken you have to have 215/50/16. From what a friend told me the middle number is what is changable as the smaller the number the thinner the tire is.
 

Cooljt1

Golden Member
Jan 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Yeah if I'm not mistaken you have to have 215/50/16. From what a friend told me the middle number is what is changable as the smaller the number the thinner the tire is.

the 50 is just the ratio of height to width. the first number is how wide the tire is. for example it would not even be possible to put 265's on my current rimes since that tire would probably be 9 inches in width where my rim is only 7 or so. here's some info http://www.goodyear.ca/tire_school/tirespecs.html
 

AaronB

Golden Member
Dec 25, 2002
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You should be fine with that tire. It's fits the same size rim (16") and has about the same overall diameter but it is slightly wider. Nothing unusual.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
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Tire sizing is much more than what will fit a rim. You can have cupping and bowing for one and it can still be mounted. It can rub the body/suspension also.

In general you want to say within 3% of your original diameter.

This is the basis of the Plus 0, Plus 1, Plus 2, Plus 3 sizing

the way you can get a general idea is (if a spec chart isn't avaliable):

Tire Width*aspect ratio*2+wheel size = tire diameter

215/25.4 = (millimeters to inches) = 8.464567 * 0.55 = 4.655512 * 2 + 16 = 25.31102

225/25.4 = 8.858268 * 0.50 = 4.429134 *2 + 16 = 24.85827

25.31102/24.85827 = 1.018213 this is less than a 3% difference so you will be ok.

the difference is how much your speedometer (and odometer) will be off.

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