2009 Chevrolet avalanche tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 265/65R18 OEM | R18 | 6x139.7 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2009 Chevrolet avalanche wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 6x139.7 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M14x1.5 |
| Center bore | 78.1 mm |
| Source | bolt-pattern.com |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Chevrolet Avalanche, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Chevrolet Avalanche →
Compatible alternative sizes for 265/65R18
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
245/60R20 |
0.04% | plus 2 | Safe |
285/65R17 |
0.07% | alternative | Safe |
245/65R19 |
-0.07% | plus 1 | Safe |
265/70R17 |
0.14% | alternative | Safe |
265/60R19 |
-0.14% | plus 1 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 265/65R18 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 265/65R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 245/65R19; one rim size up, -0.07% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 245/60R20; two rim sizes up, 0.04% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2009 chevrolet avalanche Z71
The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71 ships from the factory on 265/65R18 tires mounted on R18 wheels. Only one approved fitment is documented for this model year, so replacement options should match the original size exactly unless a plus-size upgrade is being considered. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Chevrolet Avalanche comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71 owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2009 chevrolet avalanche
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Reported across: 2009 – 2009 (1 year)
What owners described
Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 16% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 37 reports covering every model year of the Chevrolet Avalanche that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidewall failure | 16% | 15% | 1.1× |
| Tread or belt separation | 14% | 13% | 1.0× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 14% | 20% | 0.7× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 11% | 6% | 1.8× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 5% | 9% | 0.6× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 3% | 8% | 0.3× |
Mileage at failure
14 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 39,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 8,827 and 60,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chevrolet Avalanche. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES, SIZE: P265/70/R17 (NA). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAD BLISTERS AND THE TREAD WAS SEPARATED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WAS 44,000. UPDATED 10/26/2017
VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN A SMALL VIBRATION STARTED AND TRANSITION TO A VIOLENT SHAKING. A TEMPORARY LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OCCURRED UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A SLOWER SPEED AND PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. I DISCOVERED THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AND WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE AXEL AND ROTOR.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Discoverer Rugged Trek, Tire Size: 275/55/R20, DOT Number: (Not Available). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal noise was heard coming from the front passenger's side tire. The contact pulled over and noticed that the front passenger's side tire side wall was blown out. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who removed the tire. The contact then stated that the tire was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front passenger's side tire needed to be replaced. The tire was not replaced. The tire was a replacement tire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate tire mileage was 20,000. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 165,000. The VIN was unavailable.
FOUR PRIMARY TIRES ARE 17" INCHES. HOWEVER, EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE IS 16" INCHES. A MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER IT WOULD BE UNSAFE FOR HIM TO OPERATE VEHICLE USING 16" SPARE TIRE IN COMBINATION WITH A 17" SPARE TIRE ON SAME AXLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
Where can I buy tires for my 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Chevrolet Avalanche is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.