Snow tires

[sbushnak]

Good day all, I have searched the forums for answers but could not find anything for my car.

Currently I have stock wheels with 205/65/15 tires and I am looking for a set of snow tires.

I always prefer to buy the exact OEM size but are there any other sizes that will work fine with the stock wheels? Car in question is a 1996 Infiniti I30.

Thanks in advance.
Alex

[tigersharkdude]

my stock size was 215/65/15, you could probably fit a 225/65/15. You can change the middle number (aspect ratio of width to height). I wouldnt advise going any lower than 50 for snow tires.

Any questions just ask, I check the forum A LOT

[sbushnak]

Thanks. How about 195? Will that work as well?

[tigersharkdude]

with a 195 you may risk having to narrow of a tire, and the lip of the wheel may be exposed more. In the snow you want more contact area for better traction

[MinisterofDOOM]

205-65-15 is indeed the OEM size. 195 will be just fine. I'd go 195-70-15. They'll be slightly taller (only about an inch), but not as much taller as 195-65-15 will be shorter (inch and a half). And that's discounting sidewall flex, which is significant in tall-profile tires like those...so in the end you probably won't even notice a difference.

If you're looking for suggestions on specific snow tires, I ran Hankook iPikes on my Q45 and was very impressed. Generally Hankook has not been a brand I put much faith in, but those tires inspire a LOT of confidence in the snow and even just rain.

In the snow you want more contact area for better traction

Actually, this is exactly backward.

NARROWER tires are better in snow. Wider tires distribute their load over a greater area and thus "float" on the snow (same principle as snowshoes). This is bad for traction. Narrower tires distribute the load over a smaller area and sink through the snow better. Siping (one of the main benefits of snow tires) is of no use if the tires can't contact solid surface below the snow (even ice). And the chunky deep tread of snow tires also benefit from more "sink" as it gives them more to bite on.

Narrower is always better with snow tires, within the limits of your wheel size.

[tigersharkdude]

Actually, this is exactly backward.

NARROWER tires are better in snow. Wider tires distribute their load over a greater area and thus sink into the snow (same principle as snowshoes). This is bad for traction. Narrower tires distribute the load over a smaller area and sink through the snow better. Siping (one of the main benefits of snow tires) is of no use if the tires can't contact solid surface below the snow (even ice). And the chunky deep tread of snow tires also benefit from more "sink" as it gives them more to bite on.

Narrower is always better with snow tires, within the limits of your wheel size.

I didnt know that. We dont get much snow down here (maybe 6 inches a year) so I just have to by what Ive read

[Chris92SE]

The stock size (205/65/15) is one of the most common 15 inch car tire sizes, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find snow tires.

Use a tire calculator to figure out what else might work. Just stay within 3-4 percent of stock size and you should be fine. I would still recommend using the stock size.

http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp

It might be that tire companies don't even make sizes that are close enough to bother. Like a 195/70/15 would mathematically be really close, but I think that is a size only for trailers.

[sbushnak]

thank you all for your replies.

Yesterday I bought a set of General Arctic 205/65/15 and they are performing well in the snow, at least better than my Kumho tires!

Thanks and take care.