17" winter wheels and tires

[AlienPrime]

So, i have to drive my Si next winter.

Good news is i am selling my current winter cars, so ive got about $4500 to spend

Already bought a $125 civic dx dumper unpainted that i will swap my si bumper with to avoid wrecking it in the snow.

Need wheels, im thinking from:
17x8 +25 to 17x8.5 +40

Anything like that with similar inner/outer clearance

Will get snow tires too of course. Want all painted wheels.. so no polished lips etc. Sudbury roads are way too salty and such so i won't even bother trying haha

Suggestions!?

 

[andre12dbsi]

I run 16s on my Si for the winter and they work fine. Smaller the better for the snow.

 

[webby]

I would just pick up a set of 16" steelies and some snow tires. Narrower tires do better cutting into snow.

===
Original Equipment tire and wheel sizing has evolved over the years to where yesterday's typical 13", 14" and 15" sizes have been replaced with today's 16", 17", 18" and larger sizes. For that matter, many current cars, vans and light trucks now feature wide, low profile tires mounted on large diameter wheels as standard equipment or factory options.

Unfortunately wide, low profile tires have to "plow" a wide path through deep snow, where narrower tires have an easier time. So if you're likely to drive through deep snow this year, you'll want winter / snow tires and wheels in sizes that help put the laws of physics on your side.
===

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=126

 

[Dar-Dar]

I would go 7" wide wheels max. My winter setup is 17x7 TSX wheels with 205/50/17 tires.

 

[AlienPrime]

wow okay great guys! Thanks!

So maybe 17x7 with lower offset! or 16x7 since you're saying it will fit on the Si,

 

[hotdogjohnny]

I use my oem rims as the snow rims. Here it is with Nokian snows. Works great.

 

[AlienPrime]

yeah 17's seems perfect to me

 

[Dar-Dar]

I think @Sleepingpanda has 15s even with front Brembo brake calipers. Lol.

 

[Dragos]

As everybody says smaller diameter and narrow is better but 17s should do fine as well. Maybe a bit more slipping on ice and snow than 16s or 15s.

I would advice to go for the Nokian Hakkapelitas really worth the money and not much more expensive than the competition. I am really impressed with mine.

 

[hotdogjohnny]

 

[AlienPrime]

yeah nokian for sure, up here in sudbury, its nokian or nothing. Just really want to go wider or at least low offset so it doesnt make my car look dinky in the winter :/

 

[hotdogjohnny]

the Nokians in my pic are 225/45/17, not on purpose, but because I got a great deal on them. With my spacers, which I really didn't want to remove in the dead of witnter, the wheel wells are full.

 

[Nix]

Wider = more grip on ice.

Narrow = more cutting action through deeper snow.

Just depends on what you run into more often but I doubt the different from 205 - 215 -225 would be that noticeable. That said I run 205's on 16's for winter. Car does awesome.

 

[Dragos]

Canadian/Ontario winters tend to have more snow than ice though and on ice you slip considerably no matter what unless you go studded which is not legal in Ontario unless Northern Ontario. So narrow would make more sense though less nice looking.

 

[Nix]

Get yourself a set of diamond embedded "studded" snow tires from these guys.

http://www.greendiamondtire.com/

 

[Dragos]

^ Interesting I will read about them, thanks!

 

[Dragos]

US made means no import taxes as well for Canada. Pretty cool. I wish they had the Nokians in their comparison charts.