How much will bigger tires raise my truck?

OK04FX4 · #1 01-19-2011, 04:21 PM

At work, I park in a very short, cramped parking garage. (The clearance sign says 6'4" tall.) I have added a 2" level kit to my truck and measured and I have about 3" of clearance before I scrape the roof of the garage with my truck. I currently have the stock pirelli tires (275/55/20) and think that I've decided on the 285/65/20 size tires for my truck.

I understand that these tires are 2 to 2.5" bigger than my stock tires. Does that mean my truck will raise 2 to 2.5" when adding these on? I'm thinking that my truck would only raise half of that.

I want to make my truck taller, but not so tall that I can't get it in the garage. Thanks for your help.

rednoved · #2 01-19-2011, 04:22 PM

It should raise it half.

ian51279 · #3 01-19-2011, 06:39 PM

If your new tires are 2" bigger, your truck would be raised 1".

Galaxy · #4 01-19-2011, 07:05 PM

And half is being optimistic. Look at a tire and see how it flattens out at the contact patch. It would raise it half the increase in diameter if it were to stay perfectly round while on the truck...but it doesn't. But for all practical purposes, planning on half will keep you honest.

OK04FX4 · #5 01-20-2011, 12:40 AM

Thanks for the responses guys!

tbear853 · #6 01-20-2011, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxy

And half is being optimistic. Look at a tire and see how it flattens out at the contact patch. It would raise it half the increase in diameter if it were to stay perfectly round while on the truck...but it doesn't. But for all practical purposes, planning on half will keep you honest.

It'll still raise it half the diameter increase .... the stock tires are also flat at the bottom.

OK04FX4 · #7 01-20-2011, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbear853

It'll still raise it half the diameter increase .... the stock tires are also flat at the bottom.

And I imagine the difference in new tire tread as opposed to my old worn down tires.

Under Dog · #8 01-20-2011, 03:23 PM

Another think to keep in mind is your stock tires are probley pretty worn, and make your truck sit just a little lower then when it was new. So when you measured it, it might have been lower then stock. So you might end up getting more then an inch of height added. Could be two inches. Just a thought.

edit, I just saw you posted this...lol sorry.

camopaint0707 · #9 01-20-2011, 09:30 PM

I'd like to see a picture of your roof from the ceiling of the garage

freekyFX4 · #10 01-20-2011, 09:40 PM

In elementary school, you should have learned the difference between the radius of a circle and the diameter of a circle. If you increase the diameter of a tire (which is a circle) by 2", then you increase the radius of that tire by 1". The difference in radius is what you will see as the increase in height of the truck.

rednoved · #11 01-20-2011, 10:05 PM

^^Helpful.

offroadn'98 · #12 01-20-2011, 11:04 PM

My truck wouldn't clear that.. I have cranked tbars, 2.5" AAL, and 35's on my 97. I'm 6'7" and the roof of my cab is atleast 6'5-6".. That is a sucky reason not to beable to make your truck look good tho..

OK04FX4 · #13 01-21-2011, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freekyFX4

In elementary school, you should have learned the difference between the radius of a circle and the diameter of a circle. If you increase the diameter of a tire (which is a circle) by 2", then you increase the radius of that tire by 1". The difference in radius is what you will see as the increase in height of the truck.

That valuable elementary school lesson was just before the one on manners - which you obviously skipped. Thanks for your help.

OK04FX4 · #14 01-21-2011, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camopaint0707

I'd like to see a picture of your roof from the ceiling of the garage

I might try to get one sometime, but I work downtown and it's always busy going in and out of the garage. To actually check out my clearance, I came up on a weekend to measure. It's pretty ridiculous that they made a garage with such low clearance. There are scrape marks all over the lowest point in the garage (a turn on the 4th floor). There's a Suburban or Tahoe with a luggage rack that nails that hanging clearance sign every morning.

Like I said, the sign with the clearance on it says 6'4", but I think it's hanging about an inch lower than the actual lowest point of the garage - which they have marked by a revolving orange light for warning.

StoveTop · #15 01-21-2011, 03:13 PM

Good luck man, but I think you'll be ok. I am still waiting for the day that I need to let the air out of my tires to get my truck unstuck from a parking garage! And my truck is not nearly as high as some of the beasts on here!

BTW a 6'4" garage is probably the lowest height I have ever seen or heard about. Too bad its at your place of work!