Tire Concerns: What car make & model use tire size P205/70r15?

by Marita
(Hamilton, Ontario Canada)

Last year I bought 4 new michelin hydroedge tires size P205/70r15 for my old cuv. My car is having problems now and I'm thinking of getting another newer one but would like to keep the "almost new" tires. It will help if I know which car make & model use this size so I can use this criteria (but not limited to it) for my choices.

Comments:

I think this is the first time I've ever heard of a person looking for a car that uses certain sized tires. It is usually the other way round.

Since the cost of a set of tires is usually a minor part of the value of a car, I'd suggest that you put it down on the bottom of your list and when you find two or three possible candidates maybe use this as the last tie breaker.

If you end up with a car which doesn't use these tires, offer them for a swap or sale on Craigslist or some other web site or stop by a dealer who handles used tires and use them as a credit to get the right size for what you've bought.

TG

Tire Concerns: Snow tires for 98 buick park ave

by Kimarie
(Erie Pa)

My tires now are all season 225/60/16 and the snow tires I've found are 225/70/16 . Will they still fit on my car without any hassle or having to.change anything?? They will be the 2 front tires and my car is from wheel drive


Comment:

Please check our Tire Size Calculator to compare the size of these two tires, to begin with.

You'll see that the snow tires you've found are larger than the others. As long as there is space in the wheel well this may not be an issue but my main concern is that you are changing only two tires.

What happens if you get a flat? It is never recommended that you place two different sized tires together on the same axle, especially if it is the drive axle.

I don't like to see people mixing tire sizes at the best of times and really encourage you to go to the same sized tire all the way around. You didn't mention why you were considering getting just two of the size you stated, but I strongly urge you to stick with the same size on all wheels.

TG

Tire Concerns: Using Ford tires on Cadillac

by Connie
(California)

We have tires on two different cars. Want to know if we can move tires from one car to the other.
We have a 1990 Cadillac that is in need of tires. Those tires presently are P205/700R15. We also have a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria that we just put brand new tires on. The car failed the smog due to a bad lifter, so we are going to have to dump the car. The tires on that car are P215/70R15.

Can we take the tires off of the 1997 Ford Crown Victoria and put them on the 1990 Cadillac? The Cadillac passed smog and we can drive it for another year. It is doubtful it will pass smog next time, but until then, we would like to continue to drive it. We hate to have to invest in tires if the new tires on the Crown Vic will fit! We do not know the answer, and would appreciate any information that you could give us.

Comments

Start by checking the Tire Size Calculator which would show you the difference between the tires if they are used on the same vehicle.

I suspect that the wheels and bolt pattern may be the same but you would be absolutely certain if you were to move the Ford tires onto the Caddy rims.

One thing you didn't mention is the age of the Ford tires. If they are relatively new that would be of little concern, but if they are quite old you might want to check them for sidewall cracking and UV damage even if they haven't been used much. Tires can deteriorate if not stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight.

I doubt if there would be any issues with speed rating or load rating provided the tires were OK for the Ford's requirements.

TG

2006 chevy truck

by Steve
(Palmdale, California)

2006 Chevy Truck with extra cab

I have a 2006 chevy 2wd extra cab short box truck with 265/70 tires on 17 inch wheels.

I want to replace all 4 tires only, with something taller and wider, perhaps Goodyear or Cooper tire brand.

My truck is stock, but it sits low. What can I put on it?

Can I replace a 215/60r/16 with a 215/70r/16 on a 2004 Toyota Camry?

by Bob Clardy
(Belton, SC)

2004 Toyota Camry has 215/60r/16 tires. Can I replace them with 215/70r/16?

Editorial Comments

The 70 series tires are 10% of 215mm higher than the originals, or 21.5mm. This is nearly an inch and I'm certain that if you compare the two tires using our Tire Size Calculator
Tire Size Calculator you will find the difference more than you would want to accept for optimal results.

Also the close-to one inch increase suggests you may have a problem with space inside the wheel well, either on the front when you are turning or when you load the vehicle or pass over dips.

Use the Calculator to find a size which is within 2% of your original for the best results.

TG

2005 GMC Envoy terrible traction in weather

by Jonna
(Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

I have a 2005 GMC Envoy 2WD with new tires. The vehicle has terrible traction in the slightest slippery conditions-winter or just heavy rain. I have asked other 2WD envoy owners and they all say they have not experienced any such problems. Could I just have the wrong tires on my car?

Comment:

There are several things that can affect traction apart from the choice of tires.

You might start my checking the air pressure to make sure that this is correct for your vehicle. If this is not what the manufacturer recommends, then this may be the most important part of the problem.

If you make sure the pressure is correct, then see what tires (Make and Tread Design) your friends have and compare them with your own. If these are different, you may want to discuss the difference with a tire dealer to see if the tread design you have is not the best for these driving conditions.

If both the above fail to produce any answer, then it may be your own driving habits which could be causing the problem. Even an experienced driver may have to make some adjustments in the way they drive under different road conditions because of the way certain vehicles perform and when roads become wet or icy, we need to adapt our driving to take those conditions into account.

Hope these ideas help.

TG

Tire Concerns:best work tire for ford F350 dually

by Steve
(Peterborough,ON)

Currently I have hercules tires. With this truck I deliver firewood and tow trailers. I am experiencing a lot of road noise.

Comment:

Often road noise is more a function of tread design rather than tire brand. Off road tires, with a large open tread design of usually considerably more noisy than highway tires which have smaller openings between tread blocks, but are less effective in giving traction in snow, mud and off-road conditions.

To choose a tread design that will be best for you you need to first decide what kind of driving conditions you are most likely to encounter, then decide what factors (noise, traction, etc) are most important to you. It is unlikely that you will get optimum all round results from an all purpose tire while choosing a special use tire will likely leave you unsatisfied when you get into other conditions.

TG

Maximun tire width for standard 2002 jeep wrangler

by thomas
(delaware)

Jeep TJ

What is the widest tire I can put on my standard 2002 Jeep Wrangler 15" rims? I have the standard rims and would like to keep them on my jeep but I don't know if a 11.5" wide tire will fit.

Tire Concerns: I have Pirellis on my boxster. Can I mix and match?

The rear tires on my Boxter have worn and I want to just replace the 2 but I don't want to replace with Pirelli tires as they seem to wear fast for the money. Would replacing them with another manufacturer work?

Tire Concerns P245/55R18 tires for 2010 nissan altima sedan

by Garrett
(Houston)

it is 5 lug

will P245/55R18 BF-Goodrich tires with 18 inch rims fit a 2010 nissan altima sedan
2010 nisssan altima sedan looking to buy tires that are off a 2011 camero.

Editorial Comment

The recommended sizes for an 18 inch wheel on the 2010 Nissan you have are 225/45. So what you are looking at may be far too big.

Also wheel from a 2011 camera have a 5x120 bolt pattern while the Nissan uses a 5x114 pattern, so if you want to use those wheels they won't fit.

TG

Tire Concerns: p215/65r15 for 2003 Grand AM

by Robert Frasier
(Canada)

Will p215/65r15 suit/fit where 215/60r15's are the oem?
These tires would be for a 2003 Grand AM. 15 inch rims. The oem is 215/60/r15, but I found a deal on p215/65r15.

Editorial Comment

Our Tire Size Calculator shows that there is less than an inch difference is the overall diameter of the two tires so without actually seeing the vehicle and doing a test fit, I'd be inclined to think that there's a good chance they would fit, however since I'm not intimate with the 2003 Grand AM I can't say with certainty. In any case, doing a test fit is always wise because your vehicle may have experienced some changes over the years either through damage or mechanical work that could affect this.

That being said, I don't think this is the best idea because the difference in sizes is beyond the 2% limit I like to see when making swaps. Check out the difference in the calculator and see for yourself … then make your decision.

TG

Changing my 15's to 22's on my Ford Ranger

by Austin
(Arkansas)

I have a 2001 Ford Ranger, 2 wheel drive, stepside, 15 inch tires, with one size larger than regular tires. I have a friend with a 2001 Ford Ranger and he has 22's. He has low profile tires. He wants to trade straight across for my stock tires and rims because his dad says it is taking away his gas mileage. His Ranger is a 4 cylinder and mine is a 6 cylinder. I get 20 mpg now. How would putting the 22's on my truck change the gas mileage?

Editorial Comment:

You'll need to take a look at our Tire Size Calculator to compare the two tire sizes, which you didn't tell us, to learn what the differences would be.

Generally speaking though, it would seem to me that this change --if you decide to do it-- could possibly keep your fuel consumption pretty much the same but that is just a guess based at using OEM sizes and looking at alternatives which the calculator suggests.

I can't see how your friend would be getting terribly worse mileage unless these tires are drastically smaller than the original size.

TG

Explorer rims on Montero Sport

I have a mitsibishi montero sport but I found some really nice rims off of a ford explorer and really wanna purchase them but dont know if the lug patterns are the same...i need help as soon as possible before they get sold!!!

Editorial Comment

You didn't specify the year of the vehicles you are considering, and this can sometimes make a difference.

I was not able to locate any wheel specs for any Monteros except for the Montero Limited and these use a 6-139 bolt pattern. The Ford Explorer uses a 5-114 pattern for the years I looked at, so it doesn't look like this is a marriage that will work.

Just count the holes and the bolts and you can see there is no match in this case. No measurements necessary.

TG

Chevy Silverado and premature wear on General Tires

by RP
(SY, CA, USA)

General Tire Poster

I have a Chevy Silverado Long Bed Truck, 2007. 10,600 miles on which I had General Tires.

The front tires had to be replaced at 6,500 miles.

The rear tires now need replacing at the above mileage.

No signs of uneven wear or incorrect inflation just worn out.

Anyone got any clues?

Initial Response from TIW

Tire Concerns: 2007 pontiac montana tire size

by Dave
(canada)

I was just wondering if 225/65/17 will fit on a 2007 pontiac montana...the stock tire is 225/60/17...

I plugged the sizes into the conversion chart and found that the side wall difference is 11 mm.....I was wondering if anyone has actually made this change...the bottom of the strut is about an inch from the 225/60 tire...will the 225/65 clear it?

Editorial Comment:

As I'm sure you are aware 11mm is just under 1/2 an inch so, as you've concluded the difference is not great.

The distance of 1 inch clearance seems like a good amount but you need to observe what happens under the car when it is lowered to the ground and is sitting fully loaded. What happens when the car passes over a bump or dip, and what happens when you turn to either extreme. If all these conditions can be met without rubbing, you're likely home free, if not then it's back to the drawing board.

TG

1996 TOYOTA 4Runner RWD tire sizing - Fuel/Ride/Sliding

by suzanndy
(Chicago)

I need all 4 tires for a 1996 2WD 6 Cyl 4Runner. The originals came with 225/75R15..

The last tires put on were 31x10.50.15. The options I am guessing are going back to the original, or stay with the 31x10.5, but there is still another option 265/75R15. Obviously, staying with the 15 Rim.

WHAT SIZE will be best for Fuel Economy? Ride? Safety? This is all so very confusing and the answers from Shops are all so different.

I presume it's the tire itself that also causes sliding on wet roads, so I'll stay away from that brand. But, could size also make a difference? I have not driven with the original tires, but with the 31x10.5, even new..we slide everywhere, from barely wet, to very wet roads. From the Midwest to the Southwest. Our son will be driving his vehicle cross country to the Midwest here in Chicago. Fuel economy is #1 on my list.

Is there still another size possibility that would be even better? Any ideas on this?

Editorial Comment:
We have two calculators which will help answer some of the questions you have about fuel economy and other effects of changing tire sizes.

First is the Tire Size Calculator which can help you compare different tire sizes or to find equivalent alternative sizes for your vehicle.

The other is a Tire Size Convertor which will allow you to get the equivalent sizes in alternate tire sizing systems. Note, when you use this this you are given the equivalent size … but that equivalent sized tire may not exist, so you then need to choose a size which is the closest possible from those that are available. In your case the 265/75R15 and the 31x10.50 15 are very close to each other.

The issue you have with sliding on wet roads is definitely not because of the tire brand in itself. You could switch to a different brand and still end up with the same problem or change to a different tread design using the same brand and have a totally different experience.

It is not only tread design that may affect your handling on wet roads. Your tire pressure can affect the traction you have and, especially if your tires are not inflated to the optimum pressure depending both on the recommendations of the manufacturer and the amount of weight the tires are carrying, you could have problems. Also, the amount of tread you have on your tires can also have an effect … a brand new tire may give you very different results when the tread starts wearing down.

Find yourself a dealer who you feel comfortable with and tell them all of what you want from the tires, describe your driving habits and the roads and conditions you will be using and you'll likely get good guidance.

TG

Tire Concerns: Tyre size for Pontiac Montana

by Sam
(Thompson.mb)

Actual size on my 2007 Pontiac Montana sv6 is 225/60R17, Can I put 215/65R17 on it? Is it safe?

Ford Ranger with 15s in rear and 14s up front

i have a 1994 ford ranger 2wheel drive, 5 speed, over looked tire sizes... can i run it safely with 15s in the rear and 14s in the front?


Editorial Comment:

STOP

Don't drive even 1 inch with your vehicle!

Unless you changed wheels you likely have 14 inch tires on a 15 inch rim, or 15 inch tires on a 14 inch rim, either of which seems highly unlikely, but if you did manage to get the tires actually mounted, you have a very dangerous situation and the tires could easily slip off at any moment causing you to possibly lose control or overturn at a most inconvenient moment.

If, however, you did change the wheels to mount the different sized tires on the corresponding sized rims then the situation isn't nearly so drastic and providing the wheels and bolts match up you should have no major safety problems to deal with.

TG

Tire Concerns: Larger wheels on 2012 chevy 2500 hd

by Marty Malone
(shamrock texas)

Bought a work truck 2012 2500hd 4x4 with 6.0 gas engine
found a set of factiry 18 in wheels (nice ones)
and were planning on installing them and upgrading to a 295/70/18 nito at tires-
what about the wheel sensors I think mine has them
can i just change them to the new wheels and get them reset.
I think they are on bands but unsure.
any info will help

Editorial Comment
TireRack advises customers that the NHTSA rules prohibit dealers and shops from installing wheels without functioning tire pressure monitoring systems if the vehicle is equipped with them from the factory.

From what I can see, wheels up to 20" possibly may work on your vehicle, but there is a possibility you may have to get a new TPMS sensor kit and have them calibrated to work with your vehicle. This procedure should be explained in your owner's manual.

Possibly some other reader may have some extra info that could be useful to you.

TG

Tire Concerns: Using Rims from Another Car

by cameron
(ks)

Someone has 18 IN rims for a 2005 Nissan maximal and looks close to same bolt pattern for my 2003 Chevy Malibu. Will they fit?


Editorial Comments:

There are several variables in wheel sizes that must all "line up" in order for that wheel to work on a car without problems.

You mention that the bolt pattern, which is one of the variables "looks close" but looking close isn't enough. If you were to try one of these wheels on your car, you might find that you'd have a bit of difficulty getting it on and, in the worst case you might apply just a little bit of force to make it fit. This would be the start of your problems and things would likely only get worse.

The bolt pattern which standard rims for the Malibu use is 5-115, which means that there are 5 bolts each with a distance of 115mm between them.

The bolt patter which is standard for the Nissan Maxima for 2005 is 5-114, which is only one millimetre difference and it is obvious to see why they would look close because one millimetre is about the thickness of a fingernail. But, when you tried to put these on that, little millimetre difference would make it difficult to slide on over the bolts and if you did force it on you would be doing some damage either to the bolts or the wheel which might not seem much to start with, but in some future moment end up causing some failure that could end up being fatal or costly.

If you ever have to apply force to get a part to fit, you should immediately stop and make sure that you really have the part you need and that it is being installed correctly.

TG

2000 Lincoln LS Tire Fit Question

by Steve
(St Paul, MN USA)

Friend has been out of work, and running on less than legal tread. My uncle has a set that may fit and looking for any guidance I can find before he tries to mount them.

Car is a 2000 Lincoln LS V6 with stock 17" rims and OEM tire size is 235/50/17.

Uncle has set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S in 225/55/17.

I believe the only question would be the added tire diameter of .49", or about an extra 1/4 inch of sidewall height. It's not much, but would appreciate any knowledge as to whether or not this will be an issue for him.

Comment

Your figures agree with those in our Tire Size Calculator and the only other issue is the difference in speedometer reading which is also not great.

Because this is a slightly smaller tire you are not going to have to be concerned with the space in the wheel well so I'd be inclined to agree that these tires would serve your friend's needs

TG

Tire Concerns: excessive tire spinning in winter driving conditions 1999 nissan maxima

by David
(Minneapolis, MN, USA)

front tires are BF Goodrich Touring Pro P205/65R15 with little treadwear/like new. This car has an aluminum engine block and may be lighter in front over drive wheels as a result. This excessive spinning is really a hazard in winter. What options do I have to improve this?

Comment;

You've not mentioned whether or not you've driven in winter road conditions with this vehicle before or with other tires.

There is a good possibility that you simply have to learn to adjust your driving habits so that you are less aggressive in using your accelerator than you have been used to in non-winter conditions.

Winter driving, as anyone who is used to driving in areas where there is considerable snow can tell you is considerably different from summer or even rainy driving. If you learn this at an early age, it is something that seems to stick with you, but if you only have to drive in snow a couple of times a year some people have difficulty learning this.

Since you are in an area where winter conditions are something that last for awhile, you may already know what I've just stated unless you have just moved there from a part of the country which has a milder climate.

Another alternative you may want to consider is switching to a tire which is designed for better traction in snowy conditions such as the Blizzak tire which Bridgestone has developed.

TG

Tire fitments for 2008 Montana SV6

by Randall
(Ottawa, ON Canada)

Hi there! I'm looking to replace my original 225/60R17 tires. Trying to save a few bucks by buying good used tires but this size is not used on many other vehicles. Looked at others that are close in the same size range, such as 235/60R17 and 225/65R17. I would rather go to a shorter/wider tire for more traction rather than a taller/skinnier one although the latter may increase my MPG a bit on the highway.

Are there any other sizes I should look at? Any other recommendations?

Editorial Comment

There are several alternative sizes that may be even better than the ones you have mentioned which you can discover by using our Tire Size Calculator.

One size that I think would meet your requirements even better would be 245/55R17 which is almost identical in diameter to your original tire and is 20mm wider.

I'm not sure how that much extra width will work on your vehicle --you may have issues with turning to the extreme left or right-- so you'll want to check this out by trying a test fitting before you commit to the new tire.

TG

There are several alternatives which are

Thanks!

Tire Concerns: Tire/Wheel spinning (not intentional) upon acceleration - FWD Pontiac Vibe

by Bob
(Seattle, WA USA)

New to us are our 2005 and 2007 Pontiac Vibe FWD, auto trans. vehicles. They seem to be very sensitive when starting from stop. This is especially true when the road is wet or when starting from stop on a hill. Starting in 2nd gear seems to help. We are able to stop within typical distance. We have the standard tire/wheel size (205/55/R16) on both vehicles. The tread is at least 80% for both vehicles.

I am concerned that we may not be able to use these vehicles when the roads become icy. We can add chains when there is snow.

Should we consider winter tires for these vehicles? Would winter tires help with the current slipping problems?

Comment:

I am not personally familiar with your vehicles but I would suggest that part of your issue might be just getting used to how your vehicle responds to your commands in comparison to what you're used to.

I noted a similar problem to yours with a different vehicle in that there seemed to be a tendency to spin on a wet road after a stretch of high temperatures. This is due to the fact that asphalt roads will sweat a bit with the heat and the first rain that falls leaves them a bit slippery but this disappears in a day or two.

Another thing to check on is your tire pressure and the tread on your tires. If the tread is un-evenly worn then you will not have the same degree of grip all the way around and a sudden increase in power might cause some slipping. Over pressure (more so than lowered pressure) also tends to lessen traction … but I do not recommend lowering the pressure much beyond about 1 -2 psi less than what is recommended for you vehicle.

TG

Tire Concerns: Sizes for 06 ford 350

by Fred
(Canada)

I have a 2006 ford 350 king ranch crew cab 4x4. I want to put wrangler duratrac tires on but am not sure at what size the tires start to rub when I turn. I currently have 275/65/r20 on it. The tires I have in mind are wrangler MT/R with Kevlar 285/65/r20 and wrAngler duratrac 285/60/r20 and wrangler 275/65/r20. I was just wondering if any of these tires with fit without rubbing or changing anything else to make them fit.

Editorial Comment:

Obviously the 275/65R20 tires which are the same as what you currently have would work well unless you have experiencing rubbing already.

The 285/65 tires are just slightly wider and a wee bit higher that what you now have but not so much more that I'd anticipate that they would cause a problem with rubbing unless the tires you now have are already larger than OEM's … in that case each step larger is getting you closer and closer to the limit.

I'm guessing that the 285/60's are pretty much the same or a wee bit smaller than your current size, but you can verify this by using our Tire Size Calculator to compare the two. If you can't stay with your original size, I'd suggest that this might be a better choice over the larger tire.

TG

Tire Concerns: 265/70 R17 for 07 ford F350 Duallie

by Mark McDonald
(Lawton OK)

Will a 265 70 R17 fit on a 07 ford F350 Duallie?

Editorial Comment:

Use our Tire Size Calculator to compare the two tires and discover the differences you might expect.

TG

can i get tire chains for my 2011 chevy malibu ?

by Tanner
(Pasco, WA)

I went to Les Schwab to get tire chains for my 2011 Chevy Malibu and they said there chains cant be put on my car because of the clearance problem. The owners manual also says they do not reccomend tire chains for this vehicle. Is there any sort of tire chain or device that I can purchase that I could use on this vehicle?

Tire Concerns: 2011 Ford Focus has noise towards motor.

by nicholas
(kingstown RI usa)

This brand new Ford Focus I just bought is good but I don't like to hear it rolling along, it sounds similar to a truck. Could it be the tires?

Tire Concerns: Rims on my 2011 Chevy impala

by Michael
(Santa Rosa)

I'm thinking of putting 22inch rims on my chevy impala and was wondering if it will hurt the suspension and performace on the car. I was told that 20's were the recommended size, but I think 22's will look way more appealing. Can you please give me your insight, I'm looking to purchase soon.

Editorial Comment:

If you follow the traditional practice of Plus Sizing it is not likely that putting on larger wheels will do any damage to your car, although some people who have had experience with lower profile tires are disappointed with the loss of comfort in the ride of their vehicle.

Some of this difference will depend on your driving habits and the kind of roads which you normally drive on, but it still would not hurt to talk to other people who have used lower profile tires to compare their experience with your expectations.

Certainly many people seem to think that lower profile tires are more sexy than other ones, but this is a matter of personal taste.

TG

Tire Concerns: Pontiac vibe tires

by Jessica Coats
(Boone, NC)

I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe, with P205/55r16 tires on it. My dad has offered to give me some P215/70r16 if they will fit my car. Will they? I have no idea.

Tire Concerns: Mixing tires on 1999 Dodge Caravan Sport

by Jenny de Roche
(Wilmington, NC)

I have tire size 215/65/15 (Normal tire size for the car) on the rear in excellent condition.

Can I put tire size 215/70/15 on the front?

Editorial Comment:


If you mix tire sizes by putting the 215/70 r15 tires on the front and the 215/75 r15 on the back you will be driving up hill all the time! Just Joking, but you will have the larger tires on the front and it is not likely that you would notice the difference in size unless you are extremely sensitive because the difference is only about 4/10ths of an inch.

This difference is, of course when both tires are brand new. If one pair is somewhat worn then the difference could be more or less depending on which pair has the greater wear.

As long as you keep the same sized tires on the same axle, there isn't a great deal of reason to be concerned about mixing these two tire sizes, but you need to keep in mind that at some time or another you may have to replace one of those tires with your spare tire. What size is your spare tire? Or are you going to carry two spares?

There is an even chance that if you carry only one spare that you may end up mixing tire sizes on the same axle and this is definitely not a recommended thing to do.

I would really recommend that you stick with the original sized tires rather than switching over to the larger ones because there is more than a 3% differences in the sizes and while this might not cause a problem in terms of the space available for the tires, it will affect your gas mileage and speedometer reading enough to be important.

TG

Tire concerns: winter tires for Chev Impala

by Linda
(Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada)

Can I use a P21560r16 on my 2005 chev impala?

Comment.

It doesn't matter whether you are installing winter or summer tires. Your best results are always going to be obtained if you stick with the tire size which the car was designed to use. Whenever you stray from that you are starting to experiment and you may get results you don't expect or won't like.

The 2005 Chevrolet Impala had 225/60 R 16 tires as its standard design. This is the best size to use, even for winter tires.

215/60R16 tires are slightly narrower and because you have the same aspect ratio (the second number), this means the tire will also be lower and slightly smaller in diameter. The difference is 60% of the difference in width of 6mm (say 1/4 inch) This is a very small difference and the difference you may anticipate in speed, power and fuel consumption is very small.

Tire Concerns: 2002 BUICK PARK AVENUE ULTRA TIRES

by Bradley
(Northwest Arkansas, USA)

I have P225/60R16 tires on now, and am wondering if I can change to P225/75R16 tires?

Tire Concerns: Why cannot we use snow chains with our 2002 buick rendezvous

by Michael Contreras
(Portland OR USA)

I went into a tire dealer to see about a low clearance chain for my 2002 Buick Rendezvous AWD SUV.

They said this manufacturer suggest you not use chains for this type of vehicle but could not tell me why.

A new set of studded tires is nearly 650 dollars a set of chains 70 dollars.

Comment:

I am not aware of a specific recommendation from Buick on this issue but I'd suggest you try contacting a dealer and asking them if they have any further information about this.

It is possible that with very limited space in certain vehicle's wheel wells, using chains could cause damage or impede the free movement of certain systems. A mechanic who is familiar with this vehicle might also have some ideas.

TG

16 inch rims for 2003 GMC Envoy. If I convert to 16 inch rims what size tires should I buy and will it affect the odometer/ speedometer.

by Melody
(Power)

2003 GMC Envoy XL 4x4. Current rims are 17 inch and tire size is 245/65/R17. Rims are still good but 17 inch tires are ridiculously expensive. I need to replace tires in the next few months and am looking into converting to the 16 inch rim. . If I convert to 16 inch rims what size tires should I buy and will it affect the odometer/ speedometer.

Editorial Comment:

On line tire sellers do not list any 16 in tires or wheels for the 2003 GMC Envoy so it is highly likely that there may be a problem in putting smaller wheels on this vehicle. You need to be careful that these would not interfere with the brake callipers that fit inside the rim when the wheels are mounted.

If you do determine that 16 inch wheels would fit use our Tire Size Calculator and select a 16 inch wheel to compare to your original tires and you'll see sizes which you can consider. As long as you don't change the default setting on the calculator you will be within 2% of the original size … the closer the better … so power, fuel consumption, speedometer reading etc will have the minimal change.

TG

Tire size for Chrysler Town and Country

by Sherri
(New Orleans, LA)

I am looking to purchase the Chrysler Town and Country but I do not like the way it bottoms out on curbs due to the stow and go feature. Can larger tires be put on the van to help raise the vehicle?

Editorial Comment:

Usually there is a limit on how much bigger tire you can install on any vehicle due to space limitations within the wheel well.

Sometimes you will find restriction in the front wheel when you are turning the steering to the extreme left or right, other times you may only notice a problem when you go over a dip or a bump.

In any case the maximum extra ground clearance you can achieve by putting on bigger tires before experiencing one of the above problems is often only about an inch or so, and if you go to this maximum you are often faced with other effects, such as a reduction of power, and speedometer error which makes such a tactic impractical.

If the drawback you see in this vehicle is an important issue to you and you absolutely have to have this particular vehicle then you may end up having to make major mechanical modifications (such as raising it) in order to have your cake and eat it too.

TG

Winter tires for 2010 Camaro

by George
(Toronto, ON)

2010 Camaro

Hi

Just got a 2010 Camaro and the snow will be flying soon in Toronto, Canada.

Do you have any ideas about what I should get for this car? My driving is some city and mostly clear expressway driving, subject to some winter blizzards...about 25 kilometers a day. Nothing large!

The car currently has: Pirellis P245/50 ZR 19 104W

GM came up with a price of over $4,000 for run-flat Blizzak tires, Camaro rims and sensors.

I'm looking for something a lot cheaper that will do the trick for four to five months of the year.

One: Do I need tire sensors?

Why do I need run flats?

Should I go with an 18" or 19" rim?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Tire Concerns: Alternative rims for 89 Lincoln Mark VII

by Shane C
(Columbia, MO)

I am wondering about alternative tire and rim sizing. What is the rim size permitted for p225/60r16 tires? Is there any problem with using 16x7 or 16x8 inch rims on my 89 Lincoln Mark VII?

Tire Concerns: Subaru tires for Volvo

by John
(Haddon Heights, NJ)

I was given a 1998 Volvo w/ tires P205 65R/15. A couple of tires are grimly dangerous. My 1998 Subaru Outback Is sitting in my driveway crumpled to death. The Subaru has
p205 60R/15 tires in much better shape than the Volvo. Could I safely move the 60R/15 tires to the Volvo?


Comment:

If you're planning on swapping the rims and all, the first thing you want to check is the bolt pattern and distance between bolt on the two to make sure there is a match. There are no industry standards that say that one 15 inch wheel has to fit on all vehicles.

After confirming the fit of the wheels, the next concern is the outside diameter of the mounted tire. In your case the 205/60 tires are smaller than the 205/65 ones which were on the Volvo. This smaller diameter means you will use more fuel and the speedometer will show that you are travelling faster than it showed with the former tires. The drop in height will be about 10 mm which is less than 1/2 an inch. I don't expect that this would cause you any major problems with ground clearance.

I would not recommend that you make a switch of just a couple of the tires ... it would be best to swap all 4, but if you absolutely must change only 2 make certain that there are always the same sized tires on the same axle.

Tire Concerns: I plan to lower my jetta 3 inches what size wheels could i clear?

by M. M.
(Staunton)

3 inch lowering springs what size rims culd i run 2002 vw jetta 1.8t gls

Comments:

You might find our Tire Size Calculator useful in searching out possible tire sizes.

I am not very familiar with lowering cars, and my normal recommendation is that for other reasons you stay within 2% of the original tire size for best results. In you case you are making a major change in the vehicle and are likely prepared to put up with more variations.

Generally speaking you may want to look at lower profile tires, but even with those, I think you'd have trouble losing the full 3 inches, and maybe you wouldn't want to. Possibly dropping down to a wheel which is 2 inches less and getting a slightly lower profile tire might produce the results you want.

TG

Tire Concerns: tires for 1992 Jetta

by Frank
(Cleveland, Ohoi)

Will 195/60 14 fit a 1992 Jetta?

The stock size for a 1992 Volkswagen Jetta is 185/60 14, so this is a larger tire and will result in a slower speedometer reading and a slight reduction in fuel consumption.

This difference in tire size is just slightly beyond the 2% limit which we normally use but it is so close that it hardly matters, but a much better size match is a 195/55 14 tire if you have a choice available.

TG

2002 VW JETTA TIRE REPLACEMENT

by Josh
(Los Angeles, CA )

vw jetta

I am considering to replace the my 2002 VW Jetta VR-6 GLX (stock tire size is 205/ 55 R 16) currently I have 215/55 R-16 and it seems to be ok. Now I wanted to replace all four tires and I am considering 225/50 R-16 on the original rim.

Is there going to be any issue with this tires? is this change recommended?

Runflat vs regular tires for a BMW Z-4

by Chris
(Aliso Viejo CA)

2004 BMW Z4

I need four new tires on my 2004 Z4 BMW which came with runflats. Price quoted $1600.00.

I am thinking of going with regular tires since these tires only lasted 25K miles and are so expensive.

I don't care about not having a spare I don't mind being towed somewhere. I wonder if putting the regular tires on my car can somehow damage the car. I heard it can mess up the suspension.

Tire Concerns: 275/75r16 for 1997 tahoe 4x4

by cactus bob
(buckeye az)

Will 275/75r16 fit my stock 1997 tahoe 4x4 ?
Just wanna know how big I can go without a lift.

Editorial Comments:

Regardless of the experience that others might have had with a similar vehicle, often the only way you can tell for sure is by doing a test fitting. Your vehicle is several years old and may have had changes either through damage or simple change of parts which can affect the clearance which you have that would be enough to make it unsuitable to use a certain tire that someone else might find worked ok for them.

I had one client who had over sized winter tires on their vehicle and the next year when he came in to switch over again, we found that these same tires were rubbing because he had had some damage to his front suspension and after this had been fixed the clearance wasn't the same as it had been the previous year.

This is especially something you need to watch for when you are "pushing the limit". So no matter what anyone tells you, do a test fitting and a close inspection all around before heading out on the highway.

TG