If you are interested to know which tire option is best suited for your stock Ridgeline with or without a lift kit then this article can help you. Here we cover the biggest size tire you can fit on 18-inch wheels without rubbing, and what your biggest tire option is with a lift kit and front axle relocation bracket.

The biggest tire you can fit a stock Honda Ridgeline with stock suspension on an 18-inch wheel is a 30.5-inch tire with a metric value of 265/60/18. With a 3.5” lift kit and a front axle relocation bracket, the Ridgeline can accommodate up to a 32” tire.

Before fitting bigger tires to your beloved Honda Ridgeline, Depending on how big you go, it is important to note that in certain cases, larger tires may require modifications to your truck’s suspension, wheel arch linings, fender flares, pinch welds, and possibly the recalibration of the truck’s speedometer to accommodate the larger tires rolling circumference.

Secondly, be aware that larger tires can also have a negative effect on the overall fuel consumption and driving dynamics of the vehicle, which includes:

Acceleration
Handling
Brake performance (Increased Stopping Distance)
Fuel efficiency

Keep that in mind when doing a tire upgrade to stay within the 3-5% increase from the stock safe zone. But more on that later…

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look into the upgrade options in more detail.

Table of Contents

Biggest 18” Tire on a Stock Honda Ridgeline

I must admit that a Honda Ridgeline looks super cool with bigger tires fitted. It should’ve been released with beefier tires from the factory if you ask me. If you want to remain within the safe zone without having to do any additional modifications then you have limited options, unfortunately.

265/60/18 as they are just under an inch wider and taller than the stock tires.

265/60/18 or 255/65/18 are your safe options without any additional modifications. Many Ridgeline owners have reported fitting these sizes with absolutely NO rubbing.

If you want a taller tire then you should consider the 255/65 option instead of 265/60. Yes, they are slightly skinnier but you will get additional ground clearance with the taller sidewall tire. It’s very marginal of course.

Alternatively, if you are prepared to drop a wheel size for a taller sidewall tire, which is much better for offroad work then a 17” wheel is the go here. In that instance, a 245/70/17 tire would be the best option since it provides the most lift/size with the least amount of rub since it is roughly the same width as stock but you have more sidewall rubber to play with and deflate when offroad.

Wheel arches & liners

The Ridgeline has a unibody chassis construction which means the frame is right behind the plastic inside the wheel arches. This unfortunately means there is no hollow space behind the wheel well liners that you can cut away and utilize to create a bit more clearance. This means space Is rather limited and so are your size options, unfortunately.

Fitting Spacers

So, what about fitting wheel spacers? Usually, this modification is used to create some additional clearance and space in the rear by pushing the wheel out by 1.5” or 2”. Well, unlike “traditional” UTEs that have a ladder frame or body on frame chassis, as previously mentioned, the wheel spacers on the unibody chassis of the Ridgeline cause even more rub due to the limitation of the subframe box getting in the way.

Fitting a Levelling Kit on the Ridgeline

If you want a taller stance with your 255/65/18 tire option (the largest tire I believe this truck can accommodate) then you might consider a lift kit or leveling kit. This greatly improves the aesthetics of the truck and your tires don’t have that stuffed look. Owners are reporting the Truxxx 1-1/2″ leveling kit is recommended since it eliminates most of the front-end rake of the Ridgeline. Fitting these bigger 255/65s means they have to push the front-end rake as far forward as possible and the leveling kit alleviates some of that.

…leveling kit is recommended since it eliminates most of the front-end rake of the Ridgeline.

I personally like how the 265/60r18 tires fill out the wheel wells. If you combine that with a decent leveling kit which creates 1-1/2 inches of lift and the tires add 1/2 inch to the height of the vehicle, you now have the truck sitting a full two inches higher, and leveled, which looks absolutely beautiful. If you are by the means, go for this option!

How is MPG Affected?

Owners are reporting good news when it comes to MPG on the Ridgeline. Many report that they have not noticed a difference in the acceleration of the truck, which is fantastic, however, the MPG has dropped. The feedback is that a drop of 0.5L can be expected so be prepared to lose around 1 less mile per gallon. Many are reportedly averaging around 18-19 mpg with the bigger tires.

How is the speedo affected on the Ridgeline?

It’s important to note your tire size can affect the reading of the speedometer and odometer when measuring road speed and mph. However, it is only affected by 3%. Driving 33 mph, off by 1 mph, 66 mph off by 2 mph, and 99 mph off by 3 mph. I manage and evaluate this difference by believing that automotive manufacturers calibrate their speedometers by running them a little “hot” to avoid liability, therefore the 3% difference between the 245 and 265 tires makes the speedometer more accurate.

Below are a few tire options:

Size	Width	Diameter	Height
265/60/18	10.4”	30.5”	6.3”
255/65/18	10”	31.1”	6.5”
255/55/18	10”	29”	5.5”
245/70/17	9.6”	30.5”	6.8”

WATCH – Honda Ridgeline Upgraded (VIDEO)

Understanding Tire Sizes

Most people look at the information printed on the tire sidewall and have absolutely no clue what it means. There are so many numbers which can be quite confusing, BUT, it doesn’t have to be. Below is a simple breakdown of what all those numbers and codes mean.

Let’s use this tire size (265/70/R17) to explain.

265	Refers to the tire’s width and is measured in millimeters
70	Refers to the tire’s aspect ratio, which refers to the tire’s sidewall height and is measured in percent (%). It refers to 70% of the 265mm tread width.
R17	Refers to the tire’s width and measured in millimeters

NOTE: A tire’s actual size may not be exactly as printed by the manufacturer. Tire manufacturers use their own tire moulds which differ slightly between brands. Different designs and tread patterns may cause a slight size difference between tires that have the same size codes. This means that a tire from brand A might fit your truck but one from brand B of the same size won’t.

User Experience and Feedback

Let’s now look at a few real-world user experiences and feedback from Honda Ridgeline owners who have successfully fitted bigger tires.

User Experience #1

My goal is to maximize tire size in order to get both some width and height out of the vehicle. It seems the stock guys always go with a 265/60/18 but I was curious if there’s a tire out there at 265/65/18 that has worked for somebody (keeping spacers as an option).
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/threads/2022-ridgeline-sport-biggest-tire-with-spacers.231425/#:~:text=With%20the%20ridgeline%20the%20Max,the%20really%20chunky%20AT%20tires.&text=That%20is%20great%20info%20Hleau,the%20bora%20wheel%20spacers%3F%3F%3F

User Experience #2

With the ridgeline the Max you can go is roughly 265/60/R18 with rub, a 1.5 leveling kit will lessen the rub to the only the really chunky AT tires.
Where as wheel spacers will add to more rub since the limitation is due to the subframe box getting in the way,
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/threads/2022-ridgeline-sport-biggest-tire-with-spacers.231425/#:~:text=With%20the%20ridgeline%20the%20Max,the%20really%20chunky%20AT%20tires.&text=That%20is%20great%20info%20Hleau,the%20bora%20wheel%20spacers%3F%3F%3F

User Experience #3

I had my Honda dealer install the Truxx 1.5″ leveling kit today, and then went to Discount Tire and had 18″ Black Rhino Mozambique wheels (black matte) and 265/60/18 Cooper Discoverer ATP tires. Looked great, but they rub during a full turn, even with the 1.5″ leveling kit. I’m going to exchange them for 255/60/18 Hankook Dynapro ATM RF10s. Should be good to go. The Hankooks are better in snow than the Coopers anyway.
https://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/threads/the-ridgeline-265-tire-club.142505/page-5

Pros and Cons of Bigger Tires

Big tire upgrades are one of the most popular, if not the MOST popular upgrades owners make to their vehicles, and with good reason. For many, it’s a case of an aesthetics improvement and practicality upgrade, while others seek the best off-road capabilities and driving characteristics their trucks can offer.

With that being said, as is the case with most modifications, there is always a trade-off. With bigger tires come a few pros and cons you simply cannot ignore, so make sure you proceed armed with all the relevant information at hand.

With taller and wider tires you get the following:

Let’s start with the Pros first.

Increased ground clearance
Improved approach angle
Improved departure angle
Improved Break-over angle
Increased wading depth.
Wider tires increase your vehicle’s traction, both on and off-road
Improved control and handling.
Better control on slippery surfaces such as sand, snow, and mud.
Improved stability due to the wider tires
Improved aesthetics

Some of the Cons Include:

Increase in fuel consumption (Less mpg)
Expensive tire replacement costs
Increase in stopping distance (Longer stopping time)
Decrease in acceleration
Decrease in overtaking speeds
Slight Understeer feeling
Inaccurate speed readings (Size Dependant)
More wear on certain suspension components
A requirement for aftermarket suspension component upgrades (Size Dependant)

Armed with the above intel now allows you to make a more educated decision as to whether your desired upgrade is worth the cost outlay. If the vehicle is your dedicated weekend trail warrior and not your daily driver then you can go bigger with more aggressive tread patterns, however, if this is your only vehicle then it would be wise to stay within the safe zone of not exceeding the recommended 3% to 5% increase of your stock tire’s size. This will minimize the disadvantages to a degree.

Resources

Conclusion

Variations in fitment options based on user feedback can be inconsistent at times. This is mainly due to construction variables from different tire manufacturers. In some cases, a certain tire brand will fit a vehicle perfectly, while others of the same size from a different manufacturer will not. This is mainly due to the fact that tire manufacturers use their own tire molds which differ slightly in overall size between brands.

Biggest Tires on a stock Honda Ridgeline (W/Without a Lift)