How to change your tire size without ruining your car

The size of your car or truck’s tires may not seem like an important factor, but it can make a huge difference in the way your vehicle runs. It’s generally recommended to stick with the factory size for your vehicle, but what goes into this decision? Let’s take a look at how tire size affects components such as the speedometer, odometer, and ABS system and why it’s usually best to use the factory tire size. 

Tire size is more than just an aesthetic choice; it affects several integral parts of your car or truck. The outer diameter of tires affects the speedometer, odometer, torque, traction control, gearing settings, and ABS. If you have tires with a larger outer diameter than what came with the car or truck from the factory, these components will all be off-kilter because they are calibrated to read correctly with the vehicle's original specifications. This can lead to inaccurate information being sent to your car's computer, which could cause an emergency or parts failure over time and driving the vehicle.  The secret to keeping things safe is staying with the out diameter and changing your inner diameter also know as your rim size

Swapping out your tires for a different size can have advantages - increase style with larger rims, enhance winter performance in snowy conditions, or simply save money by finding an affordable alternative for a rare tire size. 

If you want larger rims, here is the correct way to find the respective tire size. If you are upsizing, it is possible to choose low-profile tires that maintain the same outer diameter but increase the wheel's diameter for a more stylish look. This option can give you the look you want without compromising any of the important components in your vehicle that rely on accurate measurements from tire size. 

Nowadays you don't have to do the calculations and math, there are Tire Calculators to do the work for you! Trying to determine your rim and overall diameter can be confusing. You can make it simpler by using our Plus Size Down Size Calculator or alternatively our Compare Tire Sizes Calculator - just enter the information needed, and leave all that tricky math to us!

It's generally recommended to keep tire differences less than 3% from what came with your car initially. Anything higher could lead to incorrect information being sent to your car's computer and possibly result in an emergency or parts failure when driving at higher speeds. If you do choose to go with different-sized tires than what came with your car from the factory, it is best practice to have a professional recommend and install them so that they will work correctly for your specific vehicle and driving needs.  

    

As you can see, there are plenty of things to consider when considering the need to change your vehicle's tire size. While larger rims and lower profile tires can give your ride a new look without compromising its functionality too much, it is usually safest to stick with factory sizes for vehicles rather than trying any other alternatives. Making sure that all components such as speedometers and odometers stay accurately calibrated will help ensure safe travels wherever life takes you!