| quietdragon |
Automobile Protection Association in Canada writes the following in article entitle Winter tire recommendations for 2007- 2008:quote:
Over the last decade, vehicle makers improved road handling and the appearance of their vehicles by increasing wheel diameters, reducing tire sidewall height and installing alloy wheels. Tire prices have doubled over the last decade and the fantasy alloy wheels on some vehicles are expensive and fragile.
In some cases it is possible to install the smaller wheels from the most basic vehicle in the range, and mount winter tires on less expensive steel wheels for winter use. However, the Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) installed on many newer vehicles, are making it more expensive, and sometimes impossible, to install smaller diameter wheels for winter use.
While many remain reticent, it is accepted industry practice to mount winter tires with lower speed codes (one or two levels maximum) while cautioning that performance will be diminished (about 10%).
Inflating tires with nitrogen is advisable on TPMS-equipped cars, as big temperature fluctuations can cause tire pressure changes that can confuse the sensors on tires inflated with air.
Have any of you had difficulty mounting snow tires on OEM Pilot alloy rims?
Has anyone had winter TPMS confusion requiring nitrogen inflation as suggested by the article? |
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| Air_Bob |
I wish I'd seen this link a few days ago. I had purchased two sets of Hankook Icebear W300 snow tire for my '07 Pilot and my wife's '07 Chrysler Town & Country. As a ski instructor at Washington's Stevens Pass Ski Area, I get lots of opportunity to drive in snow and ice. The Hankooks on the Pilot were terrible on ice and less than reassuring on snow. I never really got a chance to experience them on the Chrysler.
In my many years of driving Stevens Pass I've never felt less confident in any tire of any kind on the snow and ice. Twice, I almost went into the snowbank going uphill and actually did slide into a soft snowbank while making a slow left turn. The Hankook just didn't seem to have any traction at the front wheels while turning and it felt like the Pilot was not even attached to the road on ice. My wife also reported sliding through an intersection when she couldn't stop at the red light in time. She was driving the Pilot at the time.
I had purchased both sets of tires a Discount Tire, so I went back to them to express my disappointment in the Hankooks. Even after 2 months, they were kind enough to allow me to trade them in on a set of Michelin Latitude X-ICE for the Pilot and a set of Yokohama Gaurdex IG20s for the minivan. The correct size in the Michelins were not available at the time in the size for the Chrysler. I paid the difference in price between tires + balancing.
The tire test did not rate the IG20 and didn't rate the X-ICE as high as I would have hoped. But, just looking at the depth and aggressiveness of the tread of both tires, they are going to be much better than the Hankook Icebears.
I have not had a chance to try either set of the new tires in the snow, but this weekend will be the test of the Michelins. Have you seen how much snow the Cascade Mountains have gotten this week/month? Lets hope the DOT can keep the pass open. Powder!
I'll post an update after I get some experience with the Michelins. |
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| andyschneider |
So all I can offer here is that running stock tire size on the OEM rims with TPMS isn't an issue during the winter, based on my 3rd winter on my '06. when I replaced the tires about 18 months ago I opted for an agressive all season, but I could have chosen a Nokian tire as well in the stock size, and it wouldn't have made any difference in the mounting characteristics. And from my experience, the colder winter months haven't impacted the air pressure int he tires any differently than other cars I've owned, with or without TPMS - so I personally see no need for Nitrogen here....
andy |
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| dirk877 |
First winter with 235/70R16 106Q BW Michelin® Latitude® X-Ice on the factory rims, no problems...
:cool: |
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