245/70R17 vs 265/70R16

Q: Can I replace 245/70R17 with 265/70R16?

265/70R16 is a safe swap for 245/70R17 by the usual ±3% rule: the diameter differs by +0.34%.

265/70R16 is a safe swap for 245/70R17 by the usual ±3% rule: the diameter differs by +0.34%.

245/70R17 30.50" · 265/70R16 30.61" · drawn to scale

Side by side

	245/70R17	265/70R16	Difference
Overall diameter	30.50"	30.61"	+0.10" (+0.34%)
Section width	245 mm	265 mm	+20 mm
Sidewall	6.75"	7.30"	+0.55"
Rim	17"	16"	-1"
Circumference	95.8"	96.2"	+0.3"
Revs per mile	661	659	-2
Ride height	—	—	+0.05"
Speedometer reads 60 mph	60.0	60.2	+0.2 mph

Speedometer and odometer

With 265/70R16 on a car calibrated for 245/70R17, the speedometer reads 59.8 mph when you're really doing 60, and the odometer under-counts by 0.3%.

Speedo shows	Actual speed
30 mph	30.1 mph
45 mph	45.2 mph
60 mph	60.2 mph
70 mph	70.2 mph
80 mph	80.3 mph

Other sizes close to 245/70R17

Questions

Can I replace 245/70R17 with 265/70R16?

265/70R16 is a safe swap for 245/70R17 by the usual ±3% rule: the diameter differs by +0.34%.

What's the difference between 245/70R17 and 265/70R16?

265/70R16 is 0.10" taller and 20 mm wider; the sidewall is +0.55". At an indicated 60 mph you'd actually be doing 60.2 mph.

Will 265/70R16 fit on 245/70R17 wheels?

No — 245/70R17 needs a 17" wheel and 265/70R16 a 16" wheel. This is a plus/minus-size swap that changes wheels too.