Snow tires and steel rims

[Rooky Heard]

Can anyone tell me which steel rims will fit my 99 Outback (15"
wheels). I'm looking to go to a srapyard to buy them and I want to get
an extra set so I can mount snow tires and leave them on the rims for
the winters. Any suggestions on a good snow tire? I live in rural
Ontario, Canada and winter conditions can be expected for up to 5
months per year. I had a bad experience last year with the original
Michelins (all season) and almost rolled my car into the ditch on a
slightly snowy corner so I want to avoid a repeat performance.

 

[Paul Pedersen]

Rooky Heard asks :

... Any suggestions on a good snow tire? I live in rural
Ontario, Canada and winter conditions can be expected for up to 5
months per year.
...

I've come to the conclusion that there are no great
overall winter tires. Tires that are good on ice are
lowsy in snow and vice versa.

Ice tires have a tight pattern of slits in the rubber
(called sipes). Snow tires have an open block pattern
to get down through snow and shed it easily. An ice
tire will just float on snow and slide all over the
place, and a snow tire won't have much grip on ice and
will slide all over the place as well.

You can turn a snow tire into an ice tire while keeping
the snow capability by adding studs, but hardly anyone
can stand them and they're not allowed in a lot of places.

Seems to me the best would be an open block pattern with
lots of sipes. The Nokian 2 looks to be like this (I've
only seen pictures) except that it's not available
without studs.

I currently use Nokian 1's, a snow tire, with studs, but
I'm not sure that I'd go with studs again. They're kind
of embarrassing when the road is clear and dry. But then
I wouldn't want to be on ice without them...

 

[ed]

I've used the Canadian Tire Ice Track tires, and they're a good compromise;
quiet, good on snow and ice. Any brand of snow or ice tire will be much
better than driving on all season tires, but some are quite noisy, and
others, like the Michelin Alpin, are good on ice (lots of rubber contact),
but poor in snow and slush due to a very closed tread (little open space to
grip snow).

 

[330xi]

check out the yokohama geolander designed for this time of vehicle

i can say my wife loves them on everything except dry pavement, but there
they are no worse than any others

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Rockin Ronnie]

Rooky Heard asks :


I've come to the conclusion that there are no great
overall winter tires. Tires that are good on ice are
lowsy in snow and vice versa.

Ice tires have a tight pattern of slits in the rubber
(called sipes). Snow tires have an open block pattern
to get down through snow and shed it easily. An ice
tire will just float on snow and slide all over the
place, and a snow tire won't have much grip on ice and
will slide all over the place as well.

You can turn a snow tire into an ice tire while keeping
the snow capability by adding studs, but hardly anyone
can stand them and they're not allowed in a lot of places.

Seems to me the best would be an open block pattern with
lots of sipes. The Nokian 2 looks to be like this (I've
only seen pictures) except that it's not available
without studs.

I currently use Nokian 1's, a snow tire, with studs, but
I'm not sure that I'd go with studs again. They're kind
of embarrassing when the road is clear and dry. But then
I wouldn't want to be on ice without them...

Read a report on studs once. The report suggested that under certain
circumstances studs acted like ice skates and can be very dangerous. Ask
anyone who mysteriously went out of control despite the fact that they had
studs on their tires.

Ron

 

[Brian McCloskey]

check your operators manual. It will specify the wheel size for your
Outback. The other option is to inspect your wheels on your car. Somewhere
the size will be stamped on the wheel and will look like 15X6JJ. If you buy
rims with the same size designation, they should work...just as long as they
aren't bent.
As for snow tires, I second Ed's comment regarding the Canadian Tire snows.
Regards,
Brian

 

[330xi]

the offset of a wheel is very important, if this is not right as well as
diameter and width then your tires can end up rubbing or doing damage
Subaru have a very large offset, the outback wheels are an offset of 45

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Stu Hedith]

Hakka Q's have a relatively open block tread design with mucho siping.
The biggest compromise is dry road cornering. A little on the squishy side.

Stu

 

[Stu Hedith]

Your best bet for rims from a junkyard is to pull them from a '95-'99
legacy based Subaru. I believe the impreza/forrester offset is similar,
so those would likely be okay as well.

Stu

 

[Andy Mason]

Another vote for CT Icetrac's. I've had them on my WRX for the last 2
winters, should be good for at least one more. If you're quick, they're on
sale $10 off / tire this week (and probably next week too).

Andy