New General Tire Question

[RangerJoey]

Hi All,
I've been searching through these forums and the wheel tech guide and I think I'm missing something. I'm trying to purchase replacements for my 99 4x4 (stock suspension), and noticed my existing tires, (235/75/16), aren't the recommended ones on certain sites. They seem to suggest I should take 245/75/16. Okay..cool...cool. But when I search the forums and tech articles, I'm seeing things like 245 x 10.5 x 16 or something. I'm basically trying to understand what the terminology here is.

If anyone can break down the lingo for a dummy, I'd very much appreciate it! And for what it's worth or all about, I'm attempting to go as large as possible on a stock 4x4 XLT. I have the 99 16" rims and am also wondering (hoping), any tires I purchase would also work on later model 16s if I could score some at a junk yard.

TIA!

 

[JoshT]

I'm trying to purchase replacements for my 99 4x4 (stock suspension), and noticed my existing tires, (235/75/16), aren't the recommended ones on certain sites. They seem to suggest I should take 245/75/16.

For any given year there may have been a few different tire sizes used based on specs and options of the truck. To find out the correct tire size for your particular truck check the warranty information tag inside the door jamb. Possible some sites don't have the correct information listed.

But when I search the forums and tech articles, I'm seeing things like 245 x 10.5 x 16 or something. I'm basically trying to understand what the terminology here is.

Modern tire sizes are speced two different ways, you've got a mixture of the two there.

Imperial is the "historic" method of listing tire sizes here in the US. Imperial lists tires sizes in inch measurements. This method is (has) becoming obsolete and being replaced with metric sizing. An example of Imperial sizing:

31x10.5R15

31 = Height
10.5 = Section Width (widest part of tire on measured rim, not tread width)
R = Radial
15 = Rim Diameter

Metric lists sizes a little differently. An example:

245/75R16

245 = Section Width
75 = Sidewall as percentage of section width (245 x 0.75 = ~183mm sidewall)
R = Radial again
16 = Rim diameter

If anyone can break down the lingo for a dummy, I'd very much appreciate it! And for what it's worth or all about, I'm attempting to go as large as possible on a stock 4x4 XLT. I have the 99 16" rims and am also wondering (hoping), any tires I purchase would also work on later model 16s if I could score some at a junk yard.

Assuming that your current rims are 16" Ranger rims and the later model rims are also 16" Ranger rims, then yes the tires will definitely work on them as well. As long as both sets of rims are 16" and the width of the rim is about the same, the tires should interchange no problem.

Hope the above helps!

 

[RangerJoey]

Thank you soooo much man! This is really appreciated. I'm looking at some labor day "sales" and, regardless if I pull the trigger this weekend or not, want to be knowledgeable about what I'm looking at.

And btw, you are spot on about the sticker. In fact, it even lists 245 instead of 235

One question though. Is there a conversion chart out there for swapping the historical vs metric? For instance, I was looking at some Michelin Defenders with the higher load rating and they're called "30 inch" tires. I used that formula to convert the metric 245/75R/16 and I get just around 30.4inches. So when people are saying "31 inch" tires, are they buying the "wrong" tires for their wheels? I think that might sound confusing. I guess I'm wondering if they're buying like 245/85R/16 or something. I hope that makes sense.

And thanks again!

 

[Curious Hound]

There is a tire size conversion tool in the " how to tech" section of this website. Follow the link at the top of this page.

In the imperial sizes, diameters normally increment by 1" and widths may show 1/2" increments, such as 35x 10.5. when you do conversions from metric sizes, you may come up with what appears to be odd sizes. Also, manufacturers don't make tires for every size you can think of. In some cases you just have to get the closest available size in order to have the tire you want.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!