Winter tire questions

[codemansS]

I'm from central Wisconsin, so if anyone here is also from there please chime in as especially. I plan to put some winter tires on 2015 corolla s+ this winter season and I would like to read some opinions and experiences from other members on this thread. Get some recommendations from others, you know. I would like to put the snow tires on a set of steel rims so I can swap them out at home. Not sure if that sounds silly, I have never owned a pair of snow tires before. If I do end up getting a set of steel rims to put them on do they need a tire pressure monitoring sensor? Tirerack wants me to get them with my order put it I don't need them i'd rather not buy them.

edit: I'm fairly certain my corolla came with 17" tires do I need them that big? can I get 15 or 16"?

 

[jolly]

I used to find all-season OK (some could be when newer) until snow tires became mandatory where I live. It's almost a night and day difference ! It's not as much for snow and ice (road are almost always shoveled and salted) but their general behavior on colder temperature. The softer gum does wonder for breaking distances.

I've had Michelin X-Ice (great on ice, shabby in snow), Semperit Speed Grip (cheap brand, very good in snow, OK on ice). Now I have Toyo Observe GSI-5, very good in all conditions, especially urban slush. Noisier than both Michelin and Semperit, though. I also heard good things about General Altimax. Friends have Bridgestone Blizzak and Nokian Hakkapeleita . Absolutely great but wearing faster than you could write the word...

It's a good idea to get a dedicated set of steel wheels. No problem in going smaller, as long as you respect general circumference (a lot of site offer a conversion calculator). Actually going smaller generally means going narrower, which is a good thing in snow.

 

[joshana first]

since im cheap i usually made due with all seasons. recently a friend sold me his set of barely used snow tires for a price i couldnt refuse when he got a different car, because i had previously helped him reserch them, found him.a set of steel rims, and mounted / balanced.them for him.

i gotta say wow ive been missing out all these years. night and day difference in all winter conditions. would definatly recomend getting some, but also would not recomend.letting the tire place gouge you on a new set of steeles. you can find a junkyard set for your car at a u pull lot for usually around $80 / set of 4, if your lucky they will also come with useable tires that you can keep.

in my reserch i found there are pretty much 2 types of snow tires, the "oldschool" ones with deep stepped lugs and siping on the blocks, and the ones with less pronounced tread blocks and more siping. for my money (and what i recomended to my friend) id go with the oldschool style becsuse they are almost as good in ice and light snoe, and much better in deep snow or dirt / mud under snow. also, you get more useable tread life for your money because the treads are deeper.

at the time the firestone winterforce seemed to ne the best combination of value and ratings, snd it looks like id still recomend thst. tire rack has a tread depth in 32 of an inch in the tire discription, id look for the deepest tread, best ratings and best price.

 

[jolly]

I forgot about the sensors : I don't have them on my winter wheels. The TPMS is simply always on, after flashing, in winter. Come back to normal after a few minutes in spring.
As far as thread design and depth, some are specialized (snow, ice, slush, all) so you have to do a little shopping.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

If the TPS light won't bother you, then you don't need to get the sensors.

15" you should be safe. These use the same brakes as the 10th gen and they had 15" wheels, so you'll be fine.