Tires: tire size, stock tires, ford taurus


Question
I have a ford taurus (1995) The stock tires on it are P205 65 R15's  the police package sticker says P205 75 R15's.  What is the advantage, just better handling?

Answer
The middle number of the tire size is called the aspect ratio.  This number refers to the height of the sidewall of the tire.  For instance, a 205-65-15 would be 65% of 205 milimeters.  So, the 205-75-15 would have more sidewall.  The advantage of having more sidewall is a smoother ride.  The tire absorbes more of the shock from the road.  Having a smaller sidewall will increase handling and decrease the likelyhood of the tire coming off of the wheel.  However, the increased performance comes at the sacrifice of ride quality.  I hope this has answered your question, If you have any more please feel free to ask.