snow tires on ordinary rim?

Car Stats: 185/75/14 all-season-tires.

I am wondering if its ok to buy a set of snow tires and stick it on my ordinary rim? ie. take the all-season-tires off the rim and stick on some snow tires? Or do you have to buy winter rims?

By the way, my car has 185/75/14 type tires right now. What winter tires size can I savely put on it? can I go with say 195/60/14?

This morning it was raining really bad. I was driving down a small hill and the guy in front of me had to stop quickly, I was about 10 meters behind the guy and so I stomp on the brake too. My car was just sliding on the road like a hockey puck. Just as it came to about 5 inches from the car in front of me, it came to a stop. I was scared and don't know what saved me from that loud bang. Yep! its time to get winter tires put on.

Reply to
Joseph
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There is no functional difference between the rims your car came with and "winter rims." That said if your car has alloy wheels a lot of people in that situation might buy a set of steel wheels for winter to keep road salt etc. from eating through the clearcoat and corroding your alloys. But the short answer to your question is that you can either buy another set of rims or not, makes no functional difference.

That said, at least around here, getting tires mounted and balanced is getting to be almost extortionately expensive; buying a set of steel wheels from a junkyard might be cheaper in the long run. It's getting to be $20-25 a tire at most tire shops/gas stations unless you can get a "buddy rate."

If you drive a Volkswagen be aware you might need shorter lug bolts with steel wheels if you have rear drums. (ask me how I know this...)

nate

Reply to
N8N

Stick with the 185s, narrower is better during winter driving.

Reply to
Steve Mackie

How do you know this Nate? Just have to ask is all.

Reply to
speedy4u23

I'd bet that Nate has a vw and bought steel rims.

Roy

Reply to
Roy

Yes

I'd stick with the same size. Bigger tires don't equal better traction. Narrow tires will bite better in the snow. [more pounds per square inch touching the road to grab traction]

If you had winter tires chances are you would have hit that car. [Unless the all-weather tires you have are worn out.] Check the tires you pick out for their performance on; dry pavement; wet roads; loose snow; packed snow; and ice.

No tire will be best in all departments. Studded tires are best for ice/packed snow but worst for dry/wet roads. Most of the all weather tires I've loked at are better on wet roads than straight snow/winter tires.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

I agree that studded tires are probably best, particularly on ice. We started getting penalized (taxes) to run studded tires, and many changed over to the nonstudded winter tires.

I think the nonstudded have improved a lot, and do a great job in most instances.

I tried to drive one winter using Michelins that were rated as all weather tires, but they just weren't good enough for several months of ice driving.

We tried to always have a separate set of wheel for our summer and winter tires. Having to change tire types twice a year was bad enough, but to have to switch them onto the same set of rims was a real PITA.

Reply to
<HLS

And he tried to use the original bolts, and they bottomed out in the bolt holes.

Reply to
X-rated Vermonter

Hi...

If you have to pay someone to change tires on the rims, I suspect that by the time you'd done it a year or two you'd have paid more than it would have cost you to buy another set of rims. Particularly if you can find a half decent set a junkyard.

Take care.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Weitzel

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