I need new tires soon. Both LT215 and LT245 are the same diameter as the P255/70R16's on the truck right now (C1500 Silverado), and both have higher load range. I'm trying to achieve better gas mileage and better traction on snow and ice. Narrower tires should do that, but I wonder if the 215's might handle different than I'm used to? Also I still have a P255 for a spare (it's never been on the ground), does that enter the equation?
Bob
LT's run at a higher tire pressure. There is more to gas mileage than the width of the tires. The wider tire could have a lower rolling resistance than the narrower tire. Reality check! any difference will not be noticed unless you choose a totally junk tire. You also want a simple highway tread.
Better traction is based on tread design and composition. A more aggressive and wider tread has always done me well. That has a small cost in gas mileage (at the most about $50 a year extra in gas), but with the benefit of better handling and a safer vehicle (better traction and control in snow and wet conditions and better breaking and handling). There are 2 trains of thought with snow and it depends on what type of snow you get in your area. Narrower tires sink down more to the base to get traction there, but at a severe handling (cornering) cost. Wider tires get more of a grip and float on the snow. Coming from Buffalo, NY I always went and still go with the wider tire. My choice.
On ice, the more tread you have in contact the better. That means a wider tire. You also want a softer tire, a P-metric instead of a stiffer sidewall LT.
Your three priorities call for different solutions. Pick your priority and choose accordingly. My fairly aggressive Coopers are LT tires and I really didn't notice any gas mileage hit for going from mildly aggressive OEM P-metrics to good all-terrain LT tires. I have excellent snow and relatively good ice traction. My suburban also handled better than my Toyota Corolla until I got new, more aggressive and wider tires for it.
All good advice except this above, Wider tires never get more grip in the snow, they float instead of biting, due to less road pressure. And are useless, just like low profile tires in the snow . Wider is always better in summer, narower is always always better in the snow. reality is there isnt long clear patches of ice either . Narrow tires are better on ice and snow, Because of increased road pressure due to less tire footprint . poor tread design on a narrow tire can make a wider tire better. But Im not concened with cheap tires. Or touring tires or summer tires. Snow tires will always out perform any tires in ice and snow. Maybe he should concider two or four snow tires in the winter.
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