The widest tire on 8 inch rim is 245 mm. However, you can go as far up as 275 mm. But the problem is that, if you choose a wider tire, it will lead to problems in the overall control of the car since the contact with the road surface is not going to be proper. Therefore, it is better if you keep the tire size within 225 to 245 mm, best within 225 mm.
To find out more about tire sizes for 8-inch rims, keep reading this article.
What Is The Ideal Tire for 8-Inch Rim?
The ideal tire for an 8” rim ranges from 225 to 235. The general guideline for choosing a tire for an 8” rim is as follows.
The tire width should be 11% to 16% higher than the rim width. Anything below or above may lead to several performance issues in your car. Furthermore, extreme upsizing or downsizing of the tire can even lead to unwanted accidents as well.
However, you can upsize or downsize your tire unless you go too extreme. Check the table below for the tire size range you should go for an 8-inch rim.
| Rim Width | Minimum | Ideal | Max |
| 8 inches | 215 mm | 225 mm, 235 mm | 275 mm |
Keep in mind that the rim of the car comes with an additional half inch on both sides from the bead width. The minimum tire size width should be around 9 inches. Converting 9 inches to mm we get 228.6 which is closest to 225 mm.
Therefore, 225 mm is the perfect fit for your 9 inches tire followed by 235 mm. If you have a 245 or 265 mm tire, you can still use but it will be the best fit for a 9.5 inches rim.
What Is The Widest Tire on 8 Inch Rim?
The widest tire you can put on an 8” rim safely is a 275 tire. But it is not recommended. Because you will be at a risk of sidewall bulge. This means that the tire’s sidewall starts to stick out outwards and there will be slight imbalance. If you keep driving in this condition then you are at a risk of wearing out your tires quickly.
The following table summarizes the compatible tire sizes for 8-inch rims.
| Tire Width | Suggestion | Recommended Rim Size |
| 215 mm | Minimum | 7 inches |
| 225 mm | Best Fit | 8 inches |
| 235 mm | Best Fit | 8 inches |
| 245 mm | Recommended | 8.5 to 9 inches |
| 255 mm | Can fit but is not recommended | 8.5 to 10 inches |
| 265 mm | Can fit but is not recommended | 9 to 10 inches |
| 275 mm | Can fit but is not recommended | 9.5 to 11 inches |
Now, you can see the tire width range for the 8-inch rim. Keep in mind that there are a lot of benefits to using 225 or 235-mm tires on an 8-inch rim. You get the following
- Optimal grip
- Optimal handling
- Optimal braking efficiency
- Optimal fuel economy
- Optimal acceleration
- Optimal top speed
- Optimal safety
Can I Use a 215 Tire on an 8-inch Rim?
Yes, you can use a 215 tire on an 8-inch rim. But this is the minimum size you can go for. We highly recommend not going any below 215, otherwise, you are at risk of steering issues because of problematic tire weight distribution, and curvature mismatch. Besides a narrow tire means that you will have weaker contact with the wide rim. This can lead to tire fall-off in high-speed cornering.
However, with 215 tires you get the experience of a narrow tire. A narrow tire is comparatively lighter in weight and has less contact area with the road. And, the low contact area reduces the rolling resistance and friction. These characteristics lead to the following outcomes.
Pros and Cons of 215 Tire on 8” Rim:
Pros:
- Better fuel economy
- Better acceleration
- Higher top speed
Cons:
- Lower grip
- Lower braking efficiency
- Inferior handling
Can I Use 245 Tire on 8-Inch Rim?
Yes, you can use 245 tires on 8-inch rims. 245 is the widest tire you can use on an 8” rim safely. If you go above 245, this can lead to severe accidents in high-speed cornering.
Well, a wide tire is comparatively heavier in weight and has more contact area with the road. And, the high contact area increases the rolling resistance and friction.
These characteristics lead to the following outcomes.
Pros and Cons of 245 Tire on 8-inch Rim:
Pros:
- Better grip
- Better braking performance
- Better handling
- Better looks
Cons:
- Lower fuel economy
- Lower acceleration
- Lower top speed
Can I Use 275 Tire on 8-Inch Rim?
Although you can fit a 275 tire on an 8” rim, it’s not recommended. A 275 tire is almost 35% wider than an 8” rim. This excessively wide tire will have weaker contact with the narrow rim.
As a result, the tire may come off of the rim in high-speed cornering. Eventually, this led to a serious accident. If you have a 275 mm tire, then you can try it for a 10-inch rim.
How Does an Excessively Wide Tire Impact Your Car’s Performance?
Well, an excessively wide tire is too heavy in weight. Not only that, the extra width causes the sidewall of the tire to bulge out. This is because the rim is too narrow to properly fit in the wide tire.
Furthermore, the tire’s contact area with the road decreases dramatically at high speeds. This is because the shape of the tire gets rounded naturally due to the width mismatching. This shape gets even more rounded as the tire deforms more at high speeds.
So, let’s take a quick look at how these characteristics impact your car’s performance.
Downsides of Using 275 or Wider tires on 8-inch rims
The following are the biggest cons of using 275 or wider tires for an 8-inch rim.
- Lower fuel economy
- Lower grip
- Lower handling capability
- Lower braking efficiency
- Drastic drop in acceleration
- Drastic drop in top-speed
- Not safe at all
How to Choose the Right Tire Width for My Car Rim?
To choose the right tire for an 8” rim, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Calculate the minimum tire width. Convert the rim width from mm to inch. To do that, simply multiply the inch value by 25.4.
Here’s the calculation for an 8” rim. 8 25.4=203.2
So, the mm value for an 8” rim is 203.2 mm.
Step 2: Select the nearest wider tire width. The nearest wider tire width of 203.2 mm is 215. So, the minimum tire width for an 8” rim is 215 mm.
Ideal tire width calculation
Step 1: Find the minimum tire width for your car rim as described earlier.
Step 2: Select the next two wider tire sizes. These are the ideal tire width sizes for that particular rim.
So, for an 8” rim, the minimum tire width is 215 mm. Now, the next two sizes are 225 mm and 235 mm.
Hence, the ideal tire width for an 8” rim is 225 mm and 235 mm.
Widest tire width calculation
Step 1: Find the widest ideal tire width for your car rim as described above.
Step 2: Select the next wider tire size.
So, for an 8” rim, the widest ideal tire width is 235 mm. Now, the next wider tire size is 245 mm.
Hence, the widest tire width for an 8” rim is 245mm.
So, that’s how you calculate the tire size for your particular rim.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Does Wider Tire Decrease Acceleration?
A wider tire decreases acceleration because of its weight and rolling resistance. A wider tire increases the overall weight of the car which decreases the acceleration. Furthermore, its wider contact area with the road increases the friction, thus, decreasing the acceleration.
Does Narrower Tire Increase Acceleration?
A narrower tire increases acceleration due to its lightweight and low rolling resistance. A narrower tire decreases the overall weight leading to increased acceleration. In addition, the narrow contact area reduces road friction and leads to better acceleration.
Does Wider Tire Decrease Braking Distance?
A wider tire usually decreases the braking distance if it maintains proper tire pressure. This is because a wider tire has a wider contact area with the road. This increased contact area helps in generating more friction. As a result, this decreases the braking distance significantly.
Final Words
Now you can know what the widest tire for an 8-inch rim is. Just make sure to keep it confined within 245 mm. Although you can fit up to 275 mm, it is best not to. If you have a 265 mm tire then try it out on a larger rim size. Finally, after you are done fitting the tire on a rim check if it has been put properly. This is crucial for your driving safety and maneuverability.
You Can Also Check: Widest Tires on 9.5 Rims
