Quote:
Originally Posted by Chill Cosby
Are the benefits to sizing down on your winter tires myth or fact?
I've got 18"s on my car, and I'm sticking with them for the winter. I've been told that going down (I could go down to 16) makes the ride smoother and that it handles better, but I've also been told that while it may make the ride smoother, it has no impact on the ability of the winter tires.
So what's the truth? I'd be interested in seeing a study of some sort that sheds a bit of light on the situation, as it kind of seems like one of those "auto myths" that is just accepted by a lot of people. Is it more?
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I'm always a proponent for downsizing the wheel size for winter. The main reason? You have a lot more sidewall to take impacts with the chunks of ice, frost heaves and potholes that we see. A thin sidewall tire on a large rim? Leave that for summer (I still don't). As Burninator mentioned, it's a hell of a lot cheaper too.
In regards to increasing performance? Maybe. Technically you have more sidewall flex and may run at a lower pressure, so it theoretically could grip the road better.But dry winter pavement performance could be reduced due to the flex and roll in the increased sidewall height.