Winter tires qustion

20410 Views 24 Replies 9 Participants Last post by DrEric1, Jan 25, 2020

maybetrue

Discussion Starter · Oct 17, 2017

Hi folks,

in the area I live, it's severe in winter season.
Even if I don't drive fast, it is necessary to replace summers with winter tires.

However, the problem is, it is quite more than difficult to find the right size for the rear wheel.
So, I wonder if it is safe to use 295-35-19 winter tires for the rear wheels just like the front wheels.

Plz help me.

Thanks.

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

Svtride

· #2 · Oct 17, 2017

The stock tires should not used under 45 degrees F. I believe there is a driver's side DOP sticker indicating this.

In my experience with performance summer tires, they turn to glass when subjected to cold temperatures and are dangerous for lack of traction on cold dry pavement.

Definitely want to find winters for your car.

Slomo

· #3 · Oct 17, 2017

I think a “square” tire setup as you’ve described is safe and fine for a winter setup. Pirelli Sottozero’s are an option in the stock size (I’ll be trying them this winter).

Slomo

· #4 · Oct 17, 2017 (Edited)

I called Ford Performance today and they suggested 255/40-19 front and 275/40-19 in the rear. This opens up all sorts of winter/all-season tires. I’m hopeful this is true because the Pirelli Sottozeros I was going to get were gonna be almost $1800. With this new size I can get Continental DWS 6s for around 900. Big savings!

maybetrue

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 17, 2017

oh, that is quite a large difference of width compared to stock set up. But the answer's from Ford, that should be 100% fine. I'll go just like you do. Thanks!

maybetrue

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 18, 2017

Slomo said:
I called Ford Performance today and they suggested 255/40-19 front and 275/40-19 in the rear. This opens up all sorts of winter/all-season tires. I’m hopeful this is true because the Pirelli Sottozeros I was going to get were gonna be almost $1800. With this new size I can get Continental DWS 6s for around 900. Big savings!

BTW, Slomo, where can you find that tires? I wanna build the same set up.

GreyGhost

· #7 · Oct 18, 2017

Just be careful that Ford isn't recommending something that most installers won't do.

Most big name/corporate tire installers have published policies that they WILL NOT violate. So when a customer comes in and wants too big of a tire to put on a rim, they say "can't do it." Similarly, if the tire is too small they say "can't do it." I'd call ahead and ensure they're going to actually do the install and not get the wheels off and then come see you in the break room and say "bad news, can't do it."

I can tell you straight away you're going to have difficulty finding any big brand company to install 255s on a 10.5 wide rim.

You might have Joe Blow's tire shop do it, but I wouldn't do that either as the 255 sidewalls are going to have to REALLY stretch to fill up a 10.5" wide tire. And given that the issue is on the FRONT it's more dangerous than on the rear. Rear blow out, bad....front blow out worse. Not only that, the front wheels are what take most the stress of turning and stopping.

Are you sure Ford recommended that for the GT350 and it wasn't some lazy lacky that's giving you specs for the regular mustangs?

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maybetrue

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 18, 2017 (Edited)

GreyGhost said:
Just be careful that Ford isn't recommending something that most installers won't do.

Most big name/corporate tire installers have published policies that they WILL NOT violate. So when a customer comes in and wants too big of a tire to put on a rim, they say "can't do it." Similarly, if the tire is too small they say "can't do it." I'd call ahead and ensure they're going to actually do the install and not get the wheels off and then come see you in the break room and say "bad news, can't do it."

I can tell you straight away you're going to have difficulty finding any big brand company to install 255s on a 10.5 wide rim.

You might have Joe Blow's tire shop do it, but I wouldn't do that either as the 255 sidewalls are going to have to REALLY stretch to fill up a 10.5" wide tire. And given that the issue is on the FRONT it's more dangerous than on the rear. Rear blow out, bad....front blow out worse. Not only that, the front wheels are what take most the stress of turning and stopping.

Are you sure Ford recommended that for the GT350 and it wasn't some lazy lacky that's giving you specs for the regular mustangs?

This was actually my initial concern.
I believed that Ford won't release wrong information.
But after I got your opinion, I guess I need to check that in advance.
Based on your experience, what do you think the marginal width tire that can be installed without any issues?
Would 275 be safe for the front?
Thanks.

GreyGhost

· #9 · Oct 19, 2017

maybetrue said:
This was actually my initial concern.
I believed that Ford won't release wrong information.
But after I got your opinion, I guess I need to check that in advance.
Based on your experience, what do you think the marginal width tire that can be installed without any issues?
Would 275 be safe for the front?
Thanks.

You have to remember that the smaller the sidewall, the less forgiving the tire fitment with the rim. I would think that 275 is about as small as you could go on the front wheels (responsibly). You could run bigger tires (go to a larger sidewall % like a 40) and it's more forgiving, but the taller you grow, the more chance your going to have with rubbing under max turn conditions or max turn + braking conditions.

Slomo

· #10 · Oct 19, 2017

I called Ford Performance again, just to be sure, and they confirmed again that the 255/40-19 and 275/40-19 is the correct setup for winter tires. They said that is how they setup their fleet/test vehicles for winter. I ordered the Continental DWS tires in these sizes and they’ll arrive on Monday. I’ll let you all know how the install works out.

Reactions: 1

Slomo

· #11 · Oct 20, 2017

BTW, I ordered the tires from Discount Tire. We’ll see if they have issues installing them. Assuming they do the install I’ll snap some pics for you all to see.

maybetrue

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 20, 2017

Slomo said:
I called Ford Performance again, just to be sure, and they confirmed again that the 255/40-19 and 275/40-19 is the correct setup for winter tires. They said that is how they setup their fleet/test vehicles for winter. I ordered the Continental DWS tires in these sizes and they’ll arrive on Monday. I’ll let you all know how the install works out.

I bet Somo, based on the tire size comparison, there's almost no difference in terms of diameter with those set-up compared to stock set-up.
So, Ford must have recommended those set-up for the diameter's sake I guess.
During this discussion, I found a hilarious good deal from Tire rack, with the width of 285, I just grabbed those without hesitation.
It was Pirelli and less than 400 bucks for 4.
This shouldn't be a bad set up, right?
If not, maybe I can return them anyway.

smokum

· #13 · Oct 20, 2017

I would think one would not want to drive a GT350 in the winter given the salty condtions and quality of the roads .... a 4x4 sure but a GT350??

don

GreyGhost

· #14 · Oct 20, 2017

maybetrue said:
I bet Somo, based on the tire size comparison, there's almost no difference in terms of diameter with those set-up compared to stock set-up.
So, Ford must have recommended those set-up for the diameter's sake I guess.
During this discussion, I found a hilarious good deal from Tire rack, with the width of 285, I just grabbed those without hesitation.
It was Pirelli and less than 400 bucks for 4.
This shouldn't be a bad set up, right?
If not, maybe I can return them anyway.

The optimal tire width if you're going to not run staggered would be a 300 (which I don't even know if there's one that's made). It's ever so slightly narrower than the rear rim would prefer and ever so slightly wider than the front rims would prefer.

Again, guys, you can stretch or compress a tire wall a great deal and get the tire to mount. I've seen idiots on the street running tires that were nearly 2" too wide for the rim they were on. I've seen the opposite, where the sidewall was so stretched that it looked like a Giraffe trying to get a drink of water.

With truck tires that have a nice healthy sidewall dimension, they're more forgiving/flexible. The angle of the sidewall is less affected when you go narrow or fat. With low profile tires, they're VERY unforgiving, because the sidewall doesn't have enough dimension or meat to adjust very much at all and it creates dangerous angles on the side wall to the wheel and runs the risk that the bead seal fails and the tire blows out.

Combine these issues with

A) Again, back blow out = bad, front blow out = worse. Rolling down the highway at 70 mph, if you're going to have a blow out, you'd hope it's on the rear. Furthermore, the front tires get more lateral and torsional stress due to braking and turning. The rear gets in line stress due to acceleration but as any of you have noticed on your accelerometers, you can brake harder than you can accelerate (and usually do it harsher more often).

B) Stretching or bunching a tire on a wheel for a truck isn't as much of an issue (because of the sidewall capacity noted above) but also because you're not going to be rolling a truck at 140 mph.

Given that the tires are low pro, I would NOT run a 255 tire on a 10.5" FRONT wheel. I would be cautious about running a 285 tire on an 11" rear rim, but I guess it would depend on the sidewall dimension (but rest easier knowing the issue was on the rears). Could they work? Probably. Is it smart/safe? Depends on how hard you pedal/break/wheel the car from that point.

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GreyGhost

· #15 · Oct 20, 2017

smokum said:
I would think one would not want to drive a GT350 in the winter given the salty condtions and quality of the roads .... a 4x4 sure but a GT350??

don

I would think one would not want to live somewhere that it's even an issue.

I grew up in the upper Midwest. The day I left I promised myself that if it ever snows, I'm going to face to the South and start walking until it stops snowing. I live in Coral Gables, FL now. If it snows here, I'll walk until I have to start swimming.

smokum

· #16 · Oct 20, 2017

GreyGhost said:
I would think one would not want to live somewhere that it's even an issue.

I grew up in the upper Midwest. The day I left I promised myself that if it ever snows, I'm going to face to the South and start walking until it stops snowing. I live in Coral Gables, FL now. If it snows here, I'll walk until I have to start swimming.

that and the fact the front spoiler is so low it would literally act as a snow plow if you hit some snow on a road ..... than factor in the salt residue thats left over ....

I would think one who owned a GT350 wouldn't even contemplate driving it in the winter

don

Slomo

· #17 · Oct 21, 2017

In my case, I have a 4x4 for actual snow. But I live in Seattle and snow isn’t really much of an issue. What we have is many days where it is wet and 35-45 degrees. The stock tires are poorly suited for those conditions.

smokum

· #18 · Oct 21, 2017

correct ........ anything under 45 degrees they are like rocks

don

Magcourse

· #19 · Oct 21, 2017

I went with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ in a square set up 285/35-19. That's less than half an inch narrower than front stock width and just less than an inch narrower than the rear.

Reactions: 1

Slomo

· #20 · Nov 2, 2017

Got my winter tires installed yesterday: Continental DWS in the ford recommended sizes. Sidewalls look a tiny bit stretched, but nothing scary, and nothing you’d notice unless you knew what to look for.

First impressions on a rainy 45 degree morning in Seattle: smoother ride, less road noise, seemingly better wet traction (although I never found the stock Michelin’s bad in the rain), zero tram lining (I really like that improvement on wet freeways!), handling is less responsive but not bad.

I’m headed to the track in a couple weeks for some wet laps. We’ll see how they do there.

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