SAFE winter tire size?

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, I am running BFG A/Ts and I still slide a little if breaking on downhill drives. I have to be really carefull. When accellerating though everything grips fine, its just stopping on a hill going down that seems to be an issue....

Bart

[Tobert]

SAFE is STOCK.

Maybe go for a tire rated for winter, but conforming to the assumptions the Isuzu engineers were working with is your best bet. The brakes (esp. ABS constants) and drivetrain are all set up for the default wheel size and modifying it will only introduce variables into the system.

[JHarris1385]

245 should be fine. Find a tire with lots or maxium sipping in the tread.

[Rednex]

245 should be fine. Find a tire with lots or maxium sipping in the tread.

Well - not sure about that 245 width....
I have on my wife's Tucson 235 Coopers Discoverer (newer version obviously, not as worn out as on my VX) - she went w/o any probs on same corner right before me! No a glimpse of a slip!

My guess: approximately same weight cars + smaller footprint => more pressure to surface => better grip on ice/thin snow. Of course - fresher tread on wife's tires could have plaid some part, but I recon that part not as significant as footprint size of the tire...

So I'd guess something around 225-235 with good winter tread would deliver me much safer ride in winter. Especially, if I manage to find a way to fool TOD into full-time 4hi mode... (Which, by the way, is a push-button option on wife's Tucson... )

[driver3]

I don't think it's the tire size as much as the short wheel base... you can spin a wrangler just as easy... I run 265/75/16's and I do fine in the snow.. but if I punch it around a corner, I'm going to spin out... but if I'm driving in deep snow.. it's awesome. Like I said.. a wrangler is the same...

[psychos2]

I have noticed that when in snow and using power mode I tend to slide more. When not in power mode it is much better. shawn

[Rednex]

I don't think it's the tire size as much as the short wheel base... you can spin a wrangler just as easy... I run 265/75/16's and I do fine in the snow.. but if I punch it around a corner, I'm going to spin out... but if I'm driving in deep snow.. it's awesome. Like I said.. a wrangler is the same...

Well - what worries me - I didn't spin! (I can control spinning, drifting, etc...)

I just slowly & nicely slipped off the road, going slightly sideways: clearly a bad grip case, nothing to do w short wheel base + powerful rear wheel drive car (TOD sadly to admit is too slow for these icy conditions... )

Decision's made: going to have Dunlop Grandtrek SJ6 235/75 R16. Will report the findings.

Nearby Q: has anyone implemented mod discussed here: http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...73&mode=linear (fooling TOD to stay in "4HI" mode)? Winter (& high speed gravel) driving could be greatly imrpoved w such modification...