Tire sizes

[Joe Yakubik <75363.2524@compuserve.com>]

Marc Weiner asks:

Is there much difference/advantage to using 225/50/16 vs 205/55/16 as snow
tires?

Yes, there is a difference.  The 225's will not "cut" into the snow as well as
the skinnier 205's; but the wider tire should do better out of snow.  The Tire
Rack (and Bridgestone) did a test comparing several tires, among them two sets
of Blizzaks, one 215/60R-15, one 205/70R-14. 

tire size -- dry/45 mph --  wet/45 mph -- snow 45 mph -- snow/0-300 feet
215 --       90 feet --       190 feet ----       48 feet ---           41 mph
205 --       88 feet --       164 feet ----       42 feet ---           42 mph

These are non-ABS braking numbers.

One other factor:  Do you ski?  How adamant are the Colorado troopers about
"snow chains required" in the passes? Will they accept "But I've got 4 wheel
drive and mud & snow tires"?  You will be hard pressed to find a set of chains
for the 225's.  Of course the question:  "Chains on a quattro?"

I use 225's on my car year round.  In the winter I wish I had something
skinnier.  I've only spun (so far) when I wanted too, I've never been stuck, but
there was an occasion or two when I would have liked a few extra feet between my
front end and some other hard object.  

It's a compromise:  price/performance/flexibility.  

Joe Yakubik
225/50/16's as studded snow tires.  What were they thinking?