Whats the difference between 235/45/17 and 245/45/17
 

is the 245 a low profile tire?

245 is the width of the tire

First section is the width of the tire in millimetres I believe. So 245mm tires would be wider tires than 235mm tires. Second slash is the aspect ratio of the sidewall (side of the tire) to the width. Don't know the exact way to calculate it, but basically if the aspect ratio is the same (45, in this case), then you'd get a thicker sidewall if you went with the 245 tires. Third part is the inside diameter of the tire. So 17 would be mounted on 17 inch wheels.

That help?

245/45/17

245 = Width of tire
45 = Profile of tire sidewall
17 = Diameter of tire

245 has nothing to do with the profile of a tire. A 245 tire is wider than a 235 tire. When you get to a 35 series profile is when the tires start to be low profile.

thinking about buying some continental dws tires. which one would you recommend? the 235 or 245?

Depends on how wide the wheels are. IIRC, those are winter tires, right? You'd be better off with narrower tires, IMO.

No, it is not. 245 mm is the width. 45% of 245mm = 110.25 mm height of the sidewall ,while 45% of 235mm=105.75 mm sidewall height. With 245/45/17 your overall diameter will be larger and that will lead to abnormal speedometer reading , slower takeoffs etc.

In a 245/45/17, the 245 is the width, 45 is the aspect ratio.

The aspect ratio is a percent of the total width. So the sidewall of a 245/45 tire is 45% as tall as the tire is wide or 110mm (4.4") tall. A 235/45 would have a 105.75mm sidewall height.

245/45 will be slightly taller than stock obviously.

For comparison, my 255/40/17s have a 102mm (4")tall sidewall.

For winter use I would go narrower.

yes go narrower for winter and wider in the summer for some fun around the corners!!!!

i live in dallas. no snow year round

Go with the 245 you will be happy with that size. better ride and better handling. Imagine if you had a corvette i think the rears are 305....thats a wide tire and also pricey!

remember if you go lower in profile and with a wider tire the price usually goes up.

can anyone else agree to go with the 245? i dont want to regret my decesion by not purchasing the 235's

Get the 245s. Don't bother buying the Contis DWS when you live in Dallas. Either get the Contis DW or Hankook Ventus V12.

lol there is a DW and DWS? yikes now im clueless

DWS is there all-season. Since Dallas never snows then you dont need an all season tire. What you should get is a UHP tire (ultra high performance) tire like the Contis DW or Hankook Ventus or another highly rated UHP tire. I have the Hankook Ventus V12 Evo and I love them so far.

I feel like IHC at times as it's like beating a dead horse.

The tire size is only generic and tires are not created equally within each specific size. The OE Michelin tires 235/45-17 stand 25.6" tall, but aftermarket 235 tires are only 25.3" tall. The 245/45-17 tires are 24.7" tall and the difference, when compared with the OE tires, would be unnoticeable as would the difference in the speedometer reading. If one were to look at the array of all season tires, one would find that some 245 tires have a smaller tread width than some 235 tires. Take the DWS or 960 tires that are made small, the width at 245 is smaller than some 235 tires, so you end up with a narrow tire that is smaller in diameter than the OE tire, but to most that doesn't matter. You'll need to go over to Tire Rack to investigate the various differences in tread width, diameter, speed rating, load rating as well as longevity rating. Before anyone interjects, the longevity rating is not standardized throughout the industry, but only within each manufacturer's criteria, but I will say that a tire that has a 500 rating will last longer than one that is rated at 200.

Also, if contemplating a summer tire, that tire cannot be driven in near freezing temps and the longevity of these tires are greatly reduced because of the “soft" rubber compound that is used. If you need or want a tire that handles better than an all season tire and will not be driven in near freezing temps, but will need replacement sooner, go with a summer tire, but for most a good A/S tire will suffice.

Lots of variables so choose wisely, but stick with a 245/45-17 size.

If you don't get snow, get the DW (Dry, Wet). No need for the DWS (Dry, Wet, Snow).

That's probably the simplest labeling I've ever seen. By chance, is there just a "D"?

Below is a pic of my Yokohama Avid W4's in 245/45. They are about the same width as the stock size summer tire they replaced. Take the above advice and check out tire rack, as they will give you all the info, and you can compare tires side by side to find what is right for you.


http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3531/002rdl.jpg
By redlantrn at 2010-02-05

you can also go to americas tire/discount tire smae thing and ask them. I use to work for one and they are more than willing to help you choose the right tire. plus they can give you pricing for every tire!

turboonut- The 245/45-17 tires are 24.7" tall and the difference, when compared with the OE tires, would be unnoticeable as would the difference in the speedometer reading.


I'm looking at the tire calculator and it says 245/45-17 are 25.7''

Yup, you’re correct as they are only .1” larger than the OE Michelin 235/45-17 tires. It was just a typo error on my part, sorry.

It's important to note as Turbonut stated, the discrepancies among sizes from manufacturer to manufacturer. The OEM Bridgestone Turanzas in 235/45/17 measure 25.5 tall, as do the RE 030 Summer tires that came on some 6MT's, whereas the oem Michelins in the same size measure 25.6. My Potenza RE 960's Pole Positions, in the next wider size at 245/45/17 measure only a tenth of an inch taller at 25.7, which slows down the revolution by only a few revs per mile, which is nothing to be concerned about. IME, Bridgestones tend to run a bit narrower than most other brands. IIRC, the Yokohama Advans I was looking at when I bought the 960's were actually a hair wider in size 235 than the 960's in size 245.

For anyone contemplating the 960 AS Pole Positions, I have to say they're a great all-season tire. I'm at 20k on mine with a couple rotations and I think I can get another 20k out of them, although I'll probably change them out at 35k. At ~ 6/32 tread remaining, their performance drop from brand new is negligible. They are pricy at $185 a pop, but they're well worth it: decent dry performance, no hydroplaning in the wet, and decent in light snow, as well as a really smooth ride. Night and day from the garbage oem Turanzas.

I would get a 40 profile.. not exactly a low profile since it is a wide tire.

I like the 245/45/17 on Yokohama Envigers alot. This is on a 04 6mt.
It compares well with a my 08 TLS running 235/45/17 Michelins
I have run also run 235/40/18 and 255/40/18 on the 8.5 Aspec just for reference. should have chosen the 245 on stock rims sooner.