What Size Tire Can I Put On A 17 Inch Rim

Sometimes, you know immediately when it'southward time to get new tires. One could accident out while you lot're driving, or you might begin to feel an immense vibration every time yous get behind the bicycle. Other times, the wear and tear happens over a long period. Your once-new tires go threadbare, underinflated or croaky the more you employ them, and you begin to think it'south time to shop around for a new gear up. Understanding exactly which tire size to buy is a critical starting time footstep in ensuring you stay rubber on the road. Here'southward a quick guide to go yous started in understanding tire sizes.

Locating Your Tire'south Sidewall

Accept a await at the side of your tire. Practice you lot come across that code of numbers and messages? It'southward commonly located beneath the the name of the tire manufacturer. Chances are, y'all've looked at it quite often but never knew what it meant. A car tire size nautical chart can tell you similar information, but before you become digging for your owner's transmission, start here first. That string of characters is actually full of information about your tire type, size, structure and more than. Jot it down completely before moving frontwards.

Knowing Your Tire Blazon

Does the code on your tire sidewall begin with "P?" Well-nigh do. This tells you that you have passenger-type tires that conform to specific standards, known as P-Metrics, mandated across the United States. If your lawmaking begins with the letters "LT," that simply ways that those tires are made for light truck employ. Though some trucks are equipped with P-Metric tires, certain manufacturers equip their vehicles with LT tires instead. They'll operate the same style but may require more inflation under higher pressure level than their P-Metric counterparts. If your code doesn't take a "P" at the first, information technology conforms to Euro metrics instead. While they may look and operate similarly, it's important to understand that P-Metric and East-Metric tires have different load limits. You'll demand this information when you're looking for the ideal tire size for your vehicle. You lot can use information technology to compare your tires on a tire wheel size chart moving forward.

Determining Your Tire Width

To measure the width of your tires, simply wait at the number after the beginning letter of your code. This is the measurement from i sidewall of your tire to the adjacent. This is a 3-digit number measured in millimeters. So, if yours says 215, that means that the tire is 215 millimeters in width.

Finding the Aspect Ratio

The next dimension you'll need is the aspect ratio. After your tire's width, you'll run across a slash in the lawmaking. The adjacent 2 digits that follow describe this ratio. The aspect ratio is comprised of the height of your tire from its cantankerous-section measured against its width. And so, if your sidewall lawmaking says 215/65, that ways the height measures 65 per centum of its width of 215 millimeters. An alternative is to search a tire height chart by size to find your measurement.

Understanding Tire Construction

Side by side, accept a look at the letter that follows the aspect ratio dimension. If yours says "R," that means you have radial tires. This but means the layers in the tire are bundled radially across it. The most common culling is bias ply, which is a tire construction that's more common for older vehicles.

Calculating Tire Diameter

Finally, yous'll demand to know the size of the wheel that your specific tires should fit. You lot tin can find this by measuring the tire's bore. While you could wait yours up on a tire diameter size nautical chart, you lot can also find your answer by searching the tire sidewall. Following the letter that indicates your tire construction, you'll find the diameter listed in inches every bit the adjacent two digits. For instance, your code might read 215/65 R12, meaning the diameter is 12 inches. With this information in hand, you can visit your local tire supply shop armed with the noesis you need to find the exact tires that are designed to fit your vehicle, await not bad and give you peace of mind on the route.