Winter tires, should i drop to 16' steel rims ?
#16
10-09-2009, 04:52 PM
Registered User
This is going to be my first winter in the G. I am going to get some Michelin X-ice xi2's thrown on the stock 17's. When the snow starts to melt in May (ok maybe sooner, but it did snow in June this year) I will buy a set of coupe rays. I think i want 19's or else the 18" sports look pretty good.
In other words just use the stock rims.
In other words just use the stock rims.
#17
11-03-2009, 09:01 AM
My favourite example is the snow shoe effect.
Snow shoes let you walk on top of the snow, while normal shoes sink into the snow, closer to the ground.
17" tires for our cars are wider then the 16" tires, and have a larger footprint.
So the narrower 16" will, in some snow conditions, let the tires sink into the snow to aid in traction.
I use them on my X in Canada.
On my previous VW GTI I went from 17" summers to 15" winters.
On ice, there is no real difference.
Snow shoes let you walk on top of the snow, while normal shoes sink into the snow, closer to the ground.
17" tires for our cars are wider then the 16" tires, and have a larger footprint.
So the narrower 16" will, in some snow conditions, let the tires sink into the snow to aid in traction.
I use them on my X in Canada.
On my previous VW GTI I went from 17" summers to 15" winters.
On ice, there is no real difference.
Real world examples
16x7 rim with 245/50/16 mounted on it
17x7 rim with 215/55/17 (G35 wheel)
In this case, the 16" rim has the wider tire and would rise up over snow.
So when it comes to snow tires...NARROW is key.
Also, i do not beleive a 16" rim will clear the larger brakes of an '06X or the 05 non-X's. I think you'll need 17's
Also, does anyone know a source for 17" steel wheels?
#18
11-03-2009, 12:37 PM
#19
11-03-2009, 01:13 PM
I'm just trying to weigh in my options for snow tires.
Either put snow tires on my OEM17's this winter, and i am forced to buy a set of 18' or 19" OEM wheels in the spring...or swap my all-seasons back on in the spring and keep my OEM 17's as my only set for now
Or buy a set of steel or "junk" OEM 17's for snow wheels
I've kinda lost interest in putting money into my car other than routine maintenance and repairs, so I really don't want to have to spend $1000 or so in the spring on new rims and tires.
At the same time, i don't want to be swapping tires onto rims every 6 months
Either put snow tires on my OEM17's this winter, and i am forced to buy a set of 18' or 19" OEM wheels in the spring...or swap my all-seasons back on in the spring and keep my OEM 17's as my only set for now
Or buy a set of steel or "junk" OEM 17's for snow wheels
I've kinda lost interest in putting money into my car other than routine maintenance and repairs, so I really don't want to have to spend $1000 or so in the spring on new rims and tires.
At the same time, i don't want to be swapping tires onto rims every 6 months
#20
11-03-2009, 02:45 PM
Registered User
You can definitely run 16" rims but with 65/60 series tires, not 55/50 as your orginal tire size. By running 16" rims, you are doing the so called -1 setup. To this you have to increase your tire height by one size taller than your orginal. Also to make sure the width is the same as the orginal tires. As a matter of fact, narrower winter tires perform better than fat summer tires in the snow because you have a larger footprint with narrower tires in the snow. Car and Driver did some winter tires test some years back stating this fact.
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