Tire size & fitment calculators that explain the math

Most tire calculators spit out a number with no context. These show the work — diameter, sidewall, speedometer error, and whether a size will actually fit your wheels — so you can decide with confidence.

Compare two tire sizes

The fastest way to see what changes when you go up or down a size.

3.5% diameter change — outside the ±3% safe rule
Overall diameter
+1.1"
31.61" → 32.71"
Width
+20mm
265 → 285mm
Sidewall
+0.55"
7.3" → 7.85"
Ground clearance
+0.55"
at the axle centre

Speedometer impact

With the new tire, here's your true speed when the dash reads:

Dash 30 mph
31
true mph
Dash 50 mph
51.7
true mph
Dash 65 mph
67.3
true mph
Dash 80 mph
82.8
true mph

Odometer reads low by 3.5% — every indicated 100 miles is really 103.5.

Shop 285/70R17

All calculators

How to read a tire size

A tire size like 265/70R17 packs three measurements into one string. The 265 is the section width in millimetres — how wide the tire is at its widest point. The 70 is the aspect ratio: the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, so a 70 means the sidewall is 70% of 265mm, or about 185mm tall. The R means radial construction, and 17 is the wheel diameter in inches.

That mixed-units quirk — millimetres for width, a percentage for the sidewall, inches for the wheel — is exactly why tire math trips people up. The full guide walks through it with worked examples, and the calculators above do the conversions for you.