255/50R17 vs 265/50R17
Going from one to the other changes the overall height by +1.5 %. That is inside the 3% band, so it fits and the speedometer stays close.
Side by side
| Measure | 255/50R17 | 265/50R17 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall height | 27.0" | 27.4" | +1.5 % |
| Sidewall | 5.02" | 5.22" | +3.9 % |
| Section width | 255 mm | 265 mm | +3.9 % |
| Circumference | 84.9" | 86.2" | +1.5 % |
| Revs per mile | 746 | 735 | -1.5 % |
| Axle height | 13.52" | 13.72" | +5.0 mm |
| Approved rim width | 7–9.5" | 7.5–9.5" | overlap 7.5–9.5" |
Both are approved on a rim 7.5" to 9.5" wide. If yours is in that band, this is a tire change and nothing else.
What the speedometer will say
Calibrated for 255/50R17. Fit 265/50R17 and the needle stops telling the truth.
| Needle says | You are doing | Out by |
|---|---|---|
| 30 mph | 30.4 mph | +0.4 |
| 50 mph | 50.7 mph | +0.7 |
| 70 mph | 71.0 mph | +1.0 |
| 90 mph | 91.3 mph | +1.3 |
The odometer drifts with it. Ten thousand miles on the dial are really 10,146 on the road, so it under-counts by 146. At a true 70 mph the first turns 870 times a minute, the second 858.
What drivers reported
255/50R17 carries 1 complaints. Nobody has filed one naming 265/50R17.