What size Blizzacks?

Hello All,

 

I am 90% convinced I will be buying winter tires before the end of fall, but I have a few questions first. The tire I am looking at is the Blizzak LM-60: (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+LM-60&partnum=145HR7LM60XL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Subaru&autoYear=2005&autoModel=Legacy%20Sedan%202.5%20GT&autoModClar=Base%20Model

 

Right now im looking for some feedback on my tire choice and also tire size. Should I stick with the stock 215/45/17, or am I better off getting a larger size? As far as my choice in tire, I want something that is not an all out hardcore, Ice Racing tire. I'n CT over the past few winters we have been getting more rain/shush than packed snow. The reviews on this tire say they are as good on wet roads as snow covered roads. Another reason why I'm looking at these is that my tires are at 4/32 tred and need to be replaced soon which means I might be getting them earlier than I would have imagined and dont want a studless winter tread that will wear before the snow falls.

 

Any input is always appreciated. Also, If you have other reccomendations for tires, my budged max is around $700.

 

Thanks,

 

-Scott

The sizes you should consider are 205/50R17, 215/45R17 and 225/45R17.

All of them fit OE wheels and the car.

 

Both 205/50 (-0) and 225/45 (+0) have more sidewall than 215/45 and narrower tires are better for snow, ice and water. You will lose some dry performance with them.

 

I have winter Continental TS 810 in 225/45/R17 and I do like them (H rated).

 

If I were you I would be looking at Dunlop Winter Sport 3D instead of LM-60, checking both -0 and +0 sizes.

 

Krzys

Go with the stock size. Unless you have great summer onlys. You'll most likely notice better handling.

 

My Michelin Alpin PA2's had a better turn-in then my summer tires.

Go with the stock size. Unless you have great summer onlys. You'll most likely notice better handling.

 

Well this kind of my plan:

 

-Winter/backup tires on stock wheels (good from late fall to early spring)

-New wheels with summer tires next spring.

 

With that in mind woulld it be better to go all out with some snow tires or keep a moderate (all-around) as a backup just in case that is still good in the winter.

Stock size provides few options.

Allowing -0 and +0 sizing expands number of available tires.

 

Krzys

215/45R17. blizzacks are an excellent tire! will be buying another set after this season

I'm debating going from stock (215/45/18) to a 17" wheel. I can't decide on 225/45/17 or 215/50/17. These are going to be a set of Conti DWS all seasons and we do get a reasonable amount of winter weather here. I don't want to sacrifice too much handling but am almost looking forward to the cushy ride of a 50 series..

215. skinny is good for the snow, slush, and waistline.

I'm debating going from stock (215/45/18) to a 17" wheel. I can't decide on 225/45/17 or 215/50/17. These are going to be a set of Conti DWS all seasons and we do get a reasonable amount of winter weather here. I don't want to sacrifice too much handling but am almost looking forward to the cushy ride of a 50 series..

 

Between the 215 and 225, you'd be hard pressed to notice any difference on wintry precip.

 

Unless you want to step to 205-width, this is truly nothing to really be worried about. Instead, I'd let sizing availability as well as pricing be your guide, between the 215 and 225.

 

If you're biasing your purchase decision based on clear-roads capability - which I think you are, given your wanting to go with a set of what's typically perceived as a more winter-capable set of all-seasons - then I'd instead seek to maximize those performance parameters, since you'll, anyway, face the bogeys of compounding, tread-design, and tread-depth compromises already, per the tire's "wintering" capabilities.

Thanks for the excellent insight as always. I'm more going back and forth on the 45 vs 50 than the 215/225. In general though maximizing the performance parameters while allowing for still reasonable all seasonability makes sense. I guess I'm leaning more toward the 225/45/17 than the 215/50/17 now.

^ NP. Glad to help!

 

I just wanted to help you cut through to what you're truly thinking is your best performance compromise.

 

Like myself and others have said before: there's no real right or wrong decision - only a decision which better (or worse) suits your specific needs.

 

Figure out what your exact needs are, then go from there.

Thanks for the excellent insight as always. I'm more going back and forth on the 45 vs 50 than the 215/225. In general though maximizing the performance parameters while allowing for still reasonable all seasonability makes sense. I guess I'm leaning more toward the 225/45/17 than the 215/50/17 now.

 

I'm on a set of 215/45/17 Blizzak WS60s right now and it sucks when it comes to potholes which are everywhere in Chicago during the winter. My next set will be 215/50/17.

^ From the 215/45/17 to 215/50/17, that's nearly a half-inch's worth of sidewall by a generic tire-calculator.

 

225/45/17 bridges the gap - shorter than the 215/50 by less than a quarter-inch.

^ From the 215/45/17 to 215/50/17, that's nearly a half-inch's worth of sidewall by a generic tire-calculator.

 

225/45/17 bridges the gap - shorter than the 215/50 by less than a quarter-inch.

 

IIRC, the 215/50/17 is closer to the diameter of the stock 215/45/18 Spec. B size. I'll trade the loss in handling for wheel protection since potholes in Chicago are really bad come winter.

^ That's a very practical consideration.

anyone else running 235 wide snows? lol

 

they were lightly used and cheap, can you blame me

^ Can't blame you at all - and in all honesty, given the capabilities of the Graspics, I honestly doubt that you'd have any more trouble than I would have, with my half-worn 3Ds.

After almost definitely going for a 225/45/17 for the Spec B., I went with the 215/50 at the last minute. Mainly because they were available in a nearby warehouse saving $100 in shipping. The potholes consideration is a big factor as well. Last year I hit a couple with the 225/40/18s and both my front Conti Extremes ended up with bubbled sidewalls.

^ That's two great reasons.

Well bummer.. The 215/50s are too much sidewall and not only look kind of goofy, but handling has decreased more dramatically that I thought it would. I'm going to try running them at 40/38 and see if they're any better. Kicking myself for not going 225/45..

 

Edit: I meant to add also, so far I've taken a few trips and my TPMS light has yet to come on..

That doesn't look bad to me, at all.

 

But then again, I do have a different outlook, when it comes to winter setups.

 

Indeed, try playing with the pressures - but watch out when the weather starts to swing. I haven't had first-hand (i.e. driving) experience on the DWSs, so I don't know how sensitive they are to fill-pressures.

 

So....

 

What made you go 215/50?

 

I thought that by our last chat (posts 9 through 11), you were leaning more towards the 225/45?

 

I'm not criticizing: just curious.

 

That's the sizing I chose for the wifey's Xi2s, when she was in her '05 WRX (we've carried it over to her '09 FXT - no real problems, except that we lose about a half-inch of ground-clearance). Honestly, if my Legacy isn't dropped far enough that the 215/50s won't clear, that's where I'd be, too.

Maybe it will just take some getting used to looks wise.. I'm used to seeing 18s on there without much sidewall. See post 18 but to reiterate, I saved $100 shipping with the 215/50s over the cost of the 225/45s. The 215/50s were in stock in Ohio (4 hours away) along with the wheels so shipping was really cheap and they arrived overnight via UPS ground.

 

Forgot to mention also I was able to weigh both setups. The stock wheels/tires came in at about 50lbs per corner and the new setup right around 44lbs. Not a ton of savings there but better than going up in weight.

Maybe it will just take some getting used to looks wise.. I'm used to seeing 18s on there without much sidewall.

 

^ Ah, I "see" what you mean.

 

Just think of the bigger sidewalls as "winter chic."

 

The wifey's FXT looks like it's on stilts, with the smaller-diameter tires that are our carry-overs from her off-lease '05 WRX. But boy does that thing go like a champ when the crap's on the ground. The half-inch loss of clearance is really not much of an issue to us, as we live in the metro-suburbs, and plowing is pretty dependable (besides, on my 1-inch-lower-than-stock LGT, I've "pushed" about 2 ft.'s worth of light powder to cut through a side street, so I'm pretty sure that her FXT, with still some 8-and-a-half or so inches of clearance left after the switch, will be OK).

 

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259/TSi_WRX/RockyWinter.jpg

 

See post 18 but to reiterate, I saved $100 shipping with the 215/50s over the cost of the 225/45s. The 215/50s were in stock in Ohio (4 hours away) along with the wheels so shipping was really cheap and they arrived overnight via UPS ground.

^ How did I miss #18! Duh!

 

Oh, yes - that *totally* justifies it <--- and that's not sarcasm, either.

 

I totally understand such real-world needs. As outahere and stevehecht will tell you from the "Sparco Drift" thread I ran, I also made a similar compromise.

 

Forgot to mention also I was able to weigh both setups. The stock wheels/tires came in at about 50lbs per corner and the new setup right around 44lbs. Not a ton of savings there but better than going up in weight.

^ Hey, lighter is always better for handling.

 

Here in NE-Ohio, since I can't "really" afford forged rims, I tend to trade weight for strength.

Well bummer.. The 215/50s are too much sidewall and not only look kind of goofy, but handling has decreased more dramatically that I thought it would. I'm going to try running them at 40/38 and see if they're any better. Kicking myself for not going 225/45..

 

Edit: I meant to add also, so far I've taken a few trips and my TPMS light has yet to come on..

 

I'll be waiting to see what your thoughts are after you've driven on them for a while. It looks fine to me, but I honestly wouldn't care what they look like as long as I get the traction that I want when the snow starts to fall.

+1

If they fit and do the supposed work you made good choice saving $100.00.

 

Krzys