What’s The Difference Between 245/75R16 & 265/75R16 Tire?
The difference between 245/75R16 and 265/75R16 can be a matter of curiosity. Those who know about the tire size index can easily detect the difference between these 2 tires.
Getting the exact tire for your vehicle will be easy if you have ideas about the tire size index. Sadly, people may know about tire brands yet they don’t know what the tire size index is.
Hence, this has inspired us more to write the comparison between 245/75R16 and 265/75R16 in this article. We have broken down the comparison in an innovative way so that you can learn the difference as well as the tire size index.
Contents
Know the Difference Between 245/75R16 and 265/75R16 Through 4 Major Aspects
To understand the difference between 245 75R16 and 265 75R16, you need to know what the tire size index explains. We suggest reading this article on 285 70R17 vs 285 75R17 to know more about this.
We will be breaking down the comparison into 4 parts as the tire size index defines 4 aspects of the tire. So if we break down the tire 245 75R16, we get the following –
- 245 stands for – Tire width in meters
- 75 stands for – The aspect ratio of height/width
- R stands for – Construction type
- 16 stands for – Rim diameter in inches
Width
The front digit in the tire size index represents the width of the tire. It is expressed in millimeters and the tire manufacturers remain very careful while measuring the width. So, the width that you see on the tire size index is 100% accurate most of the time.
To get the width, they measure from one sidewall to the other. The width is the big difference in 245 75R16 vs 265 75R16. How?
As you can see the first digit of one tire is 245 and the other one is 265. It means, the width of the tire 245 75R16 is 245 millimeters and the tire 265 75R16 is 265 millimeters. So the difference in their widths is 265 – 245 = 20 millimeters.
Aspect Ratio
When you have already noticed a big difference in the width of the tires, comparing other aspects isn’t that important. Because a difference in width alone can have a great impact on the compatibility of the tire.
As for finding the aspect ratio, you have to look at the second digit in the tire size index. Percent is used to express the aspect ratio and you can calculate it by dividing the height with the width of the tire and then, multiplying the result with 100. So, the equation goes –
Aspect Ratio of Tire = Height/Width x 100%
Both tires 245 75R16 vs 265 75R16 have the same second digit 75. So the aspect ratio for both of these tires is 75. It means the height of both tires is 75% of the width.
Construction Type
Another important aspect in the tire size index is the construction type, which is rendered by the letter after the second digit. Having the letter ‘R’, both 245 75R16 vs 265 75R16 tires have Radial Construction. Therefore, these are considered radial type tires.
There is another letter ‘B’ that can be seen often in the tire size index. The letter represents another type of construction and such tires are bias ply or cross ply types. Although radial type tires have a better grip on the road, the bias ply tires are better for off roads.
Rim Diameter
It is the very last digit in the tire size index and it is expressed in inches. Comparing 245 75R16 and 265 75R16, we see the same digit 16. So, both tires have a rim diameter of 16 inches.
The rim diameter can be measured in the same direction from one open bead to the other. Actually, it is the wide opening in the center of the tire where the wheel adjusts. As there is no difference in the rim diameter of these tires, you can install any of them on a 16-inch rim if you are not bothered by other aspects.
A Detailed Comparison Table for Tire Size 245 75R16 vs 265 75R16
Although we have discussed the difference between 245 75R16 and 265 75R16, we can’t leave you hanging for a detailed comparison table. This way, you will have a quick overview of the difference.
| Parameter | 245 75R16 | 265 75R16 | Difference |
| Section width | 9.6 inch | 10.4 inch | +0.8 inch (+8.2%) |
| Overall diameter | 30.5 inch | 31.6 inch | +1.2 inch (+3.9%) |
| Circumference | 95.7 inch | 99.4 inch | +3.7 inch (+3.9%) |
| Revs per km | 661.9 | 637.2 | -24.7 (-3.7%) |
| Sidewall height | 7.2 inch | 7.8 inch | +0.6 inch (+8.2%) |
| Aspect Ratio | 75 | 75 | 0 (0%) |
As you can see from the 245 75R16 vs 265 75R16 comparison table, there are plenty of differences in all the aspects. Because of this, there is a change in the ground clearance of 0.6 inches and in diameter of 3.9%, which is greater than the normal 3%. So, be careful while changing from tire 245 75R16 to 265 75R16.
To find the difference between 245 75R16 and 265 75R16 in terms of front and sideways, take a look at these pictures –
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Final Words
The above comparison between 245/75R16 and 265/75R16 reveals you can’t suddenly change tires for your car when there is a difference in the width. And if you do change them, change all of them and test them a few times after finally purchasing them.
While testing, take frequent turns and drive off roads if possible. This way, you will find out if switching from 245/75R16 to 265/75R16 is really good for your vehicle or not.
Anyways, we believe you will make a smart decision on this as you know better what is good for your car. Drive safe and thanks for reading this article.
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