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How to Read Tire Size

How to Read Tire Size: The Ultimate Guide

BEST RV TIRES by atireshop.com

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You may be wondering how to read tire size. If so, you are not alone! With the variety of different tires available for cars and trucks, it’s sometimes hard to decide which is right for your car.

This answer depends on different factors, including the type of car or truck you have, what kind of driving conditions you will be in most often, your budget, and several other things.

In this article, we will try to describe how to read tire size as well as some tips that might help make your choice easier.

These are common and easy steps to follow while reading or measuring the tire size.

What Is The Difference Between Metric And Standard Tire Sizes

The tire size of your car is measured in metric and standard sizes, such as 205/55 R16. The first number is the tire’s width (in millimeters), while the second one refers to its height or aspect ratio.

The main difference between them is that you need to be familiar with two types of tire measurements when you are doing research on tires. The first is the metric tire size which usually begins with a number between 80 and 100 (ex: 195/75 R15).

This type of measurement indicates that your tire will be anywhere from 19 to 20 inches in diameter, or somewhere around 75 percent as tall as it is wide.

The second one refers to the standard tire size, which is the most common type of measurement that you will find on tires.

It begins with a number between 12 and 23 (ex: P225/60 R16). The first thing to note about this measurement is that it refers to your overall tire diameter rather than its width or height.

The Difference In Performance

both types of measurements are used for the same purpose—to indicate what size tire you need. The difference is that these two different measurements refer to very slightly different sizes of tires, which has an impact on performance.

When your car’s speedometer says that you are traveling at 60 miles per hour (mph), this measurement indicates how quickly it will be able to stop or how much traction it will have.

You may find that the standard tire size works better for your needs, but you should always check to make sure before making a purchase.

The Difference In Cost

there are several differences between these two measurements, though this is one of the most prominent ones.

The biggest reason metric tires are more expensive is that most tire manufacturers make their tires in metric sizes, but very few offer standard measurements.

This also makes it more difficult for car owners to find the right replacement when they need new tires on their vehicles.

You are not able to get your hands on a set that will fit properly, which means you’ll have to spend extra money or go through the extra trouble of having tires that are slightly too small put on your wheels.

The Difference In Availability

another big reason why metric tire sizes cost more is that they have less demand for them, which means there are fewer companies making these types of tires, and it also takes longer for suppliers to get new orders filled when people do place them.

On the other hand, standard sizes are very popular, and not only do many tire manufacturers create tires in these measurements but there is also more competition between suppliers for this type of tire which means they can charge less for it because their costs will be lower too.

How To Read Tire Size In Millimeters

The first thing that you need to know about the millimeter measurement is how it got its name.

For those who aren’t familiar with metric measurements, there are 1000 millimeters in one meter, and each of these divisions on your tire size will represent exactly 25.40 millimeters (mm).

The second part refers to where this number falls within the tire’s size.

This is an important part of the tire measurement because it tells you how wide your tires are, which can have a big impact on their performance and comfort and their cost to replace or repair if something wrong happens to them.

The first number represents where this measurement falls within the overall width of your tire, while the second number is discussed to show you the percentage of overall width that your tire takes up.

For example, a tire with a measurement of 195 would be 19.50 inches wide and take up 95 percent of this space, while tires measuring 20 would only take up 100 percent since they are exactly as wide as the wheel itself is.

Tire Measurements From 12 – 22

the first number that you see on a tire’s millimeter measurement tells you where it falls within its overall width. If this number is larger than 12, then your tire will be wider and have a more rounded shape to them since they are taking up more of an arc as opposed to tires with measurements between 12-22, which take up less space.

The second number tells you how much of the wheel is taken up by your tire, so if it’s 22, then 100 percent of that space will be filled. This means that they are less rounded and more squared off at their edges since there isn’t any extra room left on either side to round them out like tires with measurements between 12-22.

Tire Measurements From 23-29

the first number on a tire’s millimeter measurement tells you where this particular wheel falls within its overall width, and if it is larger than 23, then that means your wheel will be wider with more rounded edges to them since they are taking up more space compared to tires with measurements between 23-29 which will be slightly narrower and more squared off.

The second number in the millimeter measurement tells you how much of the wheel is taken up by your tire, so if it’s 29, then 100 percent of that space will be used, which means they are less rounded at their edges than tires with measurements between 23-29.

Tire Measurements From 30-39

the first number that you see on a tire’s millimeter measurement tells you where this particular wheel falls within its overall width, and if it is larger than 30, then your wheel will be wider with more rounded edges to them since they are taking up more space compared to tires with measurements between 30-39 which will be slightly narrower and less rounded.

The second number in the millimeter measurement tells you how much of the wheel is taken up by your tire, so if it’s 39, then 100 percent of that space will be used, which means they are less rounded at their edges than tires with measurements between 30-39.

Tire Measurements From 40 – 54

this part refers to where this particular wheel falls within its overall width, and if it is larger than 40, then that means your tire will be wider and more rounded at their edges since they are taking up a lot of space compared to tires with measurements between 40-54 which will be slightly narrower and less rounded.

The second number in the millimeter measurement tells you how much of the wheel is taken up by your tire, so if it’s 54, then 100 percent of that space will be used, which means they are less rounded at their edges than tires with measurements between 40-54.

How To Find Out What Your Car’s Tires Are Sized At Currently

The best way to find out what your car’s tires are currently sized at is by looking underneath the driver-side door jamb, where you’ll see a sticker with this information listed on it. If there isn’t one, then check under your hood for a tire inflation decal or manual that can tell you which size of tires you have on your car.

What tires you need is by taking a tire size decoder like the one above and placing it over the top of your current tire’s millimeter measurement, then follow along with all of this information listed on that online tool in order to figure out which type of tires will fit onto your car.

Tire Size Conversion Chart

The chart below is a tire size conversion that will help you with making sure all of your measurements match up when figuring out what new tires to get for your car. This tool will tell you the appropriate conversions between E, P-metric, LT (Light Truck), and Euro Metrics, so make sure to check it out before taking any further measurements or making any decisions about getting new tires for your car.

Tire Size Chart

E-P Metric Light Truck Euro Metrics E-P Metric Light Truck Euro Metrics 30 54 185 55 138 145 40 108 235 75 165 175 45 113 265 80 170 180 50 118 295 85 175 185 55 123 325 90 180 190 60 128 355 95 185 195 65 133 385 100 190 200 70 138 405 105 195 205 75 142 425 110 200 210 80 148 455 115 205 215 85 153 475 120 210 220 90 158 505 125 215 225

Tire size chart: The first number will tell you where this particular wheel falls within its overall width, and if it is larger than 30, then your wheel will be wider with more rounded edges to them since they are taking up more space compared to tires with measurements between 30-39 which will be slightly narrower and less rounded.

The second number in the millimeter measurement tells you how much of the wheel is taken up by your tire, so if it’s 39, then 100 percent of that space will be used, which means they are less rounded at their edges than tires with measurements between 30-39.

Safety tips for changing your tires on your own or with help from professionals

The best thing to do in order to change your tires on your own or with help from professionals is to make sure the vehicle is lifted and raised up off of the ground so you can easily slide underneath it without having to worry about getting any grease, grime or dirt onto yourself.

Make sure that there’s a safe working space around where you are changing your tire so you can easily access everything that’s needed for this job without having to worry about getting anything dirty or where it might fall.

Make sure not to jack up any part of the car incorrectly, make sure all jacks used are capable of holding up whatever vehicle is being worked on, and never let go of a hydraulic jack handle until all movement is stopped.

It’s also good to make sure the car is in the park, hand brake set, and you should never be working on your vehicle when it’s been running because this could put too much strain on the engine, which will cause major damage that isn’t covered by warranties or guarantees.

While changing tires might seem like a pretty easy job, it is, in fact, very dangerous, and there are loads of safety precautions that need to be taken into consideration before any work can begin.

Tire Size Decoder

The best place to start with changing your tires on your own or with help from professionals is by taking measurements for each tire’s width, which will make it easier to find the correct tire size for your car.

The Importance Of Rotating Your Tires Every 6 Months, Even If They Don’t Need Air Or Alignment Work Done Yet

The best way to check if your tires need rotating is by taking measurements of each tire’s width, which will tell you whether or not they are wearing down unevenly.

When it comes to making sure your car has enough air in its tires, it’s important never to let them get too low because this can cause major problems along with leading to accidents.

Check your tire pressure every time when you fill up on gas and make sure it’s inflated properly; if they are under-inflated, then the tires won’t be able to reach their maximum capacity, which can lead to getting stuck or having an accident.

If rotating your tires every six months seems like too much of a hassle, you can always hire professionals to do it for you, which is how rotating tires should be done because this will keep the treads worn down evenly so your car runs smoothly.

When there are no visible signs that indicate anything might need changing or replacing, then having an alignment check every six months isn’t necessary, but if there are any problems like pulling to the left or right, then you will need an alignment check.

The recommended way to do this yourself is by checking your tread depth every month with a penny.

If it’s starting to get too thin in certain spots and there isn’t much of it left when Lincoln’s head disappears beneath the top of George Washington’s hairline then it’s time to start thinking about replacing or changing your vehicle tires.

The best thing you can do for yourself and others around you is by knowing how to read tire size, safety tips for changing them on your own or with help from professionals, and important things like rotating your tires every six months that need to be done in order to keep cars running smoothly.

FAQS

What Is The Word P On A Tire For?

Your tire is classified as a Passenger Tire if it has the P in its name. The PMetric stands for P-metric.

If your tire size starts with LT, then a P, it’s a Light Truck tire. In other words, this proportion of 50 indicates that the component height of the section is 50% of the component width.

Is It True That Larger Tires Are Better?

Tires with a greater diameter provide better handling and cornering because of wider tread faces and stronger sidewalls.

Wider tires may boost acceleration, especially in powerful automobiles such as muscle cars. Larger wheels with lower-profile tires are sometimes appealing to the eye.

What Does The 265 70R17 Stand For?

Here you’ll learn what the 265-70R17 tire code means. This indicates that your tire has an aspect ratio of 70 percent.

To put it another way, the sidewall height (from the edge of the rim to the tire’s tread) is 70% of the width. The sidewall height, in this case, is 185 millimeters.

Is It Possible To Use Larger Tires On The Same Rim?

As a general guideline, it’s OK to mount a tire that is 20 millimeters larger than the stock rim. The accurate width of the tire will vary with the rim’s width:

For every half-inch (12.5 millimeters) increase in rim width, the tire will expand 5 millimeters (12.5 mm).