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205/65/15's O.K. For Snow Tires ?

TheAce

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Idaho
Hi guys. New member here and i'm looking for some input/opinion on a purchase i'm about to make.

I found a near new set of studded snows for my stock '95 XJ. I realize that 215's are the stock size tire but these things are such a great deal i'd like to grab 'em if there's no issues.

I commute 60 miles a day round trip , one huge grade involved , all highway.
Moderate snow - heavy ice. This will be my first winter....


Thanks in advance boys !
 
I wouldn't recommend them, they are to narrow. Look for something in at least a 225.
 
Thanks for the reply...

I have heard , alternately, that Narrower tires work better in the snow/ice and also as you suggest - Wider tires work better.

Hmmm.
 
Whereabouts in Idaho? Down towards Boise where they get a few inches at a time, or up north where we can get 1-2 feet at a time? Narrrow tires are better at cutting through slush and ice, but don't work as well in hardpack or deeper snow. Winter driving skills (including knowing when not to be out) are almost as important as your tires.

"Almost new" is a relative term and studs and snow tires are much less effective after a few seasons. Lots of folks around here run them down to about 50% and then try to sell them on Craigslist for 50-75% of what they paid new.
 
Thanks for the reply...

I have heard , alternately, that Narrower tires work better in the snow/ice and also as you suggest - Wider tires work better.

Hmmm.


I'm in Georgia so we don't get snow that often but I do remember back in 83 we had like 5 inches and we got out my friends VW beetle (1969) It would not go anywhere until we took off the wide wheels and tires on back and put the factory size back on...so maybe skinny ones do do better or maybe the skinny ones had better threads?
 
I'm in Lewiston so not a ton of hard pack snow (as I understand) but very cold temps bringing ice and slush.

Craigslist ! Good tip on those studs. These tires have excellent pictures and they "look" damn near new. I've been looking for a while and have lots of different pictures to reference .... but that only goes so far I realize. Lewiston neighborhoods have steep hills and I'm told that getting UP them isn't the issue but rather getting down them and being able to steer and brake is why the studs are needed around here. Maybe that's true of everywhere...

Thanks much for the insight ! I have none !
 
I'm in Lewiston so not a ton of hard pack snow (as I understand) but very cold temps bringing ice and slush.

Craigslist ! Good tip on those studs. These tires have excellent pictures and they "look" damn near new. I've been looking for a while and have lots of different pictures to reference .... but that only goes so far I realize. Lewiston neighborhoods have steep hills and I'm told that getting UP them isn't the issue but rather getting down them and being able to steer and brake is why the studs are needed around here. Maybe that's true of everywhere...

Thanks much for the insight ! I have none !


Lewiston is a nice area. I'm a few hours north in Spirit Lake . You do have a couple of hills down there, especially that long grade on 95 coming south into town! So yeah, mostly ice and some light snow coverage down there. I think they average just over a foot of snow over the winter, with lows in the 20's for a few months.



If you go to look at tires, measure the tread depth. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=51 Brand new will usually be about 10/32", and they're legally bald at 2/32". Unless it's a good deal, already mounted on rims, I wouldn't buy anything with less than 6/32" (50% usable left).
 
Gotta be a screaming deal to go that small -- I'm in NJ and spent 30 years of my life plowing snow

The best snow tire I ever ran was General grabber AT2 -- 1st time I had them on a truck I had someone else driving it -- he plowed the whole storm and forgot to put the truck in 4wd -- didn't need it with the new tires

They are not cheap but if I where buying new tires for a commute in the snow in a stock cherokee they would be 235/75/15 general grabber ATX

I have 5 different vehicles with this tire on them -- all of them do great in the snow
 
Fantastic insight folks.

I'm officially taking the 205's off the table . I found a really nice set of 215's but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

235's huh ? They'll clear on a stock suspension (good condition) XJ ? That's interesting. One thing I can't escape around here is the fact that everyone - regardless of vehicle run studs . Everybody on studs here and it's apparently due to our very steep hills (in town) that get covered in ice.

Awesome feedback people !
 
On hard pack, skinnier tires will dig in better and decrease understeer/oversteer. We call em pizza cutters. If it's deep snow though, you want a larger foot print.
 
I have put about 25,000 miles on my set of General Grabber AT2 size 30x9.50r15 at stock height with stock wheels. There was a miniscule amount of rubbing on the lower control arms that I fixed by extending the steering stops a tiny bit. Effectively no loss of turning radius. I lived in Salt Lake City during the winter and drove up to Park City every day for work. Sometimes met with 6" of snow at dawn/ late at night when I got off work. These tires do very well in the snow. Very few times I actually put it in 4wd and that was just precautionary. I've messed around in parking lots with snow up to the bumper and plowed around without getting stuck. I can't comment on the ice performance but they do have good siping and are stud-able.

They are $112/tire ($120 cheaper than BFG KO2 per set) and do great in snow, quiet on the highway and fine offroad.
 
Idahoan here and former tire dealer who lives in the part of Idaho where a foot of snow per storm is common. The tire size you selected is actually 3 sizes smaller in heigth from a stock 215\75r15. Plus you need to look at the DOT on the side and see how old they are. Tire compound gets harder with age. You Speedo will probably say you are going 5 to 10 mph faster than you are. A wider tire in the snow spreads the weight over more area giving you distraction on the ice.
 
Thanks for the input Soapy1. I ended up getting a set of 215's mfg date 2014 and stored indoors. Fingers crossed. They 'look' good and with funds getting tight it will have to do. $160.00 for the tires and $80.00 for a set of stock aluminum wheels.
 
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