Winter Tire Question

[fcasta308]

I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on this question on winter tires. If I have a Caliber currently riding on stock 215/60R17 tires, would it be a good idea to switch to 205/50R17 winter tires? I've heard that minus sizing for winter tires is a good idea but is that too much of a change? Any opinions/advice?

[Johnny]

I would think a 50 series would not be as good as 60, soft in rain and snow is better.

[thedon809]

I wouldn't go with a lower profile. Skinnier tires are better than fat ones in the snow. I would just stick to the factory size and get a decent tire. I had firstone winterforce tires when I lived in Syracuse NY on my daytona and it would go pretty much anywhere. You might have better luck getting some cheap 16" steel rims and mounting some snow tire on them.

[Johnny]

firestone winterforce tires.......I have these for winter tires for our Avenger R/T.
Great tires!!

[thedon809]

I had an 86 cs daytona so the nose would act like a shovel but the winterforce tires would let me just keep plowing through lol.

[supercrackerbox]

Winterforces are a great bang-for-the-buck tire. I had those on my Daytona for four seasons, and I bought them used. Last year, I "upgraded" to Blizzak WS70s, and half the tread was gone in 5 months. Not worth the money. Another one I'm really impressed with though is the General Altimax Arctic. My fiancé had those on her Honda for two years, and loved them so much she bought them again when she got her Fiesta ST last year (we both have different wheels and tires for summer and winter). http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

It looks like your overall diameter (in these Generals anyway) is 27.2", and the nearest alternate size while keeping the 17" wheel would be a 235/55/17, which would be slightly wider. I also don't see anything really close in other wheel diameters either. Your best bet would be to keep the stock size. Unfortunately, I don't see that size listed for the Firestone Winterforce. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

[thedon809]

215/55r17 is close enough.

[contraption22]

When they recommend minus sizing for snow tires, they really mean the width, not the height. You don't want a shorter tire because it will reduce your ground clearance.

[contraption22]

I'll add I had very good results with General Altimax Arctic on my acclaim

[dwh4784]

I'm a big fan of Michelin X-Ice studless snows. Ran them for years and they barely show any wear, and the stopping/turning capabilities are flat out amazing. I don't drive my Lebaron in the winter anymore and still haven't sold them just in case. Plus they're on 6.5" Crabs and I kind of like those wheels.

[black86glhs]

I have been using Blizzaks for yrs on 3 different cars and like them. I also had the winterforce's on my old caprice and made it decent to drive. Honestly, I can't complain about the GY ultragrips on my cruze either.

Either drop to 16" rims and tires or stick with the stock size in the winter tires.

[dwh4784]

Driving my Grand Caravan this winter with all seasons on it really makes me miss the Lebaron with the snows. With the X-ice tires a panic stop on solid ice feels like packed gravel. Glad we are in a mild winter here though and I put Yokohama IG-20 ice guard tires on the wife's car back when I bought the Michelins so we have one car that has no issues. The Yokohama's work well but are wearing out whereas the Michelins look brand new.

[ATaylorRacing]

NOTHING beats studded snows. Even the cheapest will get you there on glare ice and allow you to pull most 4x4s out of the ditch....even using my 95 Neon or even the wife's Prius!
Here is a list of when they are legal to run...state by state.
http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/studded-tires/

[looneytuner]

NOTHING beats studded snows. Even the cheapest will get you there on glare ice and allow you to pull most 4x4s out of the ditch....even using my 95 Neon or even the wife's Prius!
Here is a list of when they are legal to run...state by state.
http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/studded-tires/

Thanks! I thought they were still sick birds in Missouri. I used to use them and they were great. Before that, my dad used to get recaps with sawdust in the rubber. Just about as good as studs.

[contraption22]

Driving my Grand Caravan this winter with all seasons on it really makes me miss the Lebaron with the snows. With the X-ice tires a panic stop on solid ice feels like packed gravel. Glad we are in a mild winter here though and I put Yokohama IG-20 ice guard tires on the wife's car back when I bought the Michelins so we have one car that has no issues. The Yokohama's work well but are wearing out whereas the Michelins look brand new.

I hear you there. Before my Grand Cherokee I was daily driving an Acclaim. With good AT tires and 4wd, i don't have a fear of getting stuck, but I do not have the stopping and turning confidence that I had with the Acclaim on snows. Luckily we hardly had much snow this year.

[supercrackerbox]

NOTHING beats studded snows. Even the cheapest will get you there on glare ice and allow you to pull most 4x4s out of the ditch....even using my 95 Neon or even the wife's Prius!
Here is a list of when they are legal to run...state by state.
http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/studded-tires/

Those Generals and Winterforces can be studded.

[Johnny]

I have used studded tires a lot. But then bought the WinterForce non-studded tires. Went through snow to the mountains, then to Lake Tahoe and they work just as well as my studded tires did. I did not think they would, I was amazed.

[supercrackerbox]

Winter tire technology has come a long way in the last decade.

[dwh4784]

Studs are lame and should be illegal or highly taxed at purchase. Nothing personal to anyone on here that uses them (because by being on a car forum my incoming stereotype more than likely doesn't apply to you personally), but in general I find people that drive with studs are way overconfident and terrible drivers. A true dedicated winter tire is more than enough traction for any driving conditions I've ever experienced.

[raccoon]

same can be said for people with awd and traction control. should be all drive ladas with bald tires to promote safety? replace the air bag with a spike!

studs are the best, i'm running general wintermax or something studded of course. its night and day compared to even the best studless tires like the blizzaks. I drive about 80kilometers a day with my turbo acclaim.

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for 25bucks extra a tire its the best money you can spend