Just wanted to post something I learned and found really helpful when choosing tire sizes. Metric sizes converted to the Floatation sizes:

265/70R16= 30.5"

265/75R16= 31.5"

275/70R16= 31.2"

285/75R16= 32.8"

I think some of us newbies have a misunderstanding of what is what when compairing 15" tires to 16" tires. Hope this helps someone out.

I used a conversion table and directions off the Discount Tire web site.

 

Here's another super cool way to calculate it.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

 

Cool Site! Thanks. I found it interesting that the 275's are actually shorter that the 265/75's. 285's are kind of a pain in the butt for most 3" lifts. Rubbing issues and you only gain a half inch of ground clearance over 265/75's. A lot of guys want pretty trucks and don't want to trim (like me). Also eliminates the need for the 1-2" body lifts. It comes down to how bad you need the extra clearance and how you use your ride.

 

How bout being able to "translate" those p-metric readings.....

So what does a 265/75R16 really mean?

265 = 265 mm tread width across the face of the tread or ~10 1/3"
75 = the side wall is 75 % the width or in this case - 199 mm or ~7 3/4"
16 is the rim diameter....

So for a free standing tire, you would have a tire that is - 16 + 7 3/4 + 7 3/4 = 31.5 inches....

in this case your tire is actually about equal to a 31/10.50R16.

the 31 is the outside diameter of a free standing tire, the 10.50 is the tread width and the 16 is the rim.

now a 31" tire is a 31" tire regardless of rim size. All increasing the rim size does is reduce the sidewall height or amount of flex you might have.

Now if you start with a tire that is say a 265/75R16 and wand to change you width without changing height, you would need to change the height as well and equal size...

If you start with a 75 series tire, and want to go to a 70 series tire, you would need to go to a 275/70R16 to stay with a tire that has the same height, but increased width.

A 265/75 is about a 199 mm side wall or about ~7 7/8" sidewall.
the 275/70 is about a 193 mm side wall or or ~ 7 1/2" side wall

 

So would 265/75R16 fit on my stock 3rd gen with no rubbing?

I'm new to the 3rd gen rigs and I've searched but found scarse results.

Fink

 

I think I answered my own question...275/70R16 is the biggest I can go with my stock setup.

Is that right?

Fink

 

That shall be right Fink!

 

Mine rub slightly in reverse while turning, but not all the time.

I am guessing it has to do with the '01 and '02's sitting lower than the previous years?

I just went to that site to calculate the sizes, and did the same height and rim size, but a wider tire, and I came up with this.

Specification Sidewall Radius Diameter Circumference Revs/Mile Difference
305/75-16.......9.0in....17.0in....34.0in.......106.9in.. .......593.........0.0%
265/75-16.......7.8in....15.8in....31.6in........99.4in.. ........637.......-6.9%


If the 305 is just wider, why less revolutions per mile?

 

did you look at the diameter?

 

and another note: 285s and 305s have the same diameter--revs/Mile. The difference is ONLY in width

 

Not if they are the same aspect ratio, then the 305's will be both taller and wider. If you are comparing a 285/75R16 with a 305/70R16, then they will be the same height, at least close to it.

 

Close, but not quite. 265 is the entire width of the tire on whatever width rim they recommend at street pressure. NOT the tread, the entire tire at it's widest point (ie middle of the sidewall, or "section width" to get technical)