Newb question on tire size?

[GottaHaveLS1]

Right now i have 275's all around with 17" rims. I'm probably going to sell both the tires and the rims. I'm looking to get 18"s. Is there an optimal tire size such as 275, or 315, ect and position (such as front or rear) for just driving on the street. I never go to the strip but i do fly around on the streets alot. Any recommendations?

[Eugenio_SS]

if you going to change tires/wheels, just remember to maintain the same overall diameter (OD) of the wheel.
for that, you have to understand what the #s mean.
On a 275/40-17
275: 275mm of width of tire
40: sidewall is 40% of 275mm = 110mm = 4.33"
17: rim size, in inches = 17"

So OD = sidewall + rim + sidewall
OD = rim + 2x sidewall
OD = 17" + 8.66" = 25.66"

So similar size tires would be:
245/45-17
275/40-17
315/35-17
245/40-18
275/35-18
315/30-18

Then you have to make sure you have a wide enough rim for any given size, and make sure the offset is adequate to avoid rubbing.
imho, the wider the better, but make sure you do it safely
Hope this helps.

[wabmorgan]

when it comes to height of the tire.... doesn't tread deth also affect it this???

[jimbo98z]

when it comes to height of the tire.... doesn't tread deth also affect it this???

Tread depth may have something to do with it, but it's mostly the type of tire. Some brands of tires may be a little taller than others, even though they are technically the same size. It is very rarely a problem though. You will see varying tread widths to. A higher performance tire will generally (not always) be a little wider than something like a touring tire in the same size.