There are many debates regarding the replacement of 245 and 265 tires on the world automotive forums. The majority of driver questions about whether to replace or not?
To answer this question, we first need to learn about the tasks, functions, and design details of these two types of tires.
What is the difference between 245 and 265 tires? What should you pay attention to when replacing these 2 tires? All will be answered in the article below.
What Is The Difference Between 245 And 265 Tires?
First of all, we all see that the size of the 245 and 265 tires is indicated differently right from its name. It has a 20mm width difference.
However, this 20mm width makes a significant difference in the overall size of the tire affecting the vehicle’s handling, speed, and fuel economy or driving comfort.
1. Measurements (mm)
According to Tacoma World, the difference in detail index in each design in terms of diameter, width, circle, and baffle height is relatively significant.
| 245/75-16 | 265/75-16 | Difference | |
| Diameter inches (mm) | 30.47 (773.9) | 31.65 (803.9) | 1.18 (30) 3.9% |
| Width inches (mm) | 9.65 (245) | 10.43 (265) | 0.79 (20) 8.2% |
| Circum. inches (mm) | 95.72 (2431.28) | 9.43 (2525.53) | 3.71 (94.25) 3.9% |
| Sidewall Height inches (mm) | 7.23 (183.75) | 7.82 (198.75) | 0.59 (15) 8.2% |
| Revolutions per mile (km) | 661.93 (411.31) | 637.23 (395.96) | -24.7 (-15.35) -3.7% |
2. Driving Conditions And Traction
Both tire sizes 245 and 265 show good traction. However, it also depends on the driving conditions as well as the ability to grip the road in each specific situation.
With a higher contact pressure per square inch than the 265 tire, the 245 tire makes it easier to drive through puddles by moving fluids out of the way. 245 tires work well on ski tracks because they provide greater traction by using more pressure to dig deeper into thick mud and snow.
Meanwhile, the 265 tire has a wider contact area and more grooves than the 245 tire, so it will be easier to move on wet roads as the grooves will remove water from the surface.
In particular, the 265 tire has better traction on dry or flat roads due to the wider tire contact surface. Therefore, wider tires allow you to control the vehicle with a better grip than narrow tires. It is certainly considered an outstanding advantage when choosing alternatives.
3. Driving Comfort
You may not know it, but your driving comfort depends a lot on the amount of air in the tires. The 265 tire has a larger rim diameter than the 245 tire. So the 265 tire has a smaller volume of air in this case.
The tall 245 tire has more space for air than the 265. So the 245 gives you more driving comfort than the 265.
4. Ability To Stop When Braking
Another parameter that makes the difference between the two tires is the distance traveled after you apply the brake. The distance traveled after pressing the brake on the 265 tire is shorter than the 245 tire.
This is also seen as a major safety advantage as the shorter stopping distances help reduce collisions with other vehicles’ heads and tails or obstacles in hazardous situations.
5. Fuel Consumption
Tires require energy to maintain motion on any surface at a steady rate, so the vehicle must transmit energy known as rolling resistance.
Switching from the 245 tire to the 265 tire will increase rolling resistance, increasing fuel consumption. In addition, the wider the car also creates more friction and consumes more fuel. Therefore, a 265 tire will contribute to more fuel consumption than a 245 tire.
6. Price
High-profile 245 mm tires usually cost less than 265 mm low-profile tires. Because narrower versions with a high profile are often preferred and are produced in larger numbers than wide tires with a low profile.
Overall, you can track the overall difference in the pivot table below:
| Tire | 245 | 265 |
| Price | Cheaper | More aesthetic |
| Condition | Snow road | Wet road |
| Traction | Normal | Better |
| Driving comfort | Comfortable | Less comfortable |
| Braking ability | Normal | Better |
| Fuel | Normal | Consume more |
Can I Replace A 245 Tire With A 265 Tire And Vice Versa?
You can replace a 245 tire with a 265 tire and vice versa, but you need to ensure a few basic principles or you are inadvertently destroying the structure of your car and seriously affecting your engine.
While it is not wrong to fit a 265 tire on a 245 tire, it is recommended that you choose one with the same or slightly smaller outside diameter.
Make sure that the new tire’s load and speed ratings are equal to or greater than those of the existing tires. So you can have all the advantages of having a wider tire.
However, the wider size will not be able to provide good traction if there is a problem related to the vehicle’s suspension. If you ride wider tires, you need to modify the suspension accordingly. Otherwise, the tire will do a lot of damage to the vehicle and make it more difficult to handle.
In addition, if you replace the 245 with a 265, you will notice reduced crash handling due to the shorter sidewalls. As a result, you will hear the vehicle noise louder than usual.
Conclusion
Both 245 tire and 265 tire have their principles and ways of working. They differ only in the basic 20mm width but make a big difference in the performance of your car. Each tire is designed to fit the chassis, suspension, 4WD, etc.
Therefore, if you want to replace a tire, you should learn carefully and consult an expert to avoid replacing the unsuitable tire or creating pressure on other parts of your car.