Ok this might be a stupid question, but why is it that people who upgrade their rims to say...18s can fit a 255 tire, but the stock 16s cant? If i upgrade to a wider 16 inch rim with just the right offset is it possible to fit a 255 wide tire? I really just want a wide, aggressive, big stance....anyone know if i could do it? thanks

If you want to get wheels with a different offset, you will be able to fit these wider tires. However most people who talk of getting different wheels also want larger diameter ones (and a few have switched to 15" truck style wheels). Most choose 16" tires because they don't want the extra expense of buying new wheels.

paulj

I may be wrong but isn't 255 the heigth of the tire and 50, 60, 70 ect. the width?

To the best of my understanding, which can be very limited at times, the 50,60, 70...is the ratio of the width of the tire to its height from the road to the rim. A "50" would be a tire that is as wide as it tall (in crosssection), where as 70 would be a tire that is wide & low (rim to road.) The number represents the profile of the tire in crosssection.

Not a stupid question. :)

ok...i was really confused, for some reason i thought that the 235-255 etc was the width of the tire...I have 255 75R 15s on my jeep, prob wouldn't fit the element

alright, i looked on discount tire direct and the 255 etc. is the width of the tire...in milimeters, thats what i had thought before...ok, thanks for your guys help in clearing up a few things, i really wanna try to get 255s w/out having to resort to 18s/low profile, thanks for your help!

Toyo Open Country makes a 255/65/16 that I'm thinking about trying. My 16's have a +38 offset so I hope they fit. I haven't found anyone that has this size yet?
L.

Problem is the rim width. Stock rims are 6.5", to which the widest tire you can fit is a 235.You'd have to have a wider rim to mount a 255.

Looking at the Toyo site, it says the 255/65/16 Open Countrys are 10" wide. My Toyo Proxes S/T 255/50/18, it says are 10.2. Now, we all know the more narrow the tire the more role the edge of the tire has. With my +38 offset 16's, I think they should fit. My 18's fit fine without any rubbing adn they are +35 offset I believe. I'll do some more checking.
L.

Looking at the Toyo site, it says the 255/65/16 Open Countrys are 10" wide. My Toyo Proxes S/T 255/50/18, it says are 10.2. Now, we all know the more narrow the tire the more role the edge of the tire has. With my +38 offset 16's, I think they should fit. My 18's fit fine without any rubbing adn they are +35 offset I believe. I'll do some more checking.
L.

The width of the tire has nothing to do with how easily it will roll over. The factors that contribute to a tire rolling over onto its side are:

1. Sidewall design.
2. Height of sidewall.
3. Vehicle weight.
4. Suspension design.

There are far too many contributing factors to state it is the width of the tire itself when that has just about nothing to do with it.

Another thing... someone asked what the different numbers that make up a tire mean.

215/65 16

215 = the width of the tire at its widest point, not the tread, but instead from shoulder to shoulder. This number is in millimeters.

65 = the height of the sidewall from the ground to the rim indicated as a percentage of the width. In this case the sidewall is 65% as tall as the tire is wide.

The difference between tires of the same "size" having different measurements all comes down to how they are measured and the rim measured on. The rim width can make a tire wider or narrower... and not asll 7" rims are the same width, etc.

I wasn't talking about the Element rolling over, I was talking about the edge of the tire. With larger wider rims, the edge of the tire is typically less rolled, you know more boxed, 90 degree angle. Like 235/75/15 tires would the tires are more rolled.
L.

215 = the width of the tire at its widest point, not the tread, but instead from shoulder to shoulder. This number is in millimeters.
...
The difference between tires of the same "size" having different measurements all comes down to how they are measured and the rim measured on.

For some reason I think of the 'shoulder' as being the part of the tire at the edge of the tread, or between tread and sidewall.

The '215' number is a nominal width, approximately equal to the 'section width', from sidewall bulge to bulge. The spec tables do list slightly different 'section widths' for different models with the same nominal width. For example, 255 mm = 10.04". 10.2" = 259mm. This is closer to 255 than to 265; '260' is not a standard size.

The spec tables also give the 'measured rim width'. That is, if the tire is mounted on a rim of the 'measured rim width' it will have the stated section width. Tires typically can be mounted on wider or narrower rims (generally varying up to 1" each way), but the section width will change. A typical footnote says the section width varies by 0.2" for 0.5" variation in rim width.

Looking at the spec tables for the Toyo Opencountry AT 255/65/16, I see the allowable rim width is 7-9, with 7.5 as the 'measured rim width'. Overall diameter is 29.3. 225/70/16 tires have an overall diameter of 29.2, 245/70/16 is 29.3. People have found both of these sizes to work. There is a recent thread with pictures of how close the fit is for 245/70/16.

From this I deduce that 255/65/16 on 40mm offset should fit about as well as a 245/70/16 on stock 45mm offset, assuming similar tread designs. However Toyo does not list a treadwidth.

When you say 'roll over', I suspect you mean the ratio or difference between treadwidth and section width. I think this difference depends less on the tire width, and more on the profile. That is, a low profile tire (e.g. 50%) will have less taper from the widest point to the tread, than a 75% profile tire. However you do need to pay attention to the manufacturer and the tire style. For some models a 225/75/16 tires has a narrower tread than a 215/70/16, but that is not always the case. Some models of AT tires have relatively flat sidewalls, and square tread edges, both of which serve to protect the sidewall from rock damage.

You should talk with a Toyo dealer, rather than trying to deduce what the Opencountry treadwidth is based on your experience with Proxys.

paulj

From this I deduce that 255/65/16 on 40mm offset should fit about as well as a 245/70/16 on stock 45mm offset, assuming similar tread designs. However Toyo does not list a treadwidth.


I probably know the least about offset when it comes to wheel sizes...If i understand correctly does it mean how far out the wheel sits? So a 38mm offset will sit closer in the wheel well than a 40mm offset? Therefor a 38mm offset would maybe rub using the 255/65/16 where the one sitting on the 40mm offset would not? so confused... :confused:

Well, I used to work at a tire shop, Les Schwab. I have looked at both tires and compared them. So I kinda know what I'm doing. So, I will try them on, see if they fit, if not, I will go to a different size. The tread on the 255/65-16 isn't nearly as wide as the tread on my 255/50/18. And the part I'm concerned about rubbing where the side wall meets the tread.
L.

Ok i found these rims that i like that are 16x7 with a 45 offset...again with my question on offset, will 255/65/16 fit w/out rubbing? will someone please explain what offset is in laymens terms? thanks!

EDIT: whoops i meant 38 offset...thanks

What's with all the stupid questions?! Ha Ha, just joking man. Here's a link that might explain what offset is. A 38mm offset will pull the wheels out 7mm more toward the fenders than a 45mm offset. Hope that helps and good luck with the rims and tires. Post some pics after you get them.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/offset.jsp

hey thanks for your help, i think i got it now, the picture definately helped, haha, its final exam week here at UMW so my brain is a little fried...and what do i do when i should be studying? dreaming about my future element on the HEOC...

I wasn't talking about the Element rolling over, I was talking about the edge of the tire. With larger wider rims, the edge of the tire is typically less rolled, you know more boxed, 90 degree angle. Like 235/75/15 tires would the tires are more rolled.
L.

Go back and read what I wrote. I understand exactly what you were asking and I am not talking about the Element rolling over, but in fact was talking about the tire itself rolling over onto the sidewall.