Effects of changing tire size
How Larger Tires Affect Tow-Vehicle Towing Performance
How larger tires change gearing, load capacity, braking and trailer sway on a tow vehicle, starting with how to read and calculate the numbers on the tire sidewall.
AWD Tire Circumference Tolerance: How to Match All Four Tires on an All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
How to read tire sidewall numbers, calculate diameter and rolling circumference, and understand AWD tread depth differences and front-to-rear size mismatches.
How Tire Width Affects Slush Performance
Learn how tire width affects slush performance and slushplaning risk, how to read tire sidewall markings, and how to compare narrower winter sizes using simple diameter calculations.
Mismatched Tire Sizes on 4WD Vehicles: Circumference and Drivetrain Compatibility
Learn to read tire sidewall sizes, calculate diameter and rolling circumference, and see why mismatched tire sizes or worn tread can stress a 4WD drivetrain.
How Tire Width Affects Steering Feel
How tire section width changes steering effort, response, road feedback and tramlining, starting with what the sidewall numbers mean and how to calculate sidewall height, diameter and circumference.
How Tire Diameter Affects Acceleration
Learn to read tire sidewall sizes, calculate overall diameter and circumference, and see why smaller tires usually accelerate harder and bigger tires usually accelerate slower.
How Tire Width Affects Stopping Distance: Reading the Sidewall and Understanding the Limits
How tire width affects braking distance, starting with the sidewall numbers. Covers contact patch, wet and dry braking, size calculations, and the limits of width comparisons.
How Wheel Offset Changes Affect Suspension and Steering Geometry
How wheel offset changes scrub radius, kingpin offset, track width and wheel bearing load. Covers reading tire sidewall and wheel markings and a step-by-step scrub radius calculation.
Wide Tires: Benefits and Tradeoffs, Read From the Sidewall Up
What wide tires are good for, what they cost you, and how to read width, aspect ratio and rim size on the sidewall to compare wide vs narrow tires.
How Tire Size Affects Pothole Damage Risk
Learn how tire width, aspect ratio and wheel diameter set sidewall height, and why low-profile tires face more pinch and impact damage from potholes.