[s-cars] Winter tyres and wheels

[Ed Kellock]

Tire compound should be based on the type of winter conditions you get.
Tire size should be a function of wheel choice.  The smaller the diameter of
the wheel the more sidewall height you can get.

If you are not limited by a brake upgrade, the OEM winter/all-season
wheel/tire for the urS cars was a 15x7.5 wheel with 215/60-15 tires.  An
alternative tire size which would be more appropriate for winter is
205/65-15.
The stock summer wheels for you car were 16x7.5 and an appropriate size for
a winter wheel would be 205/55-16.  With the earlier urS 5-spoke wheels that
were 16x8, you might not be able to go 205, instead 215/55-16.

If you intend to put winter tires on your current wheels, then you'll most
likely be limited by wheel width.  With 245 summer tires, you are hopefully
running no less than 8-inch wide wheels.  This will limit your tire choice
to absolutely no less than a 205, as in 205/50-17, but possibly no less than
215 depending on the specific tire and the installer you choose.  Both are
typically not recommended for wheels over 7.5 inches wide, but it has been
my experience that there is some grey area to work with there.

I bought a set of the OEM winter package wheels, 15x7.5 and they were
mounted with 195/65-15 tires.  I wasn't very comfortable with that fitment.
The tires were really stretched to fit the 7.5 wheel.  But it can be done.
However, the load rating is what then becomes a concern, hence the XL
comment by another responder.

Hope this helps,
Ed

On 9/20/06, iain.atkinson at tesco.net <iain.atkinson at tesco.net> wrote:
>
> Folks thinking about getting a set of winter rubber, never having done
> this before i have some really dumb basic questions.
>
> 1. Do i get the same size as my summer tyres?? If not then what size is
> best??
>
> 2. Should i just get a cheap set of used of wheels and put them on that??
>
>
> my car is an urs6 currently running 17" wheels with 245 tyres
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Iain
>
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