How do you read tire sizes?

What does XL mean on a tire?

extra load

XL (or Reinforced) tyres are ‘extra load’ tyres – they indicate that a tyre is reinforced to be able to withstand a higher load than other tyres of the same size. This is done through a number of ways, but most usually by adding strengthening material to either the tyre’s bead or face.

What does XL mean on tyres?

A reinforced or XL (extra load) tyre is a specially reinforced tyre which carries heavier loads than tyres of the same size. These types of tyres are stronger and more hardwearing than standard tyres, and are often used for large vehicles that carry heavy loads or large family cars, such as 4x4s.

Why are XL tires called extra load?

Hence the name “Extra Load.” Because of this, they tend to be used in situations that require a higher load capacity or better tire safety. If a tire is an XL model, it will be noted on the sidewall in one of these ways: Extra Load, XL or Reinforced.

Are XL tires out of date?

Extra Load (XL) or reinforced tires have a higher price tag than regular ones. If you have Extra Load (XL) or reinforced tires on your current set, they could be out of date. Check tire pressure regularly. Extra Load (XL) or reinforced tires may show wear over time and require replacement sooner than regular ones. Do XL tires ride rough?

What vehicles need XL tyres?

In combination with a higher tyre pressure, XL tyres have a greater load-bearing capacity and are particularly suitable for use with minibuses, off-road vehicles and SUVs. Which vehicles need XL tyres? Remember these three important points when choosing tyres: The tyre size you should use is easy to find out.

What do tyre numbers mean?

The important number on the side of your tyre – the indicate the size, profile and the weight and speed ratings of your tyre. These number represent, in order, the section width (225), aspect ratio (45), construction (R), rim diameter (19), load index (92) and speed rating (W).

What do the numbers on my tires mean?

Each number and letter on your tires mean different things. Let’s take this example tire size and break down what each part means: P235/75R15 105S P —The P in the beginning of this number stands for the type of tire you have. “P” means the tire is made for lighter passenger cars.

What are the tyre marking numbers?

The numbers are a confusing mess of millimetres, inches, percentages and other codes, which can make it all a bit bewildering. Our helpful tyre markings guide clearly explains all the key numbers and letters, without any jargon or sales spiel.

What does tyre size mean?

It is important to know exactly what is meant by tyre size. The code that is found on the tyres gives more than just the basic size. The size elements are essentially the tyre’s height and width. Tyre sizes will also vary depending on the type of vehicle i.e. van and lorry tyres tend to be larger/chunkier than car tyres.

What does 235 mean on a tyre?

The first number is the easiest and measures the width of the tyre in metric millimetres. 235 means your tyre is 235mm wide. The second number refers to the profile of the tyre or the height of the tyre’s sidewall. The number isn’t in millimetres but is instead an aspect ratio measurement of how the height relates to total width.

What does R mean on a tire?

radial tire

“R” stands for the construction method of the tire indicating the tire is a radial tire. The following two numbers (16) indicate the diameter of the wheel rim in inches.

What does R Mean on a car tire?

As mentioned, the letter R stands for both radial construction and the speed rating of 106mph. This can create somewhat of a confusion, especially when you realize that more than 90% of all passenger car tires are made out of radial construction and thus place the letter R on the tire.

How do you know if a tyre is radial?

Next up is a letter. This tells you how a tyre is constructed. In this example, the “R” means that the tyre has radial construction. This is where the internal ply cords extend across the casing from bead to bead, in a radial direction. Less common tyre constructions include diagonal or bias ply, represented by the letter “D”. 4.

What does h mean in a tyre rating table?

As with the load index, this letter references a look-up table which indicates the maximum permissible speed of a tyre. In this example, “H” means the vehicle has a maximum speed of 130mph under the maximum load. “Although a speed rating table references the maximum speed a tyre can move under load, you should not use this as a threshold.

What do tyre markings mean?

These tyre markings are usually composed of a letter and a number. The letter, R, indicates that the tyre’s internal construction is Radial. Radial technology, invented by Michelin, uses combinations of rubbers and metal and textile reinforcing materials to form very robust structures in the tread area but flexible sidewalls.

Which tire is wider 245 or 255?

The main difference between a 245 and 255 tire is the width or, more specifically, the tread width. They both have different speed tolerance….Difference Between 245 and 255 Tires.

What is the difference between 245 and 255 tires?

The exact dimensions of 245 tires or a 255 tire will vary between the tire manufacturers. This is because any specific manufacturer has a 255 tire that is wider section width than the the245 tire. The difference is about ten millimeters. Can I Replace 245 Tires With 255? Yes, you can because they are similar tire sizes with a slight difference.

What is the difference between p245/75-r16 and p255/70-r16?

For example, for this tire P245/75-R16, 75 means that the height equals 75% of the tire’s width. On the other hand, P255/70-R16 means that the tire’s height is 70% of its width. If you think about this section, the tire will be taller than other tires. The bigger the aspect ratio, the higher the tire sidewall will be.

What does 245 mean on a car?

So if you have 245s on your car right now, that means they’re sitting roughly 9.6 inches off the ground! 255 tires are numbers that represent the width, in millimeters, of your tire from sidewall to sidewall – where the tread meets the road (see diagram).

What is better 255 or 235?

Therefore, the 255 will give more grip and effective control than the 245 and the 235. The 245 comes next to the 255 and is followed by the 235. Hence, the 235 offers the least grip among the three. Steering, accelerating, swerving, and braking depend heavily on the tires. For the perfect handling, you must consider a lot of factors.

What does 265 75R18 mean?

The first number in a tire size is the width of the tire in millimeters. For example, an LT 265/75R18 has a section width of 265 millimeters, meaning the tread section is that wide. So clearly, the lower the number, the thinner the tire and the higher the number, the wider it is.

What does 265-75r15 mean?

On this page you’ll find a color-coded explanation of the 265-75R15 tire code. This number indicates that your tire has a width of 265 millimeters. This number means that your tire has an aspect ratio of 75%. In other words, your tire’s sidewall height (from the edge of the rim to the tire’s tread) is 75% of the width.

What does 265-70r18 mean?

Tire sizes are easy to understand once you learn how to read them. On this page you’ll find a color-coded explanation of the 265-70R18 tire code. This number indicates that your tire has a width of 265 millimeters. The tire size was designed to fit rims or wheels that are 18 inches in diameter.

How many inches tall is 285/75r16?

Example: 285/75R16 (285 X 75 / 2540 x 2) + 16 = 32.8 inches tall. Our tire calculator makes this happen for you. Just type in any tire size and click calculate. It also solves the problem of deciding what tire you would like to run if you have inch tire measurement in mind but can’t find a company that manufactures that inch tire size.

What is the difference between lt275/65r18 and lt265/75r16?

So this factor can differ among the product’s variants. An LT275/65R18 Michelin – Defender LTX M/S Tire has a 10-ply rating. Meanwhile, a 265/60R18 one has 4-ply and LT 265/75R16 has 10-ply ratings, respectively.

How much difference in tire size is OK?

3 percent

As a general rule, you want replacement tires that are within 3 percent of the diameter (height) measurement of your existing tires’ diameter — assuming your current tires are what your owner’s manual recommends.

How do I compare tire sizes?

Just click on the tire sizes to view a list of tires manufactured in that size, and click on the tires to compare tire prices from the top distibutors. Also try our speedometer conversion calculator to determine how much faster or slower you are actually traveling when changing your tire size to a diameter different from stock.

What is a metric tire size calculator?

There are more possibilities and choices in metric tires so the use of a tire size calculator can be very useful. The tire size comparison calculator takes the measurements of two tires and compares the diameter, width, sidewall, circumference, and revolutions per mile.

Can you change a tire size?

The wheels, for example, can have a compatible bolt pattern, but the offset or smaller diameter might not provide proper clearance for the brakes. Changing one size up in tire width and one size down in aspect ratio (the ratio of the tire sidewall height to width) will maintain approximate tire size.

Do larger tires fit a car?

Here’s how to find the larger tires that will fit your vehicle correctly and give it the cool look you’re after. If you think that most vehicles—especially your own—would look better fitted with a set of larger wheels-and-tires, you’re in good company—just ask any car designer.

How wide is a 235 tire?

The “235” grouping indicates the width of the tire from sidewall to sidewall in millimeters. So, in this example, the tire is 235 millimeters — 9.25 inches — wide from sidewall to sidewall.

How wide are 235/75R15 tires?

235/75R15 tires have a diameter of 28.9″, a section width of 9.3″, and a wheel diameter of 15″. The circumference is 90.7″ and they have 699 revolutions per mile. Generally they are approved to be mounted on 6-8″ wide wheels for passenger tires and 6-7″ for LT tires. Upsizing Wheels or Tires?

What is the difference between 215 and 235 tires?

215 tires mean that the width of your tires is 215 mm. Meanwhile, 225 tires have a width of 225 mm and 235 tires have a width of 235mm. NOTE: The width of a tire is measured from sidewall to sidewall in millimeters, not the contact patch only When you look at every tire, there will be a series of three numbers on the sidewall.

What is the width of a tire?

This can also be referred to as the section width. In the tire size, the first three numbers refer to the width of the tire. As an example, if your tire size is P225/65R17, the width of the tire would be 225 millimeters. 3. Aspect Ratio After the slash mark, the next number you will see is the tire’s aspect ratio.

What does 225 mean on a tire?

This number indicates that your tire has a width of 225 millimeters. The tire size was designed to fit rims or wheels that are 17 inches in diameter. This number means that your tire has an aspect ratio of 50%. In other words, your tire’s sidewall height (from the edge of the rim to the tire’s tread) is 50% of the width.

What do the 3 numbers mean on tire size?

B: TIRE WIDTH The three-digit number following the letter is the tire’s width (from side to side, looking at the tire head on) in millimeters. This may also be referred to as the section width. C: ASPECT RATIO The forward slash separates the tire width number from the two-digit aspect ratio.

What do the three numbers on a tire mean?

The three numbers on tire size represent the width, height, and diameter of the tire, respectively. The width is measured in millimeters and indicates how wide the tire is from side to side. The height is measured in a height-to-width ratio. The diameter is measured in inches and tells you the size of the rim or wheel that the tire will fit onto.

What are tire sizes in inches?

Tire sizes in inches can be a little different than tire sizes in millimeters. For example (35X12 50R18) – The numbers 35 and 12 refer to the diameter and the width of the tire, respectively, while 50 indicates the aspect ratio (the percentage of the sidewall height compared to the width).

How to read tyre size?

When it comes to how to read tyre size, the first five digits of the code are the ones to concentrate on. The first three digits belong together and indicate the width of the tyre (in millimetres). In the example above, the tyre is 195mm wide. The two digits following the first slash are what is known as the aspect ratio.

How wide is a 225 tire?

The number “225” stands for the width of the tire in millimeters – so in this case the tire is 22.5 cm wide. The “45” that follows is the aspect ratio – the height of the tire sidewall as a percentage of its width.

What does p265 70R17 mean?

An arrow points to the numbers 265/70R17 115T on the inner part of the tire sidewall. 265 is the width, 70 is the aspect ratio, R stands for radial, 17 is the wheel diameter and 115T is the load index and speed symbol.

What does P265/70R17 113S mean?

On this page you will find a detailed explanation of the P265/70R17 113S tire code. This number indicates the tire has a width of 265 millimeters. This number means that your tire has an aspect ratio of 70 %. In other words, your tire’s sidewall height (from the edge of the rim to the tire’s tread) is 70 % of the width.

What does 265/70r17 mean?

265 / 70R17 is a tire code which explains the size of a tire. This universal standard is used, so different tire manufacturers can produce tires which will fit same cars and rims. Here’s an explanation of what these metrics mean in practice: This number tells you what is the tire width in millimeters.

What does p & 265 mean on a tire?

The second listing is a metric set up, and is what is more common on factory-type sized tires. From left to right, the P indicates a passenger tire while 265 indicates the tires width in millimeters. That 75 is the tire’s aspect ratio and simply means the tire’s height is equal to 75 percent of its width.

What are tire sizes?

Tires usually come in the following widths (in inches): 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, and 28. Tires in these sizes are typically found on most passenger cars, light-duty light trucks, SUVs, minivans, and vans. Tires with a rim diameter measured in inches are called “inch rim” sizes.

What is tire profile?

The aspect ratio, or profile, refers to the height of the sidewall as a % of the section width. In our example, 55 means the height is equal to 55% of the 195mm width. The bigger the aspect ratio, the bigger the sidewall will be.

How are tire sizes written?

The first number to appear in your tire size information is the width, in millimeters, of the correct tires for your vehicle: P225/70R16 91S. Tire width always refers to the measurement from one sidewall to another.

How wide is a 265 tire?

For example a LT265/75R16 would be around 31.6 inches tall and 10 inches wide.

How tall is a 265/75r16 tire?

Below are the most common tire sizing information in inches: 265/75R16 Height – How tall is a 265/75R16 tire in inches? This tire size is 31.65 inches tall. 265/75R16 Width in inches – How wide is a 265/75R16 tire? This tire size is 10.433 inches wide (tread width). What’s the Sidewall Size of a 265/75R16 Tire in Inches?

How many inches in 265 mm?

265 is the millimeter measurement of the tire and the equation to convert is simple. Just divide 265 by 25.4 and you will get 10.43 inches. That number is often referred to as the section width. It is hard to translate 70% into inches but the distance between the sidewall height, from the outside of the tread, is going to be 7.3 inches.

Does a 265 fit a 275 rim?

What is interesting is that despite these little differences, the 265 and the 275 both fit on the same rim. You can change rim sizes to an 18 from a 17 inch or a 16-inch rim and the 275 will still be the larger tire. Except in the revolutions per mile. What is The Difference Between a 265 and 275 Tire?

What size is 255 70r18?

Tire Size Calculator – Tire & Wheel Plus Sizing BETA

What size is a 255/70r18 tire?

This tire size is 10.039 inches wide (tread width). What’s the Sidewall Size of a 255/70R18 Tire in Inches? This tire size has 7.028 inch sidewalls. Here’s some other common questions asked about this tire size: What size rims fit a 255/70R18 tire? This tire will fit onto 18 inch wheels. What is the next size up from 255/70R18?

What does 255 mean on a tire?

This number indicates that your tire has a width of 255 millimeters. The tire size was designed to fit rims or wheels that are 18 inches in diameter. This number means that your tire has an aspect ratio of 70%. In other words, your tire’s sidewall height (from the edge of the rim to the tire’s tread) is 70% of the width.

255 (Tire Width): The tire width is 255 millimeters from sidewall to sidewall (just over ten inches). 45 (Aspect Ratio): The tire’s sidewall is 45% of the tire’s width, which means the sidewall is about 114 millimeters or just over 4 inches.

What does 255-70r18 mean?

Tire sizes are easy to understand once you learn how to read them. On this page you’ll find a color-coded explanation of the 255-70R18 tire code. This number indicates that your tire has a width of 255 millimeters. The tire size was designed to fit rims or wheels that are 18 inches in diameter.

What does 60 mean on a tire?

60 is the two-figure aspect ratio. This percentage compares the tire’s section height with the tire’s section width. For example, this aspect ratio of 60 means that the tire’s section height is 60% of the tire’s section width. R indicates the construction used within the tires casing. R stands for radial construction.