Re: Snow tires for 4000S

["John Corbishley" <gtr1@traverse.com>]

As I understand it, as long as you have matched the tire size to the rim
width you should be fine, although you need to check the resulting overall
diameter and consider what impact that might have on the other systems in
the car.  On the 4000 I would think that it will only be the speedo, but in
my wife's Jetta GLX VW specifies that one should not vary more than +-
0.5inch on either side of the stock wheel/tire diameter.  The Tire Rack's
web page has the formula for computing this.  They also have recommended
wheel/snow tire combinations for most cars on their web site.  I used the
formula and then figured out what Hakka to get from Greer Enterprises in WI.

John Corbs
-----Original Message-----
From: Browning David (TVCS) <BrowningD@tce.com>
Cc: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 1999 6:06 PM
Subject: RE: Snow tires for 4000S


>Say "hypothetically", that all I wanted was the best snow/ice traction to
be
>had and could swap back to my regular tires at will.  Would the 155's be
>alright (I watch to much Speedvision and see those WRC cars with their
>studded "bicycle" tires) or would the handling be comprised even in the
>snow/ice?
>
>Thanks for you inputs.
>dB
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Don Hoefer [SMTP:hoefer@jaxom.eng.pko.dec.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 1999 3:04 PM
>> To: BrowningD@tce.com
>> Cc: quattro@coimbra.ans.net
>> Subject: Re: Snow tires for 4000S
>>
>> David,
>>
>> > I have a 4000S with the standard 185/60-14 (100mm bolt pattern) tires
>> and
>> > was wondering if anyone has tried something like using 13" VW rims with
>> > narrow 155/80-13 snow tires.  Or if this is crazy, what would be the
>> best
>> > combination and model tire to use.  I probably really don't need them
>> here
>> > in Indianapolis, but I'm curious what I could get if I really wanted
>> snow
>> > tires.
>>
>> Don't go that small.  Go with the 175/70-13s for snows.  I have even
tried
>> this size on my Coupe for snows.  It can't be beat in unplowed snow.  You
>> won't bend the 14" alloy wheels on the spring potholes either.  That was
>> the biggest reason I went with that size for snows.  The 185/60-14 does
>> give better performance on pavement.
>>
>> For 13" rims, try to get 5.5" width.  5" will work and will be more
>> readily
>> available.
>>
>> Don Hoefer
>> '82 Coupe
>>
>> Massachusetts, USA
>