Sounds to me like the answer is no, but wanted to double check…
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Overall diameter will be slightly taller. Wheel width should be verified on something like TireRack but this small of a difference in width should not matter. Only consideration would be some loss of contact area on the actual pavement.
Otherwise the tire will fit the wheel from only your description.
Check http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi and see if the overall diameter is close to the same. (they are only .1" difference in radius) Technically, it will fit. It isn’t a bad idea to do this with snow tires as the narrower tire will give better traction. But, in this day and age, cars are so computer dependent upon everything, I would check with the dealer service department for this slight change in tire width and it’s relationship to rim size and performance and warranty if that is applicable. For most car rims, I see NO problem other then a slight loss in handling. There should be very little change otherwise. For many cars, this is well within the parameters of optional tire differences. The big caveat is that you do it with ALL 4 TIRES.
Agree to do all tires not just one… Forgot that part.
A narrower tire may have a lower load index. If it does, make sure it’s still sufficient for your car.
As Dag said, there will be a slight loss of handling. That “loss” will present as more body roll in turns and leess stability on the highway, especially in the wind.
It’ll also adversely affect your braking ability.
I wouldn’t do it.
Thanks. I’ll pass on it.
Actually you can, and it has some advantages, but more disadvantages. The advantages are better fuel economy, but that may be so little that you won’t be able to measure it. It would be less likely to hydroplane on you, but again, a very small margin. Slightly better traction on snow, but less on ice.
The disadvantages are lower load capacity and more wear on the edges of the tires. All in all, the differences are very slight, but I would not do it unless the deal on the 205-65 tires is just too good to pass up, i.e. free.
As for handling and stopping distance, about the only people that would be affected by this are drivers who like to drive at the edge of the envelope all the time.
I think in general you guys are going overboard on this particular question. I’ll give you one vehicle in particular that the manufacturer has 2 different sizes for. Our 95 Crown Victoria comes in either a 215/70/15 or 225/60/16. Yes I see the difference in height of rim but overall the tire diameter is very close. This is overall what the OP is asking but on a specific rim. I have driven our Crown on 215 tires and then upgraded the wheel to a 225 with the 16 inch rim. I didn’t notice much at all in the driving experience.
Will his tire be slightly narrower, yes 0.5 inches but even manufacturers like Ford in this case I sited above have acknowledged it is not that critical in this instance. Will it be slightly taller, yes 0.4 inches overall diameter. Both tires are applicable for the same rim width and both tires in this particular tire selection below have the same load maximum. I feel without any more information from the OP that this tire would be a fit for his vague question.
Changes in vehicle behavior are more controlled by differences between tires and not by a simple size change such as this. So while directionally most folks who responded are correct, W30post is also quite possible.
BTW, why didn’t anyone mention that 205/65R16 has an allowable rim width range of 5.5" to 7.5", while a 215/60R16 is 6 to 7.5? There is one rim width where this would not work.
@CapriRacer the direction he was asking opened up a rim size that the 215 would not fit on. Sorry, thought it was not as important in the direction he was changing to.
205 and 215 no proplem.size 16 no proplem but 65 more higher than 60.like 205 65 16 can fit same 215 and 225.
The guy will already have made up his mind . . . 4-1/2 years later
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