The Winter's Coming Winter Tires Thread

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I just check tire tread depth and put the ones with the deepest tread up front. For me, it's not that big a deal as my car is full time AWD. But I figure since the front still has more weight and does the turning, it still wears out fast than the back tires.

For winter tires, they're usually directional, so you can really only swap front and back tires on the same side around.

I believe its highly recommended to put the better tires on the rear....

https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/...-front-or-back

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by greyshep

I believe its highly recommended to put the better tires on the rear....

https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/...-front-or-back

The problem is you end up wearing out the fronts on a FWD if you keep doing that. It's the reason to rotate. Ideally you never let them get bad enough that the difference is that big. But if you keep putting the slightly better ones on the rear, you end up with worn out fronts. A minor difference in tread won't matter, so I'd always put the slightly better ones on the drive wheels.

[The Yen Man]

Honestly, my front and rear are pretty much the same. On the tread meter, they're only about 0.5 off of each other at most, so I don't really worry too much front or rear. I just make sure for winters, I have it on the correct side.

[Fuzz]

Forecast tomorrow scared me into doing my tires tonight. Normally I wouldn't care since we don't drive much, or just do the car, but my wife and I both need to go out at the same time in the morning, and it could be a struggle fest out there.


Got to the third tire and my trusty Mastercraft impact gun took a poop. Fortunately it was easy to open and a giant release spring was holding the engagement pawl plate from popping forward. A little tapping with the persuader set it loose and sent gear grease flying. Good thing I had my safety squints on.


Ah well, job done for the season. It sure is nice to have a heated garage to do this in now, with all my tires right there. I used to have to excavate them from the back of my rickety shed and across the yard, carry a heavy floor jack and compressor up from the basement, and freeze my ass off in the driveway. This is much better.

[burn_this_city]

Installed mine on Sunday, weather network foretold imminent doom so I did both vehicles when it was still warm. Bought new Michelin PA4s for my daily driver, they are really nice on dry pavement so far, you can barely tell they are winters.

[rotten42]

Having my winters put on this morning. Beating the rush. I run a complete set of tires/rims.

[Northendzone]

i did mine last night. Swapping them takes an hour, and then cleaning and moving the ones coming off to my storage area beside my hosue takes about the same amount of time.

putting a dollop of grease on the back of each rim where it sits on the hub sure makes it much easier to remove.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i did mine last night. Swapping them takes an hour, and then cleaning and moving the ones coming off to my storage area beside my hosue takes about the same amount of time.

putting a dollop of grease on the back of each rim where it sits on the hub sure makes it much easier to remove.

Oh dammit, I totally forgot to do that on the Subaru. They get stuck every time. I usually use a smear of anti seize. Oh well, problem for spring Fuzz.

[Sliver]

Crap, I didn't do that, either. Can't believe it, too, because my summers were a pain in the d**k to get off and I had to hammer them from the back with a rubber mallet.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

This. From 19” 35 profile in summer, to 18” 55 Hakka’s.
Cars a tank.

Well isn’t this embarrassing. The 55 profiles just barely rubbed my fender liners.

45 it is.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Well isn’t this embarrassing. The 55 profiles just barely rubbed my fender liners.

45 it is.

Yeah, I'm not really surprised here. Going from a 35 series 19" tire to a 55 series 18" tire is a significant change in diameter if you kept the same width.


Should probably run your selection through a tire calculator: https://tiresize.com/calculator/

Eg: Running a 245/35/19 and switching to a taller sidewall 18" wheel/tire combo for winter:

245/35R19 - Diameter: 25.8"
245/40R18 - Diameter: 25.7"
245/45R18 - Diameter: 26.7"
245/55R18 - Diameter: 28.6"

It'll also knock out your speedometer too.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Well isn’t this embarrassing. The 55 profiles just barely rubbed my fender liners.

45 it is.

Yeah 55 is a big jump. I went from 225/35/19 & 265/30/19 to 215/45/18 & 245/40/18. 40/45 sidewall is a bit safari for my car but with the pothole situation last winter spring I wanted the extra cushion.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Crap, I didn't do that, either. Can't believe it, too, because my summers were a pain in the d**k to get off and I had to hammer them from the back with a rubber mallet.

Try a tire next time. Hit the stuck tire with the tread side of the other tire. I had trouble with a stuck one time, tried a mallet with a board, lying on the ground kicking the tire, used the other tire and it came off easily.

[Calgary14]

What kind of grease?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

What kind of grease?

Bearing grease, but really anything would probably be fine that prevents moisture from causing rust. You can buy anti-sieze in a lipstick type tube(got mine at NAPA), which is less messy to apply.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

..... my trusty Mastercraft impact gun took a poop

Wow, that's something you don't see often. 'Trusty' and 'Mastercraft' together in the same sentence.

That's like 'good' and 'Oilers'....

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Wow, that's something you don't see often. 'Trusty' and 'Mastercraft' together in the same sentence.

That's like 'good' and 'Oilers'....

I only say that because it was under $50, and hadn't let me down in 10 years.

[1_Flames_Fan]

Too early to put on winter tires? I usually do both vehicles around early/mid November but people seem to say earlier is better? Thoughts?

Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk

[mrkajz44]

I usually do them around Remembrance Day and take them off around Easter. I feel like its just a bit too early to do it in October, but there is really no harm in doing them now.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

Too early to put on winter tires? I usually do both vehicles around early/mid November but people seem to say earlier is better? Thoughts?

Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk

lol, mid November? That doesn't even make sense. Why wouldn't you do it now...because - you know - it's snowing and below zero? Who would look at that forecast, let alone the snow on the ground, and be undecided about whether or not you should change your tires?