Those that use winter tires

"Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!" (patrickgruden) 11/12/2014 at 11:51 • Filed to: None

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When do you put yours on? A given date? After first snowfall? I ask because I'm kind of kicking myself for not doing so yesterday when it was near 70 out and I had the day off. Its going into the 40s for forseable future tomorrow.

So, when do the snow shoes come out for you?

Brian Silvestro > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 11:51

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Whenever I have to rallycross

spanfucker retire bitch > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 11:53

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Since this is about Winter Tires, what do most people do? Just buy the tires and get them mounted on the wheels? Or do you guys buy new tires/wheels and get those mounted? Because I'm thinking about getting some winter tires this year after the winter last year we had, but getting the tires, wheels (even just steelies) along with the required TPMS installation - that shit ain't cheap.

JEM > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 11:54

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Thanksgiving weekend. I live in Mass. and we usually get a couple dustings before that but nothing I can't manage on my all seasons. Our real snow doesn't start until the end of December usually, and Thanksgiving is a long weekend where it's usually around 40 which is cold enough to warrant a softer compound, yet still warm enough to spend an hour or two changing them over outside.

Textured Soy Protein > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 11:54

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When I ran them (I now have a dedicated winter vehicle) I usually did it sometime the week before Thanksgiving. So like, next week basically.

Do-Rif-To > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 11:55

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I usually get mine on the week before Thanksgiving for the inevitable haul over the Berkshires to see family. Though I've always had all-seasons as my "summer" tire and I'm stepping up to real performance summers soon so I'll probably have to modify my habits after that, I live in Northern NY and its been awfully cold for summer compounds recently. Any oppos that can weigh in on this as well?

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:01

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I have steelies with no TPMS. I just ignore the light. On most vehicles you can usually go one size down. That way the tires and wheels are cheaper

BATC42 > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:02

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I have two sets of wheels. I find it easier to do since I have a jack at home.

spanfucker retire bitch > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:03

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I'll be doing this at a shop, and from what I've researched, it's technically illegal for a shop to mount tires that aren't equipped with TPMS on a vehicle that has TPMS.

shop-teacher > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:03

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A second set of wheels is the way to go. You'll spend $100 each time you need to mount and dismount a set of tires, that very quickly becomes more expensive than a set of steelies and TPMS's. Plus, constantly mounting and dismounting the tires isn't great for them.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:04

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if you order from someplace like Tire Rack or discount tires direct they will mount and balance on steelies for you without the TPMS

spanfucker retire bitch > shop-teacher 11/12/2014 at 12:05

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I priced out a nice set of Toyo winter tires, a set of steelies, and TPMS installs. That came out to 1,000 bucks on Tire Rack. It would take a long while for those 100 dollar mounting charges to make up for that initial cost.

Plus, constantly mounting and dismounting the tires isn't great for them.

I was afraid of that. I kind of figured that was the case.

shop-teacher > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:05

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I put my winters on sometime November, and they come off end of March/early April. If I had a brain in my head, I would've done it Sunday morning when it was 55 and sunny out, instead of watching the F1 race. Now it's in the 30's, overcast, and windy all week.

spanfucker retire bitch > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:06

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That's not what Tire Rack says. They throw up a nice huge warning in the checkout if you don't include a set of TPMS.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:08

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I should have put them on last weekend, but soccer games/birthday party/family visiting conspired against me.

Summer tires are compromised once it's below 40 degrees, so in your case (and mine), as soon as possible.

BJ > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:08

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Yep, looks like you're right (in the USA, anyways): http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/…

Not only does it cost extra to buy the TPMS sensors, but you have to pay the garage twice per year when you switch to pair your computer and the sensors in the wheels. I don't know if you can do this yourself with a ODB-II tool or if it requires a dealer-specific computer.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:08

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That's technically asinine, if true.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:10

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I've always just ignored the warnings. I KNOW they'll mount and balance without TPMS. That's what is on my car right now or rather what will be on the car

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:12

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40's would still be considered warmwarm for this time of year here (northern idaho) its like 15 degrees put today. I run all-seasons, every season, though I'm planning to get nokians as my next tires once my cooper all-seasons are done with (will have to replace in the next year).

shop-teacher > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:12

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You'll be spending that $100 twice a year though. If the wheels and sensors are $400, you'll break even after only two years.

I'm lucky in that I was able to find a set of steelies on craigslist for $100, and my truck is just old enough that I don't have a TPMS. This is one of the benifits of having such a common vehicle. Wheels for every 1/2 ton GM truck from '99+, and every 1/2 ton van from '03+ are the same size and mounting pattern, so the wheels are roughly as hard to find as a patch of dirt.

Takuro Spirit > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:12

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I wait till there's snow in the forecast, or a forecast for temps below 40F for a length of time. Having my tires at work where there are lifts and tools helps, so I don't have to put them on days in advance.

So yeah, they're on already.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:13

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Buy wheels, you'll save yourself so much money.

Too many M's > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:16

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Germany has a certain date in which you must have them. 1 Nov or something like that until 1 Apr. If you don't you are automatically liable in the event of an accident and can be ticketed if you are stopped without them. I have a second set of wheels/winter tires and usually change mid-Oct until 1 April.

ColoradoTaco > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 12:21

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I usually go about Halloween to April Fools Day. We usually get our first storm about then, although this year I was lazy and haven't put them on yet. I have 18s for my Summer set and use the stock 17s for Winter. We just got our first snow yesterday here in Denver so they'll be going on this weekend.

ColoradoTaco > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:21

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i have two sets of wheels, so a +1 size for Summer and use the stock 17s for Winter.

OPPOsaurus WRX > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 12:31

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they gave me a hard time about the TPMS. I dont want it. I dont need it. I can check my tires but since there are not smart people out there the GOv says we have to have it. In mass it is not required but it is federally. I had the shop mount and balance the tires and just give them to me and then they are off the hook for it.

Wacko > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 13:12

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I put mine on last sunday, cause we got 6 inches of snow saturday. I normally put them on end of november, or first week of december. my summers are on my oem mags, and my winters are on steelies. with my jack and impact takes me 15 min. I normally put my summers back on mid april. all depends on Mother nature, and so far this year she is being a bitch. It's been freezing rain for the past 24 hours here.

Benni996 > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 13:24

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I make the swap in November usually once snow is in the forecast if I've been lazy about it, which I usually am. I highly recommend getting a second set of wheels, or better yet using the stock wheels for winter and getting a nicer set for summer. I live in MN and my winter DD is a RWD G35, winter tires are the only way I can make this work. Having a second set of wheels make the swap super easy and Tire Rack makes some nice... tire racks... for off season storage. My cars are too old to have TPMS but when my sole vehicle was an RX8 I ordered a winter set of wheels and tires from Tire Rack without TPMS, but that was years ago.

DocWalt > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 13:28

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I've never had em before. I'm going to throw them on when my header comes in. I'm too lazy to jack up my car more than once to accomplish both things.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Wacko 11/12/2014 at 13:29

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Damn. Freezing rain sucks.

Best I've done is about 45 minutes with my floor jack and tire iron. Then again, I'm a dumbass who is doing this in his driveway a 25 degree incline. I have to watch how the wheels of the floor jack are pointed because the car will move. Chocking with a cinderblock is paramount in my case.

n54 & s38 > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 13:36

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Yup. Gets expensive too and is far less convenient.

bob and john > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 13:41

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once it drops below 7 degrees C for the daytime high, we throw winters on our cars.
one our older cars, we had one set of wheels and just put on new tires. on our newer cars, we have a new set of wheel for the summer and use the OEMs for winter

thebigbossyboss > spanfucker retire bitch 11/12/2014 at 14:03

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Having an old car without TPMS is the way of it my friend! I have separate wheels for summer and winter as do most around here. However, we suffer from very tough winters here.

thebigbossyboss > ColoradoTaco 11/12/2014 at 14:04

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Same except I rock 17" during summer and 15" during winter. Oh yeah my stock size is 14" apparently.

ColoradoTaco > thebigbossyboss 11/12/2014 at 14:05

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I wish I could go smaller for Winter but 16s won't clear my front calipers.

thebigbossyboss > ColoradoTaco 11/12/2014 at 14:06

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What's your width change? I go from 225 to 195.

ColoradoTaco > thebigbossyboss 11/12/2014 at 14:19

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225 to 215, anymore and they'd be too stretched for the wheel. On my A4 I ran 195s on 15s, that thing was a beast in the snow

thebigbossyboss > ColoradoTaco 11/12/2014 at 14:20

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Was it AWD one? The Cavalier (while undoubtedly not a great car) was always getting stuck in the slow. Lo-RI-DER!

Wacko > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 14:24

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My car took 15 min this time, but the wifes car took me over an hour, all her wheels where stuck to the hubs. for the fronts I loosened the nuts got back in the car drove forwards and backwards and played with the steering wheel until I hear them pop.

Tried the same with the rears, but they stayed stuck. Had to hit them out from under the car. place a piece of 2 x 4 on the inside of the wheel, and hit it with a sledge hammer, rotate the wheel, hit, rotate, hit. salt on roads and wheel hubs are not a good mix. That's why put anti seize on the hubs when I install my wheels( couldn't find my anti-seize when I installed her summers)

ColoradoTaco > thebigbossyboss 11/12/2014 at 14:33

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Yeah it was quattro, I'd never buy an Audi without it. My S4 sits pretty low and I never have any issues getting stuck.

thebigbossyboss > ColoradoTaco 11/12/2014 at 14:41

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That's good. Not sure why the Cavalier couldn't into...but it couldn't.

Tina Corbett > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 16:48

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I am without my Mustang right now, but for the last 2 years, I kept a set of Blizzaks on steelies. And of course waited till it snowed. Then myself and my son would be out in the wet muck cussing out the car, and the weather.

George McNally > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/12/2014 at 17:01

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I bought a 2014 Elantra earlier this year and this is the first car I've had that I bought a dedicated second set of wheels and snow tires for. Got a set of steelies, Blizzaks and TPM sensors from Tire rack for about 750 bucks shipped to my door. I just put them on yesterday.

I did go from the factory alloy 16 inch wheels to 15 inch wheels but since the Blizzaks are a higher profile tire- they have the same exact circumference as my regular wheels.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > George McNally 11/13/2014 at 05:29

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Painted wheels look pretty snazzy. Is that color matched or just a close rattle can?

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/13/2014 at 12:41

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both of the years I've used them I've put them on at first snowfall, but that wasn't really so much intention as happenstance.

George McNally > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 11/13/2014 at 14:32

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Color matched base coat/clearcoat.

XxxxXxxx > spanfucker retire bitch 11/13/2014 at 19:52

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Get the TPMS, they're like $50 each? $200 total? There's about a thousand things one can do to make a quick $200, most of them legal ; ).

Not only knowing when I've been ignoring air pressure, but also when there's a wheel or tire problem is huge peace of mind. Thousands of people USED to die from tire/wheel/air pressure issues. Not any more.