1998 Oldsmobile bravada tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235/70R15 OEM | R15 | 5x120.7 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
1998 Oldsmobile bravada wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x120.7 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 70.3 mm |
| Source | adaptitusa-reference |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Oldsmobile Bravada, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Oldsmobile Bravada →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Oldsmobile Bravada factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 235/70R15
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
205/80R15 |
-0.14% | winter narrower | Safe |
215/65R17 |
0.18% | plus 2 | Safe |
235/65R16 |
0.27% | plus 1 | Safe |
235/75R14 |
-0.27% | alternative | Safe |
255/55R17 |
0.32% | plus 2 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 235/70R15 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 235/70R15 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 235/65R16; one rim size up, 0.27% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 215/65R17; two rim sizes up, 0.18% 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 1998 oldsmobile bravada
The 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada ships from the factory on 235/70R15 tires mounted on R15 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 Oldsmobile Bravada 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 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada 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 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada, 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 1998 oldsmobile bravada
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (1) · Sidewall (1) · Spare Tire (1) · Tread / Belt (1)
Reported across: 1998 – 1998 (1 year)
What owners described
Loss of control, rollover or collision appears in 25% of these reports; about 3.0× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 8 reports covering every model year of the Oldsmobile Bravada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 25% | 8% | 3.0× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 13% | 20% | 0.6× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Oldsmobile Bravada. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
SUV T-BONED IN DRIVER DOOR AT ESTIMATED 40MPH. SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH SEAT WAS RIPPED FROM ITS MOORING. ON STAR SYSTEM DID NOT ACTIVATE TO SIGNAL 911. IN ADDITION THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OPPOSITE THE ACCIDENT ROLLED OFF OF THE RIM. IS THIS NORMAL? ON AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING THE SUV THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS WHILE STOPPING AND WILL NOT RELEASE. MUST UNBUCKLE AND RETRACT BEFORE IT CAN BE EXTENDED.
WHILE DRIVING,THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES,THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SKIDDED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD ON. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB VEHICLE DID NOT SKID BUT WAS TAKEN QUICKLY AND SHARPLY TO THE LEFT INTO THE MEDIAN AND IMPACTED A CURB LIKE BARRIER DAMAGING VEHICLE. HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED. THOUGHT TO HAVE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT BUT NOT CONFIRMED. PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WAS ALSO EVIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING 5MPH THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT, DEALER REPLACED PADS, BRAKE PART, TIRES, ETC AND THE BRAKES SYSTEM STILL FAILED. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
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 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
What is the bolt pattern of a 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
Where can I buy tires for my 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
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 Oldsmobile Bravada is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada.
- 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 2026-10-07.