Collection: How to Find Tire Size and Type for your car

Are you confused with what tire size you need? Lost with the millions of types and styles of tires? Here at Elite Race Fab we gurantee to not only teach you how to understand tire sizing but also to help provide you with the tires that you need. One thing all cars, trucks, and ATV's need are a decent set of tires. With there being hundreds of different tire manufacturs and thousands of different "styles" and "tread", figuring out what tires to go with can be complicated.

To start off, you will need to understand how to read your tire size by the sidewall of your tire. Learning how to read your tire size is important for selecting the right replacements or upgrades, and it's easy to do by checking the sidewall of your tire. On the sidewall, you'll find a series of numbers and letters that provide all the information you need. For example, a typical tire size might read P215/65R17 95H.

Here's what each part of this code (P215/65R17 95H) means:

To find your tire size, simply look for this sequence on the sidewall of one of your tires. This information is essential when purchasing new tires to ensure a proper fit and match for your vehicle. Or to get further help, contact us direclty here at Elite Race Fab. With having done it all, from drag cars, street cars, to off roading, Elite knows a thing or two about tires.

Tire types and tire tread patterns:

Now that you know how to find what size tire you need or have, the next step if to understand the importance of the tread on your tire. There are a few main reasons why tread patterns are important. Those being: Traction, Grip, Water Drainage, and Noise Reduction. These are the most common factors when it comes to selecting the correct tire type or pattern for your car, truck, and SUV. Let's dive into why these factors have such a role in what tire you go with.

Traction: Tire tread patterns play a vital role in affecting traction by determining how effectively a tire grips the road surface under various conditions. The grooves, sipes, and blocks of the tread work together to channel water, snow, or mud away from the tire’s contact patch, maintaining solid contact with the road. For example, tires with deep grooves and aggressive patterns are ideal for off-road or wet conditions, as they provide better grip by preventing slippage and improving water evacuation. On dry pavement, smoother tread patterns with larger surface contact maximize grip and handling. The right tread design ensures the tire maintains optimal traction, improving safety, acceleration, and braking.

Grip: Tire tread patterns directly affect a tire’s grip by influencing how well it maintains contact with the road under different driving conditions. The tread's design, including the arrangement of grooves and blocks, determines how the tire handles challenges like wet surfaces, loose terrain, or high speeds. In wet or slippery conditions, tires with deeper grooves and more complex tread patterns channel water away, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and enhancing grip. On dry roads, tires with minimal tread and larger contact patches provide better grip by maximizing surface area contact. Additionally, the tread’s ability to flex and adapt to road imperfections also plays a role in maintaining stable traction, ensuring better acceleration, cornering, and braking performance.

Water Drainage: Tire tread patterns significantly impact water drainage by determining how effectively a tire can channel water away from its contact patch with the road. Tires designed with deeper grooves and well-defined channels create pathways for water to flow out, reducing the amount of water that can accumulate beneath the tire. This is crucial in wet conditions, as effective water drainage helps prevent hydroplaning—a dangerous situation where the tire loses contact with the road surface due to a layer of water. Additionally, tread patterns with small sipes (thin slots) can further enhance drainage by allowing water to escape while providing extra grip on wet surfaces. A well-designed tread pattern ensures that tires maintain optimal contact with the road, improving safety and performance during rain or wet weather.

Noise Reduction: Tire tread patterns play a crucial role in noise reduction by influencing how sound waves are generated and transmitted while driving. Tires with a well-designed tread pattern can minimize road noise through several mechanisms. For instance, patterns that feature variable pitch and staggered tread blocks help disrupt sound waves, reducing the frequency and intensity of noise that reaches the cabin. Additionally, tires with smaller, tightly packed grooves tend to generate less noise compared to those with larger, more aggressive tread designs, which can create a "growling" sound during operation. Moreover, the arrangement of sipes and voids in the tread can also absorb vibrations and sound waves, further contributing to a quieter ride. Overall, selecting the right tread pattern can enhance driving comfort by significantly lowering cabin noise levels.

Shop for the perfect tires to fit your car, truck, SUV, or ATV with Elite Race Fab.

Here at Elite we offer all types of tires, sizes, and brands to ensure a perfect fit for your ride. See below to our selection from Michelin , Continental Tire, Yokohama Tire , Toyo Tires , and many many more. Not only do we stock the world's leading tire brands but we also have them in all sizes and tread types. The most common being All-Terrain, Winter/Snow Tread, Performance Tread, and Drag Radials.