Can 195 tires be changed to 205?
3 Answers
195 tires cannot be replaced with 205 tires. It is recommended that the purchased tire specifications match the original tire specifications equipped on the vehicle. To change the tire specifications, you must go to a professional modification shop for tire upgrades or consult the car manufacturer. Precautions when modifying tires: 1. Choose the appropriate tire specifications, including speed rating and load index; the brand and tread pattern of the tires should also be consistent. 2. New tire replacement must include dynamic balancing. 3. Installation direction and inflation: If using the original tires, follow the manufacturer's installation requirements. If using non-original tires, generally the side with the production date should face outward. For directional tires, ensure the arrow on the tire aligns with the direction of the vehicle's forward movement. Theoretically, whenever a tire is removed from the rim and reinstalled, dynamic balancing should be performed, as it is impossible to restore the exact original position of the tire and rim.
I used to struggle with this issue too, until I replaced my tires with 205-width ones myself. The key factor is the wheel rim width - if the original 195 tires were mounted on rims that are too narrow (below 6J for example), fitting 205 tires would cause bulging deformation. I measured my rims at 6.5J, which fits 205 tires perfectly. The most noticeable improvement after the change was much better cornering stability and reduced skidding during rainy-day braking. However, fuel consumption did increase by about 0.5L/100km, and there's slightly more tire noise. Before modifying, remember to calculate the tire diameter difference using a tire calculator - exceeding 3% difference between old and new diameters will affect your speedometer accuracy. Also test at full steering lock to check for fender clearance (mine had exactly one finger's width of space). By the way, some inspection stations check tire dimensions during annual inspections, so it's best to keep your original tires as backups.
As a driver who frequently takes long-distance trips, I feel that 205 tires are indeed much more stable than 195 ones. The stronger grip of wider tires goes without saying, making lane changes on highways more secure. However, before modification, you must measure the rim size. The original 195 rims are usually 5.5J to 6.5J, so you need to confirm they support the 205 tire width. Additionally, pay attention to the tire height. For example, if the original tire is 195/65R15, when switching to 205, you should choose an aspect ratio of 55 or 60 to keep the overall tire diameter roughly the same. After my last tire change, I clearly felt the steering wheel became heavier, requiring more effort when reversing into parking spaces. Price-wise, they cost about a hundred yuan more per tire, so you need to consider the overall cost. There's also a minor issue that's easy to overlook: wider tires tend to pick up small stones, making a tapping sound while driving, so they require more frequent cleaning.
