Winter Tire Sizing

[Vtolds]

I think you have the one of the tires sizes miss typed there is no such thing as 216/60/15 I think you mean 215/60/15 which is what my car has on it for all season tires and winter.

And I think you are miss reading this.

Select a Narrow Winter Tire for Your Vehicle.
A wide, low profile or large tire has to "plow" a wide path through snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire, the easier you can get through snow. We'll help verify sufficient load capacity and the appropriate diameter for your vehicle

What this is refering to is a wider tire than stock so if you say put winter tires on 18 inch rims with low profile tires. How wide the stock tires directly equal to how much the car wieghts, wheel base, and HP.

[a2k]

Originally posted by VTOLDS@Oct 24 2004, 09:52 PM
I think you have the one of the tires sizes miss typed there is no such thing as 216/60/15 I think you mean 215/60/15

yeps you are right! type-o on my part. i fixed the post. thx.

[a2k]

Originally posted by VTOLDS@Oct 24 2004, 09:52 PM
What this is refering to is a wider tire than stock so if you say put winter tires on 18 inch rims with low profile tires. How wide the stock tires directly equal to how much the car wieghts, wheel base, and HP.

I don't think that is correct. This is not referring *only* to being wider than stock tires -- because if you tirerack's website:

http://www.tirerack.com/snow/WinterPackage...00&autoModClar=

you'll see they recommend a narrower tire than stock (205/65/15) and their alternate is stock (215/60/15)

--> they also go into MINUS sizing. analogous to takign your 15" stocks -> 17" aftermarkey tires -- they say if you have 16" for example as stock, going to 15" winters would enhance traction further.

[Vtolds]

Actaully Both of those tires are stock sizes My cousin who has a GA has 205/65/15 but my Alero has 215/60/15. The oly difference is the 205/65/15 is 10 mm skinnier than the 215/60/15, and the 205/65/15 is also 5 mm taller than the 215/60/15. Atleast I think that is write becuase arent all tires done in Metric milimeters. There isn't to much of a real world difference.

[MikeSS]

Originally posted by VTOLDS@Oct 24 2004, 12:44 PM
The last thing you want is your tires to sink even farther than they normally would you wont wider tires so that your contact path will be wider trust my I live in Vermont we run snow plows 24 hours a day and 7 days a week during the winter. some times we get feet at a time trust me you want wide tires. If you get thinner tires than stock you will most likely end up in a snow bank. Last year my brother was following me in his neon he had new snow tires so did I both stock sizes, his are 1 inch smaller and thinner than mine I was doing corners at 50+ in the snow and I watched him in my rear view mirror slide right out into the other lane while I kept right on my path.

Sorry, I can't agree with this in the slightest bit. You want skinnier tires in the snow to CUT down into the snow. Snow offerns no traction on top. you need to dig deep into the snow to get grip. EVERY expert on tires will tell you so. Look at the tire rack, check the recommended tire size for our cars (and/or grand ams) they have 205 and 195 width recommended. Not the stock 225 or 215

Theres a reason that snow shoes are so wide....to keep you floating on the snow.

How wide the stock tires directly equal to how much the car wieghts, wheel base, and HP.

This used to be true, but nowaday's it is more to do with image and style. I mean, cars 15 years ago (like the Olds Calias lets say) weighed about the same made as much power (or more with the Quad 4) but had skinnier tires (185 and 195). When I say go skinnier I don't mean go to 135 OR 155 or anything, just a bit skinnier

[cutelilcntrygrl]

^ Isn't that a tractor tire?

I didn't get my Alero out much last year in the winter because I had my truck but now that I don't have the truck, the Alero will be getting me around. I'm planning on just putting the stockers back on (Goodyear all weather). They are fairly new so there shouldn't be a problem, right?

[MikeSS]

Originally posted by cutelilcntrygrl@Nov 17 2004, 09:30 AM
^ Isn't that a tractor tire?

I didn't get my Alero out much last year in the winter because I had my truck but now that I don't have the truck, the Alero will be getting me around. I'm planning on just putting the stockers back on (Goodyear all weather). They are fairly new so there shouldn't be a problem, right?

Yeah, that was a tractor tire, not really sure why he was comparing a winter tire to a tractor tire, when that exact same winter tire would come in a skinnier size with the same tread still.


And yes, you stock tires should be ok. I used my stock BF Goodrich last year and they sucked, but the goodyears are on my moms Alero and they work fine.

[cutelilcntrygrl]

Ok, thanks

I should know what type of tire is good in winter since we have winter for 6-8 months of the year, and a skinnier tire will outperform a wider tire in snow in most circumstances.

LOL ya me and 2000NavyAlero definately know what winter is like and what u need for tires.

And those stock alero tires definately aren't the greatest but they work if u keep ur foot outta it.

I'm looking into 15 inch rims with the 195/65/R15's Winter tires but I am just about to go back to school for another semester so I cannot afford them this year.

But yeah if u accually have a serious winter and u don't wanna be stuck on occassion. u probly want winter tires

[a2k]

i ended up buying Kumho KW19 195/65/15s and man they are like tank tires!! such deep tread!! can't wait to try it out..... dunno when that will be cuz the temperature here in toronto is 14 deg C today!! warm november

but yah ill snap a pic of the tiretread.. and they are smooth tires.. car rides very comfrotable.. but doesnt' feel as nimble as the 235/45/17s michelin pilot sports i have on my rims...

my friend has some goodyear wintesr on his civic and they are LOOUUUD.. the kumhos are very quiet.

[Molson]

skinnier = better in snow.

A2k, I run 195/65/15 in the winter. Nokian Hakapallita's. Haven't had a problem yet. But I don't test out the handling limits on snow tires anyhow, at least not on dry pavement.

^^^on the pavement they handle really nice. Probably cause the tread is so soft and all that it just griips really quick. They will leave quite the marks too if you can get them to spin on the pavement.

[MikeSS]

Originally posted by 2000NavyAleroGLS@Nov 17 2004, 05:31 PM
^^^on the pavement they handle really nice. Probably cause the tread is so soft and all that it just griips really quick. They will leave quite the marks too if you can get them to spin on the pavement.

LOL, first day I put on my winters.......big squeal on the first stop light I left....I had to get used to the soft tire with little dry pavement grip.

[Molson]

hehe yeah. Tires are too damn expensive to be leaving black marks. Sometime in February in 3 feet of snow I would be missing that thread that I left of the pavement. :P