Are you planning on adding some aftermarket wheels to your car? One of the first questions you may as is “which tires will fit my rims?” Depending on a few factors you can calculate what size tires your need.
Can you run any size tire on any wheel?
Tires are made to fit certain size wheels. Typically they are not interchangeable. Not all 17-inch tires fit every 17-inch wheel. The width of the wheel plays a major part in required tire size.
If you have a 17-inch wheel with a width of 7.5 inches you will want to avoid installing a tire with a width of 240 millimeters or more. The tire will be much wider than the wheel. You may not be able to get a good bead seal. In addition, you may also run the risk of the tire de-beading.
On the other hand, installing a smaller than recommended tire on a wheel can have adverse effects. Tire stretching is defined as installing a narrow tire on a wider wheel.
Should you install stretched tires?
Tires can usually be stretched 1 to 3 inches. Some of the issues related to stretching tires are blowouts, loss of pressure, and you can up damaging your wheels.
Most people install stretched tires just for looks. While stretched tires may provide the style your want they increase the risk of having issues.
Which tires will fit my rims?
| Wheel width | Min. tire width | Recommend tire width | Max. tire width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | Millimeters | Millimeters | Millimeters |
| 5 | 155 | 165 – 175 | 185 |
| 5.5 | 165 | 175 – 185 | 195 |
| 6 | 175 | 185 – 195 | 205 |
| 6.5 | 185 | 195 – 205 | 215 |
| 7 | 195 | 205 – 215 | 225 |
| 7.5 | 205 | 215 – 225 | 235 |
| 8 | 215 | 225 – 235 | 245 |
| 8.5 | 225 | 235 – 245 | 255 |
| 9 | 235 | 245 – 255 | 255 |
| 9.5 | 245 | 255 – 265 | 275 |
| 10 | 255 | 265 – 275 | 285 |
| 10.5 | 265 | 275 – 285 | 295 |
| 11 | 275 | 285 – 295 | 305 |
| 11.5 | 285 | 295 – 305 | 315 |
| 12 | 295 | 305 – 315 | 325 |
| 12.5 | 305 | 315 – 325 | 335 |
Depending on the size of your wheel you can determine which tires will fit your rims. First, you’ll want to figure out how wide your wheel is. You can do this by measuring the wheel from the inside rim to the outside rim.
Based on the width you can use the chart above to find the perfect size wheel. While the tire may have no issues fitting your wheel you will want to make sure that your car has enough clearance.
If you purchase a tire that is too high you will get rubbing. Another point is that if you are going to a larger size wheel then you will probably need a lower tire sidewall. There is a useful tire and wheel tool on Tirerack.com. You can enter your year make and model and get tailored wheel and tire sizes for your vehicle.