️snow tire recommendations

[plugboots]

OEM tires are whoever bid the lowest. Remember when Ford put those people-killing tires on those Explorers? They were like 1/2 ply, tissue belted. IIRC the Prius and it’s ilk had tires for mileage not another shitboxes.

[Meadow Skipper]

Re: shit oem - I just replaced the shit oem tires on my Tiguan with some 3PMSF tires. Coincidentally, I picked up a nail on the way to the tire place and drove in with a flat.

Michelin Crossclimate SUVs, I’m looking forward to see how these do on snow.

[Skistack]

OEM tires are the smoothest, lightest tires they can find to maximize mpg for CAFE standards.


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[grabtindy]

Just threw a set of Blizzak WS80 snows on the 18" alloys that came with my GTI. Happy so far, if anything a bit quieter than the OEM Pirellis. Going to go 19s and Michelin PS4S come spring.

[GimpToo]

I’ve been happy with my Michelin X-Ice that I just got. Much better road manners. Always been a blizzak guy, but they didn’t have the right size this time. I’ve found buying rims usually about pay for themselves within a couple years and means you can swap out tires on your own schedule, plus reduces the wear and tear of mounting/remounting.

Truth!!

[SB]

Get cheap steels and mount the Haks on those.


Finns are best at two things, killing Russians and making snow tires.

[utagonian]

Got new Hakkapeliitta R3's this year. Last year on r2s. From memory, the R3's seem better in snow and ice but not as good in dry. Really grippy on slick surfaces so far. When they do slide it is pretty predictable and linear.

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[utagonian]

I have blizzak dmv2's on my wife's SUV. We have been pleased with them.

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[XXX-er]

Get cheap steels and mount the Haks on those.


Finns are best at two things, killing Russians and making snow tires.

Not sure about the Russian killing but they DO make the best snow tires

those Finns are crazy they will drink to oblivion and the second highest population of Fins in the world is in Thunderbay Ontario

IME steelies pay for themselves in < 3 yrs

[XXX-er]

for snow tires or booze or to kill russians?

[XXX-er]

bit of a high overhead woosh there eh

2 tire changes a year adds up and in < 3 years you are ahead,

I've had the same steelies on 2 different cars since 2001 so i'm way ahead

I understand alcohol is heavily taxed in Finland so they go on booze-bus excursions to Russia

[summit]

What is up with the shitty oem tires. Just got the lady a new 2019 Forester and these things are just cheap. Will probably end up getting her Blizzaks or something similar if anyone has any recommendations, first Subaru.

Your stock is a 225/60R17 or 27.6". I know people have put 225/65R17 which is a 28.5" without rubbing which means you can (and should) definitely do a 215/65R17 which is a 28" tire with narrowed section width for better snow performance, particularly in slush or if you drag a wheel in snow like when changing lanes.

Now, you might be able to get a 215/70R17 which is a 28.9" and would fit an Outback alright, and this would get you an additional 0.6" of ground clearance over stock, but I don't know if Foresters are OK with that. I'm sure minor mod would solve any rubbing if there was any.

Whether you do 215/70R17 or 215/65R17, its going to offer you a noticeable boost in stability over a 225. Now, who makes real snow tires that are awesome and in those sizes?

Blizzak DMV2 (both sizes), Hakka R3 SUV (65 only), and Michy Xi3 (65 only)

[homebrewd]

Your stock is a 225/60R17 or 27.6". I know people have put 225/65R17 which is a 28.5" without rubbing which means you can (and should) definitely do a 215/65R17 which is a 28" tire with narrowed section width for better snow performance, particularly in slush or if you drag a wheel in snow like when changing lanes.

Now, you might be able to get a 215/70R17 which is a 28.9" and would fit an Outback alright, and this would get you an additional 0.6" of ground clearance over stock, but I don't know if Foresters are OK with that. I'm sure minor mod would solve any rubbing if there was any.

Whether you do 215/70R17 or 215/65R17, its going to offer you a noticeable boost in stability over a 225. Now, who makes real snow tires that are awesome and in those sizes?

Blizzak DMV2 (both sizes), Hakka R3 SUV (65 only), and Michy Xi3 (65 only)

Thanks Summit, I've been eyeing the hakkas for her. Will probably end up with those.

[summit]

I understand alcohol is heavily taxed in Finland so they go on booze-bus excursions to Russia

They do booze boats too!

When I took the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, everyone was talking about doing a little shopping and a ton of drinking. Finns can drink. Vana Tallinn is a good thing to drink. On the overnight ferry from Tallinn to Stockholm, everyone was freakin hammered and dancing while they played ski movies.

[neufox47]

My brother drove my CRV with Hakka 8s in the Donner pass shit show Saturday. His reaction was holy shit, these things are awesome.

[Rideski]

i get it just yanking yer tyre chain, eh.

I think they are trying to get you to yank their lug nuts.

[summit]

Thanks Summit, I've been eyeing the hakkas for her. Will probably end up with those.

No prob! They are sweet tires no doubt. I keep buying the DMV2 because when it comes time to buy the tires, I ask myself "is the Hakka 20% better? because it costs 20% more!" then I buy the Blizzaks. I don't buy the Xice3 (competitively priced to DMV2) because it has significantly less usable tread than the Blizzaks (Hakkas are inbetween).

[GeezerSteve]

I don't buy the Xice3 (competitively priced to DMV2) because it has significantly less usable tread than the Blizzaks (Hakkas are inbetween).

Please explain. Are you talking ice tread depth? X-Ice are grippy on ice for many miles after Blizzak ice compound wears off.

[summit]

Please explain. Are you talking ice tread depth? X-Ice are grippy on ice for many miles after Blizzak ice compound wears off.

Tread Depth
10.5/32 on Xi3
13/32 on blizzaks (special compound which wears off at when you are less than 6/32)

I want to change my snows out after 6/32 anyway because even though 4/32 complies with the law, it sucks in soft or slush snow.

That means that Blizzaks give 7/32 of consumable tread depth while Xi3 gives 4.5/32. Even if you change your Blizzaks at 6/32 and rode your Xi3 to 4/32, and the Blizzaks always have deeper avg tread depth during that tire life.

Also, since I can do a 215/70 Blizzak instead of a 215/65 Xi3 on an Outback, I just gained 3% more treadlife and 1/4" of extra ground clearance for the same relative price (the 70 Blizzaks are actually a few bucks cheaper than the 65s).

[ex-powderbroker]

found the xi2 went more miles than the blizzak and was a better handling tire. don’t remember what gen the blizzaks were.

i liked my last cheap chinese summers so much i might give a sichuan a winter try too. those haide’s come with the flavor crystals

[Dantheman]

i know but fkna they don’t make it easy to just
‘get a cheap steel wheel’.

Yeah, finding cheap steel wheels is easier said than done these days.

[Norseman]

10.5/32 on xi3
13/32 on blizzaks (special compound which wears off at when you are less than 6/32)

I want to change my snows out after 6/32 anyway because even though 4/32 complies with the law, it sucks in soft or slush snow.

More to it than simply tread depth, though. The macro pattern is the feature that addresses slush and rain movement to the outside edges of the tire.

Look at the tread layout difference between the X-ice and the DMV2... the Michelin is a better "commute to the mountains" tire as it wears longer and handles better on wet and dry roads. It moves water and slush outwards very well. And grips pretty well on ice and light snow once you're there.

[GeezerSteve]

blizzaks almost always have deeper tread.

A bit, but I'm talking about grippy ice tread. Once Blizzak ice tread wears off, it's a truly shitty tire for any conditions. IME, the bigger issue is significantly more durable X-ice tread: X-Ice will have ample tread many miles after Blizzaks are shot.

FTR, I have had and currently have X-Ice and Blizzaks, am a fan of both and acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of each.

More to it than simply tread depth, though. The macro pattern is the feature that addresses slush and rain movement to the outside edges of the tire.

Look at the tread layout difference between the X-ice and the DMV2... the Michelin is a better "commute to the mountains" tire as it wears longer and handles better on wet and dry roads. It moves water and slush outwards very well. And grips pretty well on ice and light snow once you're there.

Agree, although DMV2 is an improvement over older Blizzak tread designs for dry and wet (but so is X-Ice 3 vs. 2). X-Ice is the better all-rounder. Based on driving both day after day, on this side of the mountains there's no clear winner, although I personally give the edge to X-Ice because they last longer and they drive better on dry pavement.

[The Tortoise]

found the xi2 went more miles than the blizzak and was a better handling tire. don’t remember what gen the blizzaks were.
crystals

The latest generation of Blizzaks (WS-80 & DM-V2) handle a lot better than their predecessors.

[XXX-er]

Yeah, finding cheap steel wheels is easier said than done these days.

IME I could never find used steelies up here in the frozen narth so it was easiest to just buy them from the tire store at 70-100 $