215/55 R17 Tyres Explained

215/55 R17 is a widely used tyre size that suits many family cars. The actual numbers of the size tell you the tyre dimensions. In this example, the 215 is the width in millimetres. 55 shows us that the heigh of the tyre's sidewall is 55% of 215mm (about 118mm). And R17 means the tyre fits a 17 inch rim. You'll see this size on vehicles that need stable everyday performance for commuting and motorway usage. It's available from premium manufacturers like Michelin, Bridgestone and Goodyear. mid range brands which make tyres in this size include Hankook, Yokohama and Kumho. Budget choices include Tomket, iLink, Mazzini and Wanli. You can find popular fittings such as the Michelin CrossClimate 2 and the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 in 215/55 R17. Confirm this is the right size by checking the tyre sidewall, the driver's door sticker or your vehicle handbook, or enter your registration for an exact match.

The numbers 215/55 R17 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 215/55 R17 this information can be broken down into the following: 215 - the width in millimetres of the tyre. In this case 215mm wide. 55 - the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. For this tyre that is 55% R17 - 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 17 inch wheel

There is no standard recommended tyre pressure for 215/55 R17 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 215/55 R17 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 215/55 R17 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 215mm, the height of the sidewall is 55% of 215 – which is 118.25mm.