What’s the Biggest Tire You Can Put on a 15 Inch Rim?

So many people have installed bigger tires on their vehicles for cosmetic and performance purposes. 

While this is a very cool trend and it gives any vehicle a very specific aesthetic, you need to know how big the new tires can be.

So what is the biggest tire you can put on a 15-inch rim?

The biggest tire that can safely be installed on a 15-inch rim is a 33-inch tall tire. While this limit can be pushed to a 35-inch tire on certain vehicles, it is best to never put a tire larger than a 33-inch on 15-inch rims. Vehicle manufacturers have recommendations for tire sizing as well.

It is important to always make sure you have the correct size tire on your rims. 

If you get tires that are too big, you could risk damaging your car, so it is best to understand the limits to this kind of modification. 

Keep reading to find out why!

The Biggest Tire for 15-inch Rims

Now that you know what the pros and cons of having bigger tires are, you can decide to get them installed or not. 

If you are interested in getting bigger tires for your 15-inch rims, here are some recommendations.

The biggest you can get

The most important factor to consider is the biggest size of tire that you can safely put on 15-inch rims. 

Generally, it is recommended that the biggest size tire you can get on 15-inch rims is a 33-inch tall tire. 

On some models of trucks, you can stretch this to 35-inch tall wheels, but generally, you shouldn’t go any bigger than 33-inch tires. 

This way, your vehicle can have that extra drama that you are looking for while still abiding by safety and manufacturing recommendations. 

Rims are made at certain sizes for a reason, so you shouldn’t push the limits too far.

Other options

There are a lot of other options for larger tires on a 15-inch rim. 

The standard tire size is a 24-inch tire. 

Any tire size between 25 inches and 32 inches will be bigger than the standard 15-inch rim tire, but it will not max out the size that you can have your tires.

You can always contact your manufacturer to make sure you are putting a set of tires on that will work well with your rim size and model of vehicle. 

This way, you won’t run into any problems that could be easily avoided.

Why Get Bigger Tires?

Before we talk about the specifics for a vehicle with 15-inch rims, we should clear up the reasons why someone might want to install bigger tires on their vehicle in the first place. 

There are a lot of different reasons and everyone who does it doesn’t necessarily do it for the same reason. 

Two of the biggest reasons people get bigger tires on their vehicle are because they like the more rugged appearance that bigger tires give the vehicle, or they like the change in performance that they get from bigger tires.

When people get bigger tires purely for aesthetic purposes, they often own some type of truck. 

The bigger tires elevate the truck, making it seem more sturdy, rugged, and macho. 

This is a great look for a lot of trucks, and it is quite easy to get bigger tires installed on this type of vehicle, so people often have the wiggle room to install larger tires.

The other main reason to get bigger tires on a vehicle is that it changes the performance of the vehicle.

It will be more elevated, which gives the vehicle higher clearance below it. 

The center of gravity is higher so the ride feels more fluid, and higher clearance can make it better for off-roading.

Pros of Bigger Tires

There are a lot of pros to installing bigger tires on your vehicle. 

We have covered a few of them as reasons to get bigger tires, but there are even more than that.

Better Clearance

With bigger tires, your vehicle automatically gets bigger clearance for the undercarriage.

This is a great benefit because you can worry less about the condition of the equipment below the vehicle when going over curbs, steep hills, or rocks.

Unique Appearance

Larger tires give any vehicle a more customized appearance. 

This aesthetic is generally more hardcore and robust with the larger tires, which is often what people are looking for.

Off-road Appeal

Bigger tires give the vehicle better undercarriage clearance, so it automatically makes the truck better for going off road.

There is less of a risk of large bumps or rocks damaging the vehicle.

Bigger tires also make it easier for the vehicle to get over obstacles. 

It’s less for you to get high-centered in a lifted truck.

Cons of Bigger Tires

While there are a lot of benefits to having bigger tires on your vehicle, there are also a fair amount of downfalls to this modification. 

Some of the benefits even create drawbacks, so it is important to understand what problems you might run into with bigger tires.

Added Maintenance and Fees

Unfortunately, when you get bigger tires installed on you vehicle, you also require more maintenance on your vehicle which means more maintenance fees. 

The tires might need adjustments, especially at first, and your vehicle will need maintenance to change the speedometer and the tire pressure gauge to accommodate the new tire size.

Worse Fuel Economy

With larger tires, your vehicle will get lower fuel economy. 

This is because the tread on larger tires is often deeper and wider, so your vehicle needs to put more work in to get those tires rolling. 

Having a worse fuel economy can really add up over time when you look at gas expenses.

Changes is Handling

While some people like the changes in handling that bigger tires give them, many struggle to properly control the vehicle after the tires have been modified.

The center of gravity is higher with bigger wheels making it difficult for the vehicle to feel stable. 

There is a greater load transfer, and that shows when braking or turning at high speeds.