185/55 R15 Tyres Explained

185/55 R15 is a common tyre size for popular small cars. The numbers explain the specific dimensions of the tyre. For example, the 185 is the width in millimetres. Whereas the 55 represents the tyre's is the aspect ratio - 55% of 185mm (about 102mm). Finally R15 means the tyre fits a 15 inch wheel. You'll see this size on city cars, small hatchbacks and compact family cars that need a mix of comfort and fuel efficiency. Premium manufacturers on the page include Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone and Goodyear. mid range names include Hankook, Kumho and Yokohama, while budget options include Westlake, Wanli and Mazzini. For example, the Michelin Primacy 4 and the Continental all season Contact 2 are available in 185/55 R15. To confirm it's right for your car, check the tyre sidewall, the driver's door sticker or your vehicle handbook, or enter your registration for exact matches.

The numbers 185/55 R15 are 3 very important pieces of information in regards to a tyre's size. They tell you the width, profile and diameter of a tyre. For a tyre that is 185/55 R15 this information can be broken down into the following: 185 - the width in millimetres of the tyre. In this case 185mm wide. 55 - the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. For this tyre that is 55% R15 - the diameter, in inches, of the tyre's inner rim. Letting you know what size of wheel this tyre should be fitted to. For this size, that is a 15 inch wheel

There is no standard recommended tyre pressure for 185/55 R15 tyres, as each vehicle manufacturer will recommend their own optimal tyre pressure so you can enjoy the best performance from your vehicle. If you are unsure as to the correct tyre pressure for your 185/55 R15 tyres, there are a few different places you can look to find this information. Vehicle handbook - There is a section in most manufacturer handbooks which covers all the technical details for a tyre. This includes the tyre size, load rating, speed rating and tyre pressure. Tyre label - The tyre label is often found on the door jamb of the driver’s side. It is a small rectangular sticker which contains the information you need to know in regards to tyre pressure and tyre sizes. It should also tell you the tyre pressure recommendation

The height of your tyre's sidewall for the tyre size 185/55 R15 can be worked out by using the tyre's profile size. For the tyre size, the profile is 55. What this tells us is that the sidewall height is 55% of the cross-section width of the tyre. The sidewall height is determined by the distance between the rim line and the tread line. So, as this tyre has a cross-section width of 185mm, the height of the sidewall is 55% of 185 – which is 101.75mm.