Best winter tire tread width

[nogard]

Right now the car has stock 14 x 6 w/ all seasonal 195/70-14 on them and does well in the snow.

I would like to get winter snow tires. Would I get better performance in the snow with a 195/60-16 than a 205/55-16 since the 205 is wider and will float more. The tread with of the Blizzak WS60 for 195/60-16 is 6" but I'm limited to a max rim width of 7", this narrows down my rim choices, but I found one I like. The tread width of the 205/55-16 is 6.8", but these will fit on a 7.5" wide rim and I have more options.

My number top objectives are to get the best possible traction and gas mileage. Which tire size width should I go with.

[Tom 2000]

Get the narrower tires.

I am wondering why you want to put lower profile snow tires on bigger diameter wheels? You're driving in a limited traction environment and you won't be able to realize any handling benefit of a low profile tire in a poor traction condition.

You can get Firestone Winterforce snow tires in the stock size for much less and reuse the stock wheels.

Then you can get yourself another set of nice wheels for the summer and put on summer tires

[ghettosled]

my summer tires are the stock 195/70 r14 but my winter tires are 185/75 r14 - i think they work perfectly. can you pick up a set of used 14" steelies from a local salvage yard? around me, you can get them for about $10-15 per rim.

[nogard]

I can't stand the factory 14" alloys, I don't think they look that great and the tires leak air all the time, even when the tires were new. I don't know if it is bad bead seats or if the rim(s) have cast porosity. I'm tired of filling them with air.

I didn't want to go low profile for winter, that was not the intent. Some of the later model 4th generation camrys had 16" alloys stock. I didn't think that was a large size rim for this car.

The other reason I wanted to go with the 16" was that I could get the tires I wanted to try, the Blizzak WS60. That is the tough part I do have a car with the Winter force and like them. But they don't have then in the same sizes a the WS60. So depending on which set up I choose and rim size, that is what I will have to go with in the future, or end up changing rim size.

For aftermarket winter alloys there isn't much for 14", about 3 choices from Tire Rack. 15" is a little better for options, but isn't too big (plus sizing) and a 195mm section width for tires is fairly common and available.

All these choices

[nogard]

I'm going to go with 15" aftermarket alloys, and Blizzak WS70 tires. The two sizes I'm considering are:

185/65-15

-Pros, will be narrower, and in theory have better traction than 195
-Cons, minor, but, radius is about 1/8" less, will lower car 1/8" for winter ground clearance. May also look slightly stretched on 6.5" wide rim (this is max recommended rim width).

195/65-15

-Pros, same with as stock, know what to expect. Will be mounted to 6.5" rim compared to stock 6", will look about the same no stretch or ballon look. Minor, but radius is 1/8" more, will raise car about 1/8" for more ground clearance. Taller tire will slightly lower RPM at highway cruising may help slightly with poorer gas mileage (by raising gas mileage) from soft winter tire compound

-Cons, same width as stock no narrower traction advantage.

As I type this I think the 195/65-15 is the way to go, what do you think?

[SirThomas88]

Iono, I've had all-season 225's on my 15" wheels for the past two winters and last winter I was delivering pizza all winter even that weekend we got a LOT of snow. Keep in mind this was through suburban outer-city Baltimore with hills and poor clearing of the roads. I didn't have a problem at all. Zooming right past all the slow drivers and using my car as a snow plow. I had a blast.

So I'm a little skeptical about this whole thinner tire is better thing... I never get stuck with my 225's or had any big traction issues. Just gotta be smart and anticipate when you're gonna need to brake and have a good idea on what your car's breaking distance really is.

Oh, AND my car is lowered, and has a carbon fiber hood and light weight wheels which means even LESS weight on my front tires. I should have video taped myself driving in it. I'm insane.. lol