265 vs 275: What Is The Difference Between 265 And 275 Tires
Tires are not just tires. They are actually a vital part of vehicle operation. In fact, if you do not get the same tires when you buy new, you may be traveling at a faster speed and the police radar unit is not in error. be prepared to pay that speeding ticket fine.
The difference between them will be in their overall size as you have just seen the 265 is slightly smaller than the 275. Plus, the difference will be in the actual speed of the car. No matter the rim size, 17 or 18, the speed difference is 1.26 mph over what the speedometer reads.
To learn about tire differences just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about as most tire store clerks know little about how tires affect vehicle operation
265 vs 275 Difference 101
Is a 275 Tire Wider Than a 265?
Yes, it is but the width difference is not as great as you might imagine. There is about a .4 inch difference with the 275 tire being the wider one. This difference is the same when you change from a 275/70/16 to a 275/60/17 tire model.
This difference is not that great and shouldn’t affect mileage per gallon but it may have the fatter tires hydroplaning a little easier. Thinner tires are better for wet and watery roads that have lots of puddles on them.
Then the fatter tire will have less traction on most surfaces. Pavement and deep sand being the two exceptions to that rule. The 265 tire should be better when you are trying to cross wet grass or clay than the 275.
Then when you change tires, your speedometer may not reflect the change. In one comparison between these two tires, the actual speed was over 1 mph more than what the speedometer registered.
In another comparison, the actual speed was about 1 mph slower than what the speedometer registered. This can make a difference when you are nearing speed traps.
Which Tire is Bigger 265 or 275?
In every category that was used to compare size, the 275 is slightly larger than the 265. For section width, the 265 came in at 10.43 inches while the 275 measured 10.83 inches. The overall diameter had the 265 at 30.56 inches and the 275 at 31.08 inches.
Even the sidewall height went to the 275 as it measured 7.04 inches and the 265 measured in at 6.78 inches. The radius was 15.54 inches for the 275 and 15.28 for the 265. The circumference for the 265 was 96.01 and the 275 was 97.64.
The only place that the 275 lost this comparison was in revolutions per mile and the 265 registered 659.95 to the 275’s 648.91. What is interesting is that despite these little differences, the 265 and the 275 both fit on the same rim.
You can change rim sizes to an 18 from a 17 inch or a 16-inch rim and the 275 will still be the larger tire. Except in the revolutions per mile.
What is The Difference Between a 265 and 275 Tire?
In terms of construction material, there is basically no difference between the tires. Also, when it comes to rim size, you can get both sets of tires in 17 and 18-inch sizes so there is no difference there.
The difference between them will be in their overall size as you have just seen the 265 is slightly smaller than the 275. Plus, the difference will be in the actual speed of the car. No matter the rim size, 17 or 18, the speed difference is 1.26 mph over what the speedometer reads.
This is important information if you do not want to get a ticket and you want to conserve your fuel. If you think you are traveling at a speed that will bring you the most gas mileage from a tank of gas, you may be unknowingly making a mistake.
There are plenty of tire comparison charts available on the internet to help you learn the difference in speed ratios when you change your tires to a different series. Those charts will help you calculate your fuel budget better and more accurately.
Will a 275 Tire Fit On a 265 Rim?
Yes, both tires can fit on the same rims. The key measurement will be the last two digits in the tire identification number- 275/60R/17. That 17 tells you the rim size the tire can fit on. When the tire series numbers look like this 265/65R/18 and 275/65R/18 that tells you both tires will fit on the same rim.
While the 275 tire is slightly larger, the only real problem you will have is in the purchase price. The 275 should be more expensive than the 265. It does take more construction material to make than the 265.
Also, you will notice a difference in your speed although, as we have said, that difference may not be obvious due to those size differences between the 2 tires. What you are reading on your speedometer may not be your actual speed at the time.
The numbers on the side of the tire are not there for show. They provide you with all the information you need to find the right set for your vehicle.
What Does 265 Mean On a Tire?
When you are looking at tires you will see a code written on the side. There usually is a letter first and the letter ‘P’ stands for a passenger vehicle. That is the type of car the tire is made for.
The next set of 3 digits will tell you the tire width in metric. The 265 actually means 265mm wide. To get the width in inches you need to divide 265 by 25.4 and the result will be 10.43 inches wide.
The code doesn’t stop there as there are additional numbers and letters to understand. After the 264 you may see something like 55, 65, 70 and those numbers are telling you the difference the sidewall distance is to the section size. For example, a 265/65 is saying that the sidewall size is 65% of the section width.
The next letter is telling you the type of tire you are buying. R in the 265/65R is saying you are buying a radial tire. A ‘D’ stands for a bias-ply tire and a ‘B’ stands for belted tires.
The code is important to understand as it helps you get the right tire when you are just buying one or two.
265 vs 275 Tire Height
There is a slight difference between these tires when it comes to how tall they are. Again, the 275 comes out as the bigger of the two models at 31.1 inches, and the 265 measures in at 30.6 inches.
That is not a lot of difference when it comes right down to performance. The speed of the vehicle will be different and depending on the vehicle you drive it can be higher, lower than the speedometer reading, or right on the money.
Because of the extra height in the 275, you get fewer revolutions per mile which may help your tires last a little longer. They may not be worn down as quickly as a 265 because the surface of the tire is not rubbing on the road as much as the 265 will.
The height is not a major difference and you may not realize or feel any change when you drive your car. As long as you have the same code on each tire when you replace them.
What is 265 70R17 in Inches?
265 is the millimeter measurement of the tire and the equation to convert is simple. Just divide 265 by 25.4 and you will get 10.43 inches. That number is often referred to as the section width.
It is hard to translate 70% into inches but the distance between the sidewall height, from the outside of the tread, is going to be 7.3 inches. The circumference of the tire will reach almost 100 inches, while the radius will be almost 16 inches in size.
The 17 is always 17 inches and not a metric measurement which may confuse people when they read the code. As you can see the code does not follow one mathematical system when relaying its information.
The overall diameter will be roughly 31 1/2 inches in size. The 275 will be a little larger than the 265 and should not affect overall vehicle performance.
265 70R17 vs 275 70R17
This quick comparison chart should help you see the differences between the two tires in seconds. All measurements are in inches unless noted otherwise:
| Category | 265/70R17 | 275/70R17 |
| Section width | 10.43 | 10.83 |
| Rim Diameter | 17 | 17 |
| Overall diameter | 31.60 | 32.16 |
| Sidewall height | 7.30 | 7.58 |
| Radius | 15.80 | 16.08 |
| Circumference | 99.27 | 101.03 |
| Revolutions per mile | 638.23 | 627.12 |
As for performance, that will depend on the manufacturer and the quality of the materials that the company places in its tires. Not all tires are made the same and there are inferior models you should watch out for.
Any comparisons made here or in the rest of the article are just looking at the stats and specs and not how the tires were made and with what quality. You will find differences between the top brand names as well but those differences may be slight.
Are 265 and 275 Tires Interchangeable?
Yes and no is the best answer that can be given to this question. The yes part comes in when you are changing all the tires on your car at the same time. You can exchange 4 265/70R17 with 4 275/70R17 tires and not lose out on performance or safety.
What you can’t do is change one 275/70R17 with one 265/70R17 tire. You will have performance issues, as well as safety issues when you do this. Nor can you put one radial tire on a car that has 3 bias tires on the other wheels.
The same goes for belted tires, as you can’t put one belted tire on a car that has 3 radial tires on the other wheels. Then each tire has different load-carrying and speed capabilities. That information is often listed as 89H or something similar. You should not mix tires that have different numbers and letters for those two categories.
While replacing tires may seem to be a simple procedure, it can be quite complex once you understand what all the codes mean. For maximum safety and performance, you need to put the same tires on all 4 wheels.
That is what the code is designed to do. help you get the same tires on your vehicle.
Can I Use 275 Tires Instead of 265?
Yes, you can as long as you follow the above information. You cannot put one 275 on with three 265 tires and vice versa. if you are going to change all 4 tires, then you need to look at the last 2 digits in the code to get the right size to fit the wheels on your car.
In other words, you can’t put four 275/70R18s on 17-inch wheels. Those last two digits tell you the wheel size the tires will fit on. You would need four 275/70R17s or 4 275/60R17s and so on.
One exception to this rule is if the manufacturer of the vehicle says it is okay to do so. Another exception would be if you got a flat and you did not have the right size tire to match the other tires except for wheel size. A temporary fix is okay for a very limited time.
Keep in mind that 265, 275s, and other tires have different ratings. When you see a ‘P’ in front of the code you know that tire is for passenger vehicles. An ‘LT’ in front tells you those tires are for light trucks, ‘ST’ tires are for special trailers and on it goes.
Tires can be very item-specific so you have to be careful when putting tires on any vehicle or trailer.
265 vs 275 Tires Tacoma
The sizes mentioned in our quick comparison chart above are the same for tires matching this vehicle. There is no difference in that aspect. But you will find a difference in the speed at which you are going when you have different tires on your Tacoma vehicle.
The difference is minimal, but you will be going faster when you use 275s over 265s. At 20 miles per hour, you are only going .35 mph faster while at 100 miles per hour you are only going 1.74 mph faster.
Other than that you will have basically the same look and feel to your vehicle and it will be hard to tell the difference without looking at the codes. The codes will be important if you are going to carry a heavy load. At that time you need to see what the load level and speed maximums are by reading the right letter and numbers on the side of the tire.
265 vs 275 Tires F150
When you are changing from a smaller size tire like the 265 to the 275 some other factors come into play than just load, speed, and so on. You have to be careful of the vehicle clearance inside the wheel well of your F150.
If the clearance is not great and won’t support the upgrade then your tire was will wear out faster due to excessive rubbing. When the wheel clearance allows for a wider tire, then you do get some benefits.
One benefit would be better lateral traction and you may get a better cosmetic look to your vehicle when you make the upgrade. Also, if the tire is taller, you can eliminate the fender well gap between the tire and the truck as well as give you more ground clearance and a softer ride.
These benefits normally do not happen if you are moving to a taller tire when you are driving a car. Fortunately, the F150 is a truck that can handle the size difference so placing them on your vehicle is not going to be a problem.
It is possible to go even taller than the 275 if you want a better ride and more ground clearance when you own an F150.
Some Final Words
It is all in the code. When it comes to tires, matching the code is essential for a safe ride and maximum performance. The key is to make sure to have all four tires labeled with the same code and you should be fine.
If you are not sure, your local tire dealer will make sure for you. Don’t forget to check the owner’s manual if you need help in finding the right tires.
