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I have received two quotations for new winter tires and rims.

For identical tires (225/60R17 103T), one of them supplies a 7 inch wide rim, and the other a 6½ inch rim.

Why would the widths be different and what effect would that difference have?

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  • Welcome to Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair! :o) Commented Oct 21 at 14:50
  • My guess is the bundled tires and rims is the selling point, having nothing to do with winter tires and traction. You should ask (yourself thru research) what the tires require for rim width, not why the seller bundles tires and rims. While only a quarter inch less width per side on the 61/2 in rim, this may slightly deform the tire footprint that won't appear as the vehicle distributes weight on each wheel. Maybe the 61/2 in rim is correct. You didn't mention tire size dimensions. and what width rims fit.
    – F Dryer
    Commented Oct 21 at 17:06
  • @FDryer, I've added the tire size, thanks. But really I wasn't asking which one I should get, I wanted to know what difference the rim size makes in general. Commented Oct 21 at 17:29
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    Not knowing what the manufacturer of the tire suggests for rim width, most tires will have a variance as far as what rim width you can use it with. Because of this, I'd suggest the 1/2" width difference is within the variance and therefore there's nothing wrong with what you're seeing, nor would it have much of an affect due to the difference. More than likely the skinnier width rim is going to be cheaper. That may be a difference you see in the price, but wouldn't know if that even exists (I don't need to know, either). Commented Oct 21 at 18:11

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I was looking at the problem backward, assuming that each tire had a specifically required rim size.

Cars already have rims and it is usually the tires that need replacing, not the rims.

So normally, the rim size is already known and one looks for replacement tires that will fit that size rim.
And rather than requiring a specific rim width, each tire is designed to fit a range of sizes.

In my case:

Specification
Rim Width Min (in) 6.0
Rim Width Max (in) 8.0
Overall Diameter (in) 28.0
Width (mm) 225
Profile 60

Michelin X-Ice Snow 225/60R17 103T XL | Wheelwiz

So these tires will easily fit either of the quoted 6½" and 7" rims (with 7" being the most "natural" fit). The dealers simply chose whatever suitable width rims they happened to have in stock.

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