Most people replace their old tires with the same size that was on the vehicle.
If this is your choice, there are various locations you can check to determine
tire size. You can check the sidewall of the tire itself. You can also
find this information in the owner's manual for your vehicle. Finally, you can
check your vehicle's tire placard. The placard is often located inside the glove
box door, fuel door, doorpost, or door edge of your vehicle. If you know the tire
size you need, use our Search by Size option to see what we have available.
Changing tire size can often improve the ride and performance of a vehicle through the following methods:
Changing tire size can often improve the ride and performance of a vehicle through the following methods:
- By selecting a tire of the next lower profile, you can significantly improve the ride quality and handling of your vehicle. On small cars, a good example is to replace the original equipment 155/80R-13 size with 175/70R-13. The tread is almost an inch wider and the tire has a proportionately lower sidewall (however the tire's height remains the same). Both of these features improve handling and stability. Use our Find Tire Size by Vehicle search to see these options.
- Plus sizing has become very popular. In this application, the plus size tire is the same height as the original but its sidewalls are shorter. This change delivers improvement in tire response and handling. Use our Find Tire Size by Vehicle search to see these options.
- Upsizing, or selecting a larger tire, is a common option, especially for SUV
and truck owners. Taller, wider tires improve performance as well as ride quality
On trucks, larger tires can improve traction, load carrying capacity and appearance.
Because cars and trucks are equipped with computerized systems (ABS for example)
that use feedback from tire rotation, use these guidelines to select a larger tire:
- Make sure the tire has load carrying capacity equal to or greater than what the vehicle placard suggests
- Verify that the rim width range is appropriate for the tire to be installed.
- Confirm that the tire-to-vehicle clearance, lock-to-lock steering and suspension clearance is such that no rubbing occurs.