Snow tire size

I'm sure questions like this get asked all the time, but I haven't been able to find exactly what I'm looking for...

I picked up a set of 15x7s, +33 offset to mount snow tires on and am trying to determine the best size tire for them. My car is stock. I've pretty much narrowed it down to two options:
195/60R15
205/60R15

I feel like the 205 would be better suited for a 7" wide wheel, but I want a little additional clearance under the car. A 205/55R15 doesn't really exist and I don't want to go down to a 205/50. I'm not concerned about the speedometer being off either, just a pure no-rubbing fit standpoint.

So, anyone have any opinions or experience fitting these tires?

Thanks!

i ran 195/55/15 all last winter, perelli winter carver. best snow tires i ever bought. if you go any bigger than a 55 profile, the car will look a little lifted imo

> Zith
> Newbie
> Location: Green Mountain Falls, CO
> Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:14 pm
> Post subject: Snow tire size
> A 205/55R15 doesn't really exist

They Most Certainly DO exist.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1. ... artIndex=0

> and I don't want to go down to a 205/50.

Only 1.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1. ... l&x=79&y=5

Shorter sidewall is not as good in deep snow ?

> just a pure no-rubbing fit standpoint.

Taller is better and gives a better margine of safety if you
slide into a curb ? But you can have snow and ice jam in
the fender wells if you get to tall a tire.

> So, anyone have any opinions or experience fitting these tires?

I had 205/55 HR15's Michelin's snows. Lasted a while, good in snow, decent on dry.
Got 4 winters used as dedicated snows then drove them to bare this summer. YMMV.

Local discount tire shope Told me 205/60R15 was too tall.
Probably would fit though.

Thinner is better in general in Snow too.
But more less grip in the dry.

How much snow where you are ?
It is all a compromise.

Regards;

I have run these: http://www.greendiamondtire.com/productswest1.html#
in a 205/60R15. Best snow tires I have ever had. Better than Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4's for traction and better than the Gislaved EuroFrost 3 in wear. I did have some minor rubbing at full lock but who goes full lock quickly on snow and ice.

I'm running studded goodyears (Ultra Grip 500) 185/65 on stock rims without giving a f*ck the wheels are a tad bigger than stock but you get a nice comfy ride :smokes:

I probably wouldn't run anything over a 195 and a 55 width for any sort of moderate to heavy snow.

I’m not real concerned about the car looking lifted because I think the extra height of a 60 profile will be an advantage with where I live. I’ve got to admit I haven’t been through a winter here, but talking to the neighbor they get moderate levels of snow, and enough ice to make a studded tire absolutely necessary.

I’ve been doing most of my research on DiscountTire.com which doesn’t offer any 205/55R15s snows, hence my stupid sounding comments above. Of course they don’t offer 205/50R15 either so I don’t know what I was thinking.

So it sounds like a 205/60R15 is probably not ideal for moderate/heavy snow if it starts collecting in the fenders. I saw a 195/60R15 was recommended in a few other threads, and that would get me slightly shorter tire, and narrower tire, but is it enough shorter to avoid problems with snow build-up? Since no one picked up on it, I assume my non-stock sized wheels aren't an issue?

It sounds like there are some mixed opinions on that, which is why I’m having trouble making my $450 decision :twisted:

uh, i wouldn't even go to a 205, since you actually want a little skinnier tire since they are actually better in snow, and you really don't need studs unless you are going to be driving on steep snowpacked dirt road. you will hate to drive your car if you have studs when the roads are dry. i drove my car all last winter in south denver with those pirelli's (3 months of snow on the ground with three storms that dumped over a foot and a half snow). however, that was one of the worst winters i have seen in this area in years.

as i said, i would recommend 195/55, in a non studded winter tire, and then drive within your means if the roads are bad

Green Mountain Falls sits in a narrow canyon and doesn't get a lot of sun during the winter months. This means snow gets packed into ice and doesn't melt 'til spring. So heed the advice of your neighbors, they know what they are talking about.

Tall and skinny is the way to go. Tall will get you some added ground clearance and skinny will slice through wet heavy snow easier. For light fluffy snow, any size works because it blows out of the way.

I have run the Green Diamond tires, the UltraTrac, and they do grip very well. However, they are made with used tire casings. You may or may not get a matched set of casings. An unmatched set will exhibit different transient response characteristics, such as one tire responding slower when you stab the brakes quickly. I've also had two go bad. One was leaking air through the tread and wearing strangely, and the other the casing seems to be coming apart because the tire has bulged around the circumference.

The set I put on my wife's 4Runner have had no problems at all.

___Scott___":2a8geggp said:

Green Mountain Falls sits in a narrow canyon and doesn't get a lot of sun during the winter months. This means snow gets packed into ice and doesn't melt 'til spring. So heed the advice of your neighbors, they know what they are talking about.

Click to expand...

ah alright. in that case, studs are a good thing. those perelli's are studable too.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... es&place=7

they come in both 195/55 and 195/60

I was pretty sure the neighbors knew what they were talking about with the studs. If you guys saw the road I live on it'd make sense.

I really like the looks of those Pirelli tires, but I also keep looking at the Hankook Winter iPike W409s with a similar tread and about $100 cheaper after mounting/balancing.
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTi ... T2&rf=true
Do you think the extra cash will be worth it, or will the Hankook be sufficient?

> Zith
> Location: Green Mountain Falls, CO
> Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject:
> I’m not real concerned about the car looking lifted because
> I think the extra height of a 60 profile will be an advantage with where I live.

Sure. Tall is good.

> but talking to the neighbor they get moderate levels of snow,
> and enough ice to make a studded tire absolutely necessary.

Do they have AWD ?

> I’ve been doing most of my research on DiscountTire.com which doesn’t offer any 205/55R15s snows, hence my stupid sounding comments above. Of course they don’t offer 205/50R15

No problem; Buy where you like. It is an odd size. I am surprised Direct does not have it though.

> So it sounds like a 205/60R15 is probably not ideal for moderate/heavy snow
> if it starts collecting in the fenders.

I only had a problem with 205/55 when I was doing doughnuts in a parking lot.
It all depends where you live and how much snow & ice you get.

> I saw a 195/60R15 was recommended in a few other threads,

Sure decent choice.

> Since no one picked up on it, I assume my non-stock sized wheels aren't an issue?

Not really. Stock wheel is 15x 6.5. Not enought to make a difference with your 15x7.
195 may look a bit stretched on the rim ?

How much off the speedometer going to be off ?
Probably not much, and you are not going to be speeding on snow and ice ?
Visited a tire calcualtor to play with different tire ratios ?

> It sounds like there are some mixed opinions on that,
> which is why I’m having trouble making my $450 decision

Listen to your neighbors for their experience on the past snow type
and depth. Then make your own decision on price and size.

The size I want is always out of stock when I want to buy.
I bought the 205/55 R15 as a close out, got 6 for $300,
5 mounted free. Used the 6th when I got a flat.

Regards;

i had those 195x55's on stock rims and the looked fine, no stretching

actually, if you look, the perellis in 195/60 are only $72 a tire, plus $15/tire to stud them. BTW, don't get their warranty package, its complete crap. you can to file a claim, take it to a shop for them to verify the claim, and if they can't fix it, you have to wait for the tire to come in the mail. even if you do go though all that, you will have to replace all 4 if theres too much wear, and they won't cover the other 3.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... es&place=6

Zith, im having an alltrac meet this saturday. you should come up to denver and take some photo's with us. we may have up to 5 white st185's if you come

You may not care that your speedo is off, but your differentials may object to having the spare tire being a different size than the other 3 non-flat tires.

The 195/55 is the best match.

Blizzak WS50 are amazing in the snow, but not for long. The sticky rubber quickly wears off, leaving an average winter tire. But they are great when they are new.

I'm used to having a speedo that's off, and I certainly won't be speeding in the snow anyway! If I get a flat, I'll probably try and convince AAA to flatbed my car home rather than put a mis-matched spare on (but either way it's not too long of a drive).

I just ordered the Hankooks in a 195/60. Money talks sometimes :doh:. $80 a tire with studs, no shipping. An additional $150 for a set of 4 didn't seem worth it when both tires seem highly rated.

Denver_whiteST185 - Can you get me some more info on the meet? I'll do my best to try and make it IF I can get the back to running condition. Finishing up a mostly straight intake, battery and fuse box move. Gotta run the idea past the g/f too.
It'd be a tough drive, as I'm still not used to this clutch thing.

175/80/14 -rock
:evil:

lol at builder bob ha ha ha