Posted by steel on April 16, 1999 at 23:56:09:
In Reply to: Must I change the wheel rim when upgrading 165R13 tire to 185/70R13 tire? posted by Arunas on April 15, 1999 at 08:28:40:
Maybe someone on here will back me up on this...The 5.5 deals with the width of the rim....so what the car user's guide is telling you is that they say a slightly wider rim is optimal for the wider size tire. Rule of thumb that I remember is that you want the tire treadwidth to be either + or - 1 inch for best sidewall performance. My advice? I would say the tire dealer is probably right...even if it gets within that 1 inch, it won't be by a lot...but for added reassurance, I would seek out another tire dealer (even a phone call) and double check with them, to make sure the first was looking at a chart and not just guessing. Also, you might want to ask them for their opinion if you do not have a lot of clearance in your wheelwells, so your wider tires don't rub.