Winter tires.

[hazynighthawk]

I was wondering what size rim will be the smallest that will fit with stock brakes if I'm putting winter tires on my Genpu. I hoping i will be able to buy a truck for winter but if not I will not run summer tires. So what size should i get / what kind of tire?

[Tokay444]

Someone is selling winter wheels and tires for for genpu in the for sale section.
16"

[hazynighthawk]

So 16's then.. Alright . may check it out. I am still gonna wait for a few more months I may buy a Jeep so ill see if i need them. I may be able to put her away for these harsh buffalo winters.

[Silver Ecstasy]

16's will fit, however I still prefer 17's. On those days when it's not snowing, the roads will typically be clean and you'll want to drive a tad more spiritedly and those 16's will suck to drive on.

I've personally ran winter tires on almost every vehicle I've owned and I'm slowly starting to hate the process. Swap wheels, car drives like shit for 6 months, swap back to summers and the summer tread hardly gets put to use at it's full potential. If anything, they're just noisy.

Once my tires wear (both winters and summers), I will be switching to Continental DWS tires.

[hazynighthawk]

what kind do you use ? I have no idea what a good winter tire is. I've never had to use any.

[Silver Ecstasy]

The dilemma with winter tires is this:

Studless Snow/Ice Winter Tires

These tires typically have extremely soft treads capable of gripping solid ice and deep snow as if your car came with AWD. The improvement in traction is substantial (alarming, really) and will result in some extremely confident driving capabilities in treacherous weather. They're great in snow, rain, ice.

Where they are limited is in, dry traction, dry stability, speed. They're typically rated below 90mph, and they're so mushy and soft that dry traction is weak, cornering is weak, and honestly, you feel bad raping these tires after spending so much money on them. The harder you drive, the quicker they wear.

Performance Snow/Ice

These tires have slightly harder compounds with slightly better dry traction and stability and higher speed ratings. They're recommended by a lot of foreign brands that manufacturer performance cars (BMW, M-B, Audi, VW) especially in European winter weather conditions/freeways - autobahn). Where they make up in the fun factor, they lose in DEEP snow and solid ice.

I was less than impressed with my Dunlop Wintersport M3's. Wet snow becomes packed in the center of the tire, thus rendering the aggressive tread design useless. I almost had to aggressively start at each stop, just to shake any snow out of the tire so I could get the treads back to work, actively separating snow and slush out of it's path.

We ended up purchasing Bridgestone Blizzak WS-70's for my fiance's CX-7 and she was extremely happy with them, as I was too. But on dry days, the tires were inevitably mushy and I had to continuously remind her to "take it easy" with both her steering and acceleration (she's a leadfoot).

Once winter ended, we swapped back to Yokohama YK520's. We may potentially sell the WS-70's because we are extremely happy with these all-seasons. All-seasons typically suck ass.. but the technology is coming around in a HUGE way and i'm considering giving it a chance again.

Pirelli pzero nero
Yokohama YK520
Continental DWS

These are highly rated, affordable all-season tires that are extremely reputable and reliable.

Hope this helps!

[hazynighthawk]

I was looking into blizzak's but idk.. I will have to research alot more. Thanks though man! It'll be like a grand for 17's and Blizzaks. Alot cheaper than a Jeep but with a Jeep i have 4x4 and I can buy toys to pull with it!

[Tokay444]

Awd doesn't actually increase mechanical grip. So snow tires don't make a 2wd drive car feel like it's had an awd conversion.

[hazynighthawk]

Originally Posted by Tokay444 Awd doesn't actually increase mechanical grip. So snow tires don't make a 2wd drive car feel like it's had an awd conversion.

Obviously haha.

[bms3mtb]

Search!

There are many threads left from last winter... 16" steelies fit, well tested and many of us run that cuz it's cheap. Stock 17s from a regular 3 were also a trendy choice...

Personally I opted for the "performance snow" and got dunlop wintersports. I live in MD so unlike @Silver Ecstasy I didn't have any problems with them. Here, it snows maybe 3-4 times a season of 1'+ (and that can be 2, 3 feet some days). The rest of the time, just slush or dry...

All winter I thought "man I wish I had even more grip in snow" but honestly, I never lost control with these - they were predictable in how lost traction so I knew it was coming and could control. And in the dry, I could still drive 80+ on the highway to work, minimal suckage - still performed well as long as you remember not to go crazy.

Someplace with more snow, might opt for the blizzaks or other similar that are more in the "studless snow" range.

As always, tirerack is your friend.

[hazynighthawk]

Originally Posted by bms3mtb Search! There are many threads left from last winter... 16" steelies fit, well tested and many of us run that cuz it's cheap. Stock 17s from a regular 3 were also a trendy choice... Personally I opted for the "performance snow" and got dunlop wintersports. I live in MD so unlike @Silver Ecstasy I didn't have any problems with them. Here, it snows maybe 3-4 times a season of 1'+ (and that can be 2, 3 feet some days). The rest of the time, just slush or dry... All winter I thought "man I wish I had even more grip in snow" but honestly, I never lost control with these - they were predictable in how lost traction so I knew it was coming and could control. And in the dry, I could still drive 80+ on the highway to work, minimal suckage - still performed well as long as you remember not to go crazy. Someplace with more snow, might opt for the blizzaks or other similar that are more in the "studless snow" range. As always, tirerack is your friend.

That was on tire rack hah

[bro2]

I run the reg 3 wheels with General Altimax Arctic tires. I love them, my car is a fucking tank in the snow with them. And they aren't that expensive.

[mazda_repeat]

Tire Rack posted 2 16" and 1 17" snow tires / wheel pkg for 2011. They are:
215-50-17, 215-55-16, and 205-60-16.

I checked with my 16" steel rims from previous cars (RSX-S and Si) and confirmed they fit and have enough clearance for the brake calipers and disc on my 2010 MS3. I would like to hear your view concerning my choice of using 205-55-16, instead of 215-55-16 and 205-60-16 shown on Tire Rack. Below are my data collection:

Summer Tire 225-40-18 has Overall DIA of 25.1" & 833 Rev per mile.

Winter Tire 215-50-17 has Overall DIA of 25.5" & 815 Rev per mile, translate to -2.2% Rev per mile compare with summer tire.

Winter Tire 215-55-16 has Overall DIA of 25.3" & 823 Rev per mile, translate to -1.2% Rev per mile compare with summer tire.

Winter Tire 205-60-16 has overall DIA of 25.7" & 810 Rev per mile, translate to -2.8% Rev per mile compare with summer tire.

Winter Tire 205-55-16 (on my steel rim) has overall DIA of 24.9" & 836 Rev per mile, translate to +0.4% Rev per mile compare with summer tire.

Based on above data, 205-55-16 has the closest Overall DIA and Rev per mile to the original summer tire. I do not know if lower Overal DIA or slight increase in Rev per mile would cause un-expected behaviour which Tire Rack does not recommend it as alternate.

Your views are welcome because two of four snow tires are EOL and I am going to pick up 2 new ones.

Thanks!

[Tokay444]

You've pretty much got the best combo.
Cheap.
Close to factory roll out spec.
Skinny to cut through the deep fluffy stuff to the pavement.

You've pretty much got the best combo.
Cheap.
Close to factory roll out spec.
Skinny to cut through the deep fluffy stuff to the pavement.

[RacerX78]

i used to run hankook w300 for the winter and they were great in the snow and really good when the ground was clear because of the higher speed rating. I know run a extra set of stock wheels i got for a great price on Conti DWS(225/40) which are good in the snow and great when its clear out.

[cky5117]

I just got mine today. General Altimax Artic 205/60R16. Where I live snow isn't that bad, but I do travel a lot to MA, NH and VT to go snowboarding.

[kgeier82]

Originally Posted by cky5117 I just got mine today. General Altimax Artic 205/60R16. Where I live snow isn't that bad, but I do travel a lot to MA, NH and VT to go snowboarding.

What size did you go with? steelies dont look that bad. And it would save me 200$.

Im look at the Sport Edition F2s 17", with some 205/50/17s.

[Tokay444]

Originally Posted by kgeier82 What size did you go with? steelies dont look that bad. And it would save me 200$. Im look at the Sport Edition F2s 17", with some 205/50/17s.

You trolling, or just browning?

[mtran]

R32 GTS-T Wheels, winter test fit!

Here's what I will have on mine this winter. 16" R32 GTS-T wheels

[alochsta]

Bringing this back from the dead...

Just got these in for winter and did a test fit on the front to make sure they'd fit over the front brakes. It's tight, but they'll work. Falken Espia EPZ 205/55/16 on generic cheapo 16"s. Opted for the cheapo wheels instead of steelies. Debating whether or not to keep the plastic center caps on or not.

[Vater]

I picked up some barely used 16x7 Flik FTDs wrapped in Falken Eurowinters for $460.

[cabrone]

Originally Posted by Silver Ecstasy 16's will fit, however I still prefer 17's. On those days when it's not snowing, the roads will typically be clean and you'll want to drive a tad more spiritedly and those 16's will suck to drive on. I've personally ran winter tires on almost every vehicle I've owned and I'm slowly starting to hate the process. Swap wheels, car drives like shit for 6 months, swap back to summers and the summer tread hardly gets put to use at it's full potential. If anything, they're just noisy. Once my tires wear (both winters and summers), I will be switching to Continental DWS tires.

looks like another reason for you to get a suby, lolz

[Silver Ecstasy]

Originally Posted by cabrone looks like another reason for you to get a suby, lolz

Car's sold. Been shopping for a few weeks now. It won't be a Subie as they want gold prices for those cars, and I'm done driving a stick in traffic.

[Vater]

Good heavens. Didn't you just buy it?

[dizzydtrain]

OP. I am from Rochester and rock 16's with 205's. I am pretty content with giving up some spirited driving for the best traction I can get in snow with a fwd car. It will also depend on how much driving you do in the snow. I tend to do some driving for work so I really just want to get there at all costs.

My previous car was a civic Si that had 17inch blizzaks and it did just fine.

[cabrone]

Originally Posted by Silver Ecstasy Car's sold. Been shopping for a few weeks now. It won't be a Subie as they want gold prices for those cars, and I'm done driving a stick in traffic.

Oh snap! Bummer!

Sent via Tapatalk

[Silver Ecstasy]

Originally Posted by Vater Good heavens. Didn't you just buy it?

A year ago. Opportunity presented itself. I never drove it anyways.

[Vater]

Makes sense. Hard to believe it's been a year already. What are you looking for as a replacement?

[maaazda]

Yokohama W.drive
225/40R18 XL 92V BW . that is what I have for winter tires they are really good living in Michigan winters tested and approved

[Tokay444]

Bf Goodridge winter slalom.
205 60R 16.
Picked up with less than 5000kms of old man highway driving on them for $200 bucks.
He could have told me they were brand new and I would have believed him.
No snow yet, but I hit 5.2 0-60mph the other day.(my best yet) so they grip in the dry better than my summers were.

[cky5117]

Originally Posted by cky5117 I just got mine today. General Altimax Artic 205/60R16. Where I live snow isn't that bad, but I do travel a lot to MA, NH and VT to go snowboarding.

Wheels and tires installed.

[Tokay444]

16's make the car feel like it's on stilts when you really get on it.

[npoll212]

is this a necessary mod or are the stock all seasons good enough to handle a little wet weather?

[RPM]

Bringing this one back from the dead, are you?

Winter tires are only useful if you live in an area where temperatures REMAIN below 45 degrees for months at a time... think Colorado high country.

If all you're worried about is wet weather, a good set of all-seasons will do just fine. Use the stock tires until they're worn before you consider something different.

[npoll212]

I live in south eastern pa ( Philadelphia) and we have been getting hammered with snow. just a little scared of how the stock will do when I actually drive them in this mess

[RPM]

Originally Posted by npoll212 I live in south eastern pa ( Philadelphia) and we have been getting hammered with snow. just a little scared of how the stock will do when I actually drive them in this mess

They'll be sufficient. There's no doubt that winter tires have great traction in the snow, but it's probably not worth spending $500-600 for them. Just drive carefully and you'll be fine. I'd bet that 90% of the other cars on the road are just running all-seasons, too.

[npoll212]

Thanks

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

[Nliiitend1]

Originally Posted by npoll212 is this a necessary mod or are the stock all seasons good enough to handle a little wet weather?

I don't think any of the MS cars came stock with all-season tires (at least not the 3s).

If you bought yours used it could very well have all-seasons on it, but I wouldn't drive in the snow with the OE tires (Bridgestone RE050A was the OE tire on the Gen 1, Dunlop 2050 was the OE tire on the Gen 2, IIRC - and they're both "Ultra High Performance" summer tires) myself...

I'm not certain what tires came on the MS6 (I think they were also Bridgestone RE050As), but the likelihood of you having the "original" tires still on an MS6 (or even a Gen 1 MS3) is pretty low at this point...

[Tokay444]

Pu dunflops are "all season" garbage, I thing. Which simply means they're complete crap in all seasons.

[Nliiitend1]

Originally Posted by Tokay444 Pu dunflops are "all season" garbage, I thing. Which simply means they're complete crap in all seasons.

TireRack lists them as "Ultra High Performance Summer" tires, even though Dunlop markets them as "All-seasons":

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....=SP+Sport+2050

http://www.dunloptires.com/en-US/tir...26502405200000

Regardless, they're a rather unimpressive tire (in most conditions) from what I've seen, as you stated...