HELP Snowing Bad In Rochester..235/60r16 snow tires ? Useable

[NyRider]

Getting bout 2-3 inches of snow every night here. I have some brand new 235/60r16 tires and was just wondering if I could run the snow tires on my 97 q45. It currently has 215/60r16 on it. Would it be ok to at least put (2) 235's in the back of the car and leave the 215's in the front. the load and speed index of the 235 all meet the requirements of the car but can I run this width without any major problems? Help

[NyRider]

Well I did some reaserch and answered my own question -- Yes they will fit all of these will fit (--->(664x215mm). Bolt pattern: 5x114.3 (5x4.5). Offset: 35 to 45 mm. Tires up to 704x255mm. Rims up to 21x9.0". <--) Without any major problems.

but my question still is Will it be ok to run 215/60r16 on the front with the 235/60r16 tires on the back.

[maxnix]

If you want to be safe, the same snow tires all around.

How will you stop or steer with non-snow tires up front?

[NyRider]

sorry I forgot to mention the 215 are also snow tires but I have 2 bald and 2 good ones I want to replace the bald ones with the 235's becuase the 235 are new just wondering if it will be ok to. I figure something like 4-wheelers that have wider tires in the back and skinny tires in the front supposedly skinny tires steer better in snow but your right when it comes to stopping.

Also I dont know sh** when it comes to tires but seem to be an expert at destroying everything .PLEASE HELP

[Q45tech]

New soft snow tires are better than hard worn out snow tires.

That factor alone should mitigate the minor rolling diameter differences.......since you will be traveling slow in snow anyway.

Obviously the TCS might get confused but that is minor, the software usually has the ability to take note of different sizes fore and aft.

Never mix sizes on same axle [across front or rear].

We had one Q come in with not only 4 different brand tires but 4 different sizes................215/60,and 215/65,...........225,235............needless to say no tech would take it for a test drive...........the owner couldn't understand why we were concerned.

[maxnix]

Believe it or not, the best tires always go up front. Control is more important than acceleration.

[NyRider]

So I it would be ok seeing as the diffrence is in the width not height. And if I do then I should put the (2) 235 tires in the front correct

[maxnix]

2 new ones in front.

Circumference is the key. But also be aware that different brands of snow tires behave differently. Also, if ever driven at high speed for very long above 50°F, they are probably worn.

Short of it, see if you can get two more of the same brand and size to match your 2 best snow tires.

[NyRider]

thanks, for clearing that up. ONE more question, I can get (2) more new 235's tires but they would be a diffrent thread pattern/ brand am I ok/safe/better off going this route

[CrimsonQ]

thanks, for clearing that up. ONE more question, I can get (2) more new 235's tires but they would be a diffrent thread pattern/ brand am I ok/safe/better off going this route

Its ok, not really unsafe. But if you can its always best to run the same. at least thats how i feel about it, maybe no truth to that

yes i post uselessness

[Jesda]

Its the rear that slides out and loses traction much more than the front -- you can't steer the back side of your Q. Put the new ones on the rear wheels.

[NyRider]

Well I put the 235/60-16 tires in the back. Wow what a diffrence . In places were I would hit the gas and know that my back would spin out , now it dosent. 235 series are used in 1998 s600 benz so I figure for such a heavy car they should impose some sort of positive factor. I decided in going with the 215-60-16 tires in the front. Right know I have the bald one's on but with the 235 my stopping distance is still great. I ordered the 215 - to match the 235's (same brand and models) going for the whole snow ski theory. well I'll let cha know how it gose's

[NyRider]

Well I put the 215 in the front and still got the 235 in the back. The car handles extremly well in the snow stopping and steering is at its best I cant complain

[slinger5150]

Live in Denver, and we've been getting hit hard with snow this year. Don't know about where you're from, but my winter snow tires are studded. Makes a night and day difference. While SUV's are spinning all 4 across an intersection, the traction controls kicks in a couple times then the tires dig in and fly. Next thing you know I'm about a half block past the intersection and all the 4x4's are images in my rearview mirror!

[Rex]

FWIW, studded tires (and chains) are illegal in some states, though I think most fo the worst snow states still allow them.

[slinger5150]

That's why I said "don't know where you're from". I know they're illegal in some states, but not in CO. Studs and chains are legal here, and required in the mountains for semi-trucks in the winter. I didn't know what the law was in N.Y. They do get hit pretty hard with snow.

[ScottJackson]

We had one Q come in with not only 4 different brand tires but 4 different sizes................215/60,and 215/65,...........225,235............needless to say no tech would take it for a test drive...........the owner couldn't understand why we were concerned.

HA! Sounds like what would happen if my dad were left to his own decisions. He's always coming home from auctions with car/truck tires loaded up in the back of the truck that he gets simply because they're cheap. I'll look through them and ask, "Where's the matching tire for any of these?". He'll then tell me about how they'll fit on the rim of one car/truck or another and we can use which ever ones are closest to the rest of the tires on the car. I then explain to him that the stresses and wear that can cause will end up costing a lot more than just buying used tires in pairs (if he insists we don't pay for new tires for our high mileage farm rigs). As a result we have several BUILDINGS full of old, mostly bald, age cracked tires that will never get used for anything. He told me just yesterday that he put the spare tire on the back of our Isuzu Trooper because it had "really good tread" and he wanted to get some use out of it. Well that tire is a full size spare, but it's not the same brand OR size as the other 4 wheels on the Trooper. So it looks like I'll be doing yet another tire swap when I get home this weekend.