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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / October 2009Help me buy snow tires and wheels?
For several years now I've threatened to buy snow tires and quit using all season tires for winter driving. This is the year so need some advice. I live in northern Missouri so we can definitely get ice, snow, etc. I own a 2000 Mazda Protege ES car and the speed rating is a "V" cause this is the sport version of this car. I looked at buying a snow tire wheel "combo" from TireRack but they want to sell me some fancy, nice looking wheels when all I want is some plain old steel rims! They also wanted me to "downsize" on the snow tire rims to 14" from 15"! Where can I get plain, steel rims for my snow tires? And why the recommendations to use 14" rims? Or should I just get some tires to fit my present rims and swap tires every season? Advice? > Where can I get plain, steel rims for my snow tires? Tire Rack should have them. Call Rudy Riedel at ext. 664 and ask. Rudy's a Miata guy, and he's 100% trustworthy. > And why the recommendations to use 14" rims? They're cheaper, and let you run higher-profile tires with skinnier treads. In snow, skinny is better. But you need to be sure 14" wheels fit over your brake calipers; if the standard OEM wheel was 14", then you're fine. BTW, I don't believe any consumer snow tire is V rated. Don't drive a snow tire over 100 mph. Maybe even 80 mph.  SignatureLanny Chambers St. Louis, MO '94C > They're cheaper, and let you run higher-profile tires with skinnier > treads. In snow, skinny is better. But you need to be sure 14" wheels > fit over your brake calipers; if the standard OEM wheel was 14", then > you're fine. It seems like it was 2001 when the sport model had brakes big enough to need 15 inch or larger wheels, but it may have been 2000. Definitely needs checking. Just slip any 14 inch Miata or Honda wheel on there and see if it clears. They should have a 14" wheel/tire combo up there that can be used to test it for fit. Pat > t seems like it was 2001 when the sport model had brakes big enough to > need 15 inch or larger wheels, but it may have been 2000. Um...it's a Protege, Pat, not a Miata. SignatureLanny Chambers St. Louis, MO '94C >> t seems like it was 2001 when the sport model had brakes big enough to >> need 15 inch or larger wheels, but it may have been 2000. > > Um...it's a Protege, Pat, not a Miata. Ahhhh, missed that. Trying a 14" wheel from a Protege or Miata on for size will still work anyway. Pat > For several years now I've threatened to buy snow tires and > quit using all season tires for winter driving. This is the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > they want to sell me some fancy, nice looking wheels when all > I want is some plain old steel rims! Did you tell them you wanted stamped steel wheels? > They also wanted me to "downsize" on the snow tire rims to 14" > from 15"! That's generally what people do. You want snow tires to be narrower, so going down a wheel size is very common. > Where can I get plain, steel rims for my snow tires? Tire Rack sells them with snow tires mounted and balanaced. > And why the recommendations to use 14" rims? It's usually cheaper. > Or should I just get some tires to fit my present rims and > swap tires every season? It's a lot easier having a second set of wheels. SignatureGrant Edwards grante Yow! TAILFINS!! ... click at ... visi.com On Oct 28, 6:55 pm, m...@privacy.net wrote: > For several years now I've threatened to buy snow tires > and quit using all season tires for winter driving. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Advice? my advise is to listen to tire racks advise. they are good. they have steel rims, it is good to go down a size and up in side wall. one thing tr doesnt have is nokian hakkapalitta's (sp?), which are also a good choice for ice tires. look up pat greer iirc http://www.dias.net/~greerent/ it is a good idea to concentrate on ice qualities of the tires as ice is on the roads more than snow.... hth, peter >my advise is to listen to tire racks advise. they are good. they >have steel rims, it is good to go down a size and up in side wall. >one thing tr doesnt have is nokian hakkapalitta's (sp?), which are >also a good choice for ice tires. look up pat greer iirc >http://www.dias.net/~greerent/ > it is a good idea to concentrate on ice qualities of the tires as Thanks Advice taken Just seems weird that going down an inch in rim size allows for taller tire. Wont the total diameter of tire/rim combo be same no matter what rim size used? But at any rate.... I will call tire rack and enquire abt steel rims > Just seems weird that going down an inch in rim size > allows for taller tire. Wont the total diameter of > tire/rim combo be same no matter what rim size used? Not a taller tire. A narrower tire, with a rounder cross section. Since the contact patch area will be about the same at a given inflation pressure, a narrower footprint will also be "longer" front-to-rear. That improves acceleration and braking traction. Skinny tires also carve through deep snow more easily than wide ones. SignatureLanny Chambers St. Louis, MO '94C >> Just seems weird that going down an inch in rim size >> allows for taller tire. Wont the total diameter of >> tire/rim combo be same no matter what rim size used? > > Not a taller tire. A narrower tire, with a rounder cross > section. By "taller" he may have been referring to the sidewall height rather than the tire radius/diameter. My winter wheel/tire combo is a little bit larger in diameter, but it's pretty negligible. > Since the contact patch area will be about the same at a given > inflation pressure, a narrower footprint will also be "longer" > front-to-rear. That improves acceleration and braking > traction. Skinny tires also carve through deep snow more > easily than wide ones. SignatureGrant |
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