How to Read Tire Size

Reading a tire size goes beyond "is it a 13,14, or 15 inch tire?" What is called a 14 inch tire is a tire that fits onto a 14 inch rim. The distance from the rim to the edge of the tire is the next most important issue when determining which tires are needed. The third element of tire size is the width of the tread.

Instructions

1. If you need 14 inch tires, the search should be narrowed down to 14 inch tires only. The total height of the tire should be the next consideration. In other words do you need tall tires are short ones.

2. Some tire salesmen, when asked what tires are needed, are going to pick out the tallest tires in stock that will fit under the fender wells of your vehicle. Why? They cost more. Actually, that is not a bad recommendation for the front tires, if your vehicle has rear wheel drive, as opposed to front wheel drive. Why? Larger tires last longer, because they make less revolutions per mile.

3. The height of tires for the rear, assuming you have rear wheel drive, has another element that should be considered. Taller than factory standard tires will effectively gear the vehicle higher. If you live in flat country, taller tires may give you better gas mileage. Vehicles that do a lot of mountain climbing or carrying heavy loads, might benefit from having smaller tires to gear the vehicle lower. (It is not one size suits all).

4. To determine tire replacement size you need to be good in math, have a calculator, or a tire calculator. 225/70-14 means the tread width of a tire is 225 millimeters, the height of the tire is 70% as tall as it is wide(from the rim to the edge of the tire), and the tire fits on a 14 inch rim.

5. To convert 225mm to inches divide 25.4 into 225. This comes to about 8.85 inches. 70% of 8.858 inches = about 6.1 inches. So, 2 X 6.1 inches = 12.2 inches + 14 inches = a tire 26.2 inches tall.

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