When it comes to winter driving, narrower tires have an easier time plowing through snow. This is one of the reasons we recommend smaller aftermarket wheels for winter on most vehicles when shopping for a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package. Another reason for downsizing is to protect your wheels…
…longtime Tire Rack customer who was looking for a new set of winter / snow tires for his hybrid SUV. He was surprised to see our Preferred Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package didn't feature a narrower tire size. Many drivers benefit from a narrow tires ability to cut through deeper snow, but…
…gets narrower as it will with a narrower width tire, it has to get longer. And the mechanics of the longer footprint help with the longitudinal traction for acceleration and braking. You can try to achieve a narrower solution for your vehicle in different ways: * Shop by vehicle in the winter…
"Why does Tire Rack recommend narrower tires for winter use?" It's all about physics. Wider tire sizes have to plow through the snow which causes more resistance and a tendency to float. A narrower option, with a smaller contact patch, has more weight per square inch that helps the tire…
…Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT * Dunlop Winter Maxx * Yokohama iceGUARD iG20 * Yokohama iceGUARD iG52c If you go with a Studless Ice & Snow tire, you should consider going with a narrower tire as it cuts through deeper snow better. This is especially true for a lighter car like the MINI Cooper, but…
…preferred for deep snow use, they're the better choice for this particular wheel application. Bridgestone's Blizzak LM-60 is offered in these size configurations for the 2012-13 winter season. If you need narrower tires for more severe snow and ice conditions, an 18" Winter Tire &…
…narrower tire doesn't change the air chamber of the tire. In fact, the amount of space is nearly the same as the factory tire. The pressure also carries the load of the vehicle, so the factory pressure will go unchanged. Now that I have found the right Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package for…
…also have tires in a wider size that hurt winter driving performance. I always suggest an affordable wheel and tire package for winter, downsizing the wheel and tire whenever possible. By downsizing, you get a higher sidewall aspect ratio along with a narrower tread width that helps the tire cut the…
…decision of picking the best winter tire for my driving conditions. I considered the category of studless ice and snow tires for these offer the best traction in the worst of weather. I had narrowed my choice to the following three tires: Continental Extreme Winter Contact, Bridgestone Blizzak WS60,…
…a set of winter / snow tires for the colder months. While many drivers opt for a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package, some will choose to install winter / snow tires on their original wheels, which are often 19" diameter. In general, narrower tires are better for navigating through winter…
…Downsizing to the narrower 205/55R16 size is paying off. When approaching slush or snow, you can feel the car and tire slice through the wintry mix with ease. Handling and braking do suffer a slight bit with the more narrow tire, but I opted for this size for winter use, not for ultimate handling…
…options in winter tires. Also, narrower tires will give you better winter traction than a wider option, so if you have a staggered wider rear set-up, switching to a square narrower set-up will help. For more help selecting the proper winter tire, read "Size Selection of Winter / Snow…
…Compared to your factory 215/55R17, 205/65R16 is about a 1/2" narrower and 2/10" larger in diameter so they're narrow enough for deeper snow but wide enough to handle ice and packed snow. Winter Wheel Our winter wheel list has been filtered to only show more resilient finishes so…
…when it comes to winter traction a narrower tire is more effective in cutting through snow and is often more economical. As a moderator of a few BMW forums, I'm often asked if one can eliminate the stagger set-up and run the same size winter / snow tires in the front and rear. For most vehicles, the…
…Winter / Snow Wheel & Tire Package For a Performance Winter / Snow package, the Pirelli Scorpion Winter's combination of winter capability and dry road performance make it ideal. Specifically, check out the 235/55R19 Pirelli Scorpion Winter N0 on 19x8.5 5-112 ET 22 Axis Model Two for the…
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