AboutBarry Smith Expertise I have over 30 years experience in the design, manufacturing, and
testing of tires. I have served as the technical advisor to the "800"
number. I have authored or co-authored many publications - usually
without credit. I can answer almost any technical question, but
please don`t ask me to compare brands. I probably have prejudices because of
my work experience.
Experience Member SAE (Society of Automotive
Engineers)
Member Tire Society (Tire Technical Organization)
SCCA Regional Competiton License holder
Authored many training manuals on tires, their care and use.
Expert: Barry Smith Date: 6/19/2008 Subject: replacing tires with different size
Question I'm getting ready to buy all new tires for my 94 Suburban.
It has 245/75/R16 tires on it now. The guy at the tire shop said I should put 255/75/R16 on it. Is this a good idea?
Answer Cori,
On every vehicle sold in the US, there is a sticker - commonly called the placard - that will list the original tire size and the proper pressure for that size. The placard is usually located on a doorpost or in the glove box, but sometimes it is located in the trunk or on the fuel filler door.
I would not recommend that you use a tire size smaller than what is listed on the placard. BTW, you need to pay attention to the letters in front of the tire tire. Suburbans came with both "P" metric tires (for the light duty versions) and "LT" metric tires (for the heavy duty versions). It is important to use the same type. This has to do with a tire's ability to carry load, so this is a safety issue.
