We live in upstate New York and I am looking to buy a set of winter tires+wheels for my wife’s 2018 Subaru Forester. Tirerack.com recommends going one size down and getting 16" wheels instead of the OEM 17" (215/70-16 vs 226/60-17 to be precise). I understand their logic about advantage of narrow ti…

As long as the smaller tires have the same load-carrying capacity as the OEM tires, then you can downsize with confidence for your winter tires. Tirerack is a very reputable company and they wouldn’t be suggesting it if it wasn’t based on valid engineering principles. All of that being said, when…

For my Honda Civic my winter tires are slightly narrower and slightly higher profile than the OEM size, with a bit lower load carrying rating. That has worked out well.

I am also in upstate NY. I have purchased winter tires with wheels for two vehicles from Tire Rack, both sets with smaller wheels and narrower tires. They worked great.

Yes, there is a potential downside. First see if your vehicle had a base model with 16" steel wheels. I know the 2014 did but I don’t know if the 2017 did. If it did not, then you will need to go to the Subaru dealer’s parts department and see if the front rotors are interchangeable. If they are…

tirerack can probably be trusted to sell you steel wheels that fit. They might want to know the VIN, and can take it from there. My first winter tires came from tirerack, already mounted on steel rims, shipped to my workplace. I still use those rims, 20 years later, but with newer winter tires.

I remember seeing model t going through mud anything but a 4wd would have trouble with. I don’t know how hey did in show but the skinnier tire could be good.

We’ve had this discussion before but I just don’t buy the idea of narrower tires getting down through snow easier to the bare pavement. Narrow or wide you simply compact the snow below the tire not displace it like a boat in water. Like I said before when I switched my 59 Pontiac from bald wide ov…

I had snow tires on my 65 impala. Better traction then non snow tires. Posi and glide trans. Awesome traction. Never got stuck. Had a 67 fury with new tires and snow use was terrible

Going a size down for winter tires?

Maintenance/Repairs

wentwest February 7, 2021, 6:23pm 5

I suspect the lower profile tires with the larger rims give slightly better handling in corners, at speed. Most of us don’t drive anywhere near those limits, but we’ve been conditioned to like the look. I always had a set of smaller diameter rims with higher aspect ratio winter tires for my car in snow country.

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Going a size down for winter tires?

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