265 vs 255 Tire Width: Difference Between 255 And 265 Tires
Tires are not just tires. They may all look the same but they are not. There are differences between all tires including those that have the same numbers. Sometimes the differences are so slight you won’t be able to tell which one is better or which one is worse.
The numbers tell the story. The 265 tire option will be wider than the 255 tire option. The larger the first number, the wider the tire and the more traction you will get. The lower the number, the better fuel economy you will get. It is a trade-off when it comes to tire sizes.
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about as tires are not just tires. The numbers actually tell you a story that you need to listen to. For better performance, you need to know how to select the right tire for your vehicle.
Difference Between 255 And 265 Tires
The differences are going to be found in several categories. It is not just the width of the tire where these tire options differ. The diameter, sidewall height, and circumference will be larger in the 265 tire model.
Of course, the 265 is 10 mm wider than the 255 tire so you should get better handling on rougher roads. 10 mm only equals 1 centimeter so you know that the width difference is not going to be that great. But it is great enough to produce better gas mileage when you use the 255 option over the 265.
Also, you will see more rolling resistance with the 265 tire over the 255 model even though the width is not very large between the two tires. That means you should not lose that much on your mpg rating. Nor should there be that much difference between actual speed and speedometer reading.
265 vs 255 Tire Width
As we stated earlier, there is only a 1-centimeter difference between the widths of these tires. The 265 is only 1/3 an inch wider than the 255 option which may seem very minuscule to you.
But that 1/2 inch can mean a lot in traction, and handling, as well as going over soft dirt or mud. The exact width in inches is 10.4 to 10 inches which means that it may be just a bit larger than 1/3 of an inch difference in width. Too small to worry about.
The difference in speed between these two tires is only .35 mph in favor of the 255 tire model. That is not a lot of difference to worry about. When talking about mpg, that difference in speed should not show that much difference between the two tire models. The 255 will slightly edge out the 265.
265 vs 255 Traction
The 265 tire should provide a lot better traction for you. That is because the tire has more rubber meeting the road. While this difference creates more rolling resistance, it helps your handling, steering, and other performance aspects for driving.
It will be better if you drive dirt roads a lot as the dirt can get slick no matter if it is dry or wet. Handling the bumps in those types of roads will be better with the 265 tire on your vehicle.
Some people may prefer thinner tires when it comes to snow but that may only be their preference. Others prefer wider tires for snow and rain as they get more dry traction area with the wider tire.
The wider tire should also get rid of the moisture faster and easier due to its better tread design. But you may find that narrower tires fit your driving situation better as they put more pressure on the surface of the road.
265 vs 255 Noise
Not many people are talking about the noise factor. That may be because both tires are fairly quiet. Newer technology has helped tire makers make a quieter tires which should help when you take long road trips.
Noise is not as great a factor in a tire purchase as is mpg, traction, wet road performance, and so on. You may not notice the tire noise when you drive. Not everyone does unless they are driving a big RV.
What you do need to worry about when you are buying new tires is load and speed ratings. The 265 tire should carry more weight than the 255 tire and also handle a little bit more speed.
Check the load and speed rating, found on the side of the tire, and make sure you do not go above either one. Both tires can blow out or get damaged if you do.
Can You Put 265 Tires on a 255 Rim?
There are different factors involved in this question. Generally, these tires should overlap when it comes to rim width. They may have one or two differences in rim width but that is okay.
The most important factor you need to worry about is the number after the letter R. As long as that number is the same for both the 265 and 255 tires, you should be able to interchange them.
That is as long as you change all four tires at the same time. This is one product that cannot be mixed. When you make the change from a thinner tire to a wider one, do not expect your speedometer reading to be accurate.
There is roughly a one mph difference between these tires at 60 mph. When you look at a side-by-side comparison of the two tires, then you should not see much difference between the two so it is safe to interchange them (4 at a time).
255 70R17 vs 265 70R17
These two tire options are almost identical twins. The difference between them is very small. For the diameter size, the 265 is 31.61 and the 255 is 31.06 inches. Not a lot of size difference between them.
The width of the tires remains the same 10.43 to 10.04, less than a 1/3 of an inch approx. Then the sidewall height is also very close- 7.3 compared to 7.03. Both tires should perform equally well in the snow given these minuscule differences.
For speed difference, there won’t be a large gap until you get to about 51 miles per hour. Then you should see a 1 mph difference between these two tires. That should not make too big a difference when you are driving under ideal conditions.
But you may see a big difference if those numbers in the heading were vastly different. In some cases, the 255 will be larger than the 265 except in width.
255/75R17 Compared To 265/70R17
This will be one of those cases. The 255 tire option will be bigger than the 265 in everything except for revolutions per mile and width. The wider 265 may not get better fuel economy in this situation.
The width remains the same with the 265 measuring 10.4 inches compared to the 10 inches of the 255. But in the diameter category, the 255 is a 1/2 inch larger. The circumference has the 255 tire measuring 1.4 inches larger than the 265- 100.7 to 99.3.
The sidewall height is only .2 inches taller in the 255 over the 265 tire. The good news here is that both tires fit a 17-inch rim. You won’t have to spend any extra money on buying new rims unless you want to spruce up the look of your vehicle with after-market versions.
255/85R16 vs 265/75R16 Tacoma
This comparison will be another one of those cases where the 255 tire will be larger than the 265 tire. That is except in width. That will never change unless the numbers change on one or both of the tires.
The diameter favors the 255 tire with its diameter reaching 33.07 compared to the 265’s diameter of 31.65. Then the circumference measurement also favors the 255 tire- 103.88 compared to 99.43.
The sidewall height is 8.53 inches to the 365’s 7.82. This is why you have to look at more than just the first number. Despite these differences, both tires should easily fit on a 16-inch rim.
Unfortunately, the speed comparison has the 255 tire at one mph faster than the 265 at 25 mph. For this brand of vehicle, you should not have any trouble interchanging the two tires. The differences will show up in the fuel economy.
Some Final Words
Watching the type of tires you put on your vehicle will help you have a better driving experience. Some tires are better in snow, others in rain, and still more on dirt bumpy roads than other tires.
However, it is more than just size that counts here. Watch the brand of tie you place on your vehicle as the ones made in China are not as top quality as the ones made by more famous western brands. Brand name counts with this product.
