What is even more confusing to a lot of car drivers are the numbers that are on the sidewall of your tires. So in this article, we’ll be talking about the numbers on the tires, but our primary focus is on the 215 tires and the 255 tires. So first, we will discuss if the 215 and 255 tires can be interchanged.
We will also discuss the differences between 215 tires and 255 tires. The original equipment tire size for your vehicle can be found in your owner’s manual. It can also be on the placard located in the door jam on the driver’s side.
You can find there the recommended size for your vehicle from the manufacturer. So if you also want to change or switch your tires with a different one because you need to know if there’s a difference in terms of look and performance, you have to start with the numbers and the other numbers on the sidewall of your tire. It will help if you also had a tire professional know the correct size tire for your vehicle.
So in this article, we’ll be talking about the numbers on the tires, but our primary focus is on the 215 tires and the 255 tires. After that, we will discuss if the 215 and 255 can be interchanged.
We will also discuss the differences between 215 tires and 255 tires. Let us start!
Table of Contents
What Is The Difference Between 215 And 255 Tires?
Tires in the vehicle can be confusing to others. There are numbers on the sidewall, and they are listed in millimeters, but some are listed as inches. The size and the type of the vehicle, like a car trailer or truck, will also depend on where you will drive or how you will drive it.
A vehicle’s tires are one of the most misunderstood parts of an automobile. Many car drivers still do not know its correct pressure, when they are worn out, what their formats are, their rotation schedule, and many more.
There’s a lot of things to be considered with tires. The sidewall for the 215 tire is around 140 millimeters, and the 225 tire sidewall is around 146 millimeters.
How Much Bigger Is A 215 Tire Than A 255?
The 225-millimeter tire is wider than the 215-millimeter tire.
Are 215 And 255 Tires Interchangeable?
We will talk about the tread width of the tire. The 225-millimeter tire is much broader than the 215-millimeter tire.
Using a wider tire will improve your traction, but there might be tire rubbing on the inner side if there is not much clearance. You must also remember that the second number in the description of the tire is the sidewall height as the percentage of the tread width.
Can I Replace 255 Tires With 215?
You can, but if the wheel is on the broadside for the 225, there might be problems getting a 215 bead up. It will also cause a rough ride because of the shorter sidewalls. On the other hand, if the motor vehicle is made and engineered to run 255, it will be much narrower and shorter.
Can I Replace 215 Tires With 255?
Suppose your motor vehicle is made and engineered to run 255 sized tires. In that case, the shorter and narrower 215 tires will not give the necessary tread contact patch or the needed load-carrying capability.
What Does The Number On A Tire Mean?
This means the tire’s width is measured in millimeters from the sidewall to the sidewall. And so, the first three-digit number in the tire’s size is referring to the tire’s width. So in the P215/65 R15 tire size, the width is 215 millimeters.
There’s also the ratio of the tire’s cross-section to the width. The two-digit number that is after the size of the tire is known as the aspect ratio. And so, the more significant the aspect ratio will be, the bigger the sidewall of the tire is.
Summary
In summary, people ask about the sizes of the tires. As a car driver, you should know the basics of what the number on the tire means.
With that, this article will serve as a guide for you. Every number on the tire size has their meanings.
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