Winter tire/ rim combo recommendation?

7

740GLE

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Snow fall in that part of MA and S. NH always seems to amaze me, let alone the Ice Storm of '08.

Everywhere else is fine with a dusting and that pocket gets 6-8" out of no where.
 
leicaman

leicaman

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I am running a set of Blizzaks 205/55/r16 on my 2015 Golf TDI (just installed today). My stock size is 225/45/r17. The tire placard only gives tire pressure suggestions for the summer size, which is 34psi. What would be an appropriate pressure for me to set the winters at?
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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VW seems to have defaulted to suggesting same tire pressures front and rear. I've always run a couple more PSI in the front than the rear. FWIW, my GSW has 205/55-16s as the standard size, and recommends 32 PSI front and rear.

My wheels and tires showed up today. I'll retrieve them from the warehouse tomorrow, most likely, although it's supposed to be in the 50s here this weekend so I'll probably wait until New Year's weekend to put them on.
 
leicaman

leicaman

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My new to me golf has a pressure of 34 front and rear. I found that VW has the same pressure for the 205/55/r16 as compared to the 225/45/r17. My old Passat had 36 in the front with 40-44 in the rear. I always ran that car's tires at 38 in the front and 40 in the rear. We are supposed to get walloped with snow soon, so I thought I better be ready to roll.
 
7

740GLE

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I usually run between 40-42 front and back regardless of tire size, just cause I'm cheap and want to get as much MPGs as possible. Never really noticed excessive or uneven tread wear.
 
The Tortoise

The Tortoise

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leicaman said:
I am running a set of Blizzaks 205/55/r16 on my 2015 Golf TDI (just installed today). My stock size is 225/45/r17. The tire placard only gives tire pressure suggestions for the summer size, which is 34psi. What would be an appropriate pressure for me to set the winters at?
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I just run the same pressures as my summer tire. If anything, you can bump it up a bit to improve dry handling. But I find that the WS-80's handle well enough so I don't bother.
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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Taking them home today


I weighed one because one of our customers said Tire Rack's steel wheels are heavy.


I don't think so. Tire Rack says the tire weighs 20 lbs, so the steel wheels are 25+. That may be a bit on the heavy side. I know OE 15s weigh 22 lbs. so it's in the ballpark.
 
leicaman

leicaman

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There is indeed a difference. My steelies came from Tire Rack and with the tires, they are beefy. The thing that I am really happy with VW is how they handled the TPMS setup. The fact that you do not need a fancy valve stem that is pricey when they go bad is a big bonus. This morning I set my tire pressures to 34.5 psi (factory says 34 psi) and then calibrated the TPMS. My wife's Camry gets new tires on Wednesday and I am hoping that none of those TPMS sensor/valves needs replacing. I noticed that the Tire Rack wheels are marked made in China. But they do have the DOT approval.
 
turbobrick240

turbobrick240

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I bet the OE 17x7" alloys are close to 22 lbs. I inflate my winter tires to 35 psi. For me, traction is more important than max fuel efficiency in the winter months.
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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Chris Bell said:
FWIW, OE Mk.7 15" X 6.0 alloys (Lyons) are 18.4 lbs.
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Steelies weigh 22 lbs. Most alloys are certainly lighter. Avus 1s are one of the lighter OE 15" wheels at 16.7 lbs.

I thought about switching my GSW to Lyons, but their appearance discouraged me.
 
2015vwgolfdiesel

2015vwgolfdiesel

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turbobrick240 said:
I bet the OE 17x7" alloys are close to 22 lbs. I inflate my winter tires to 35 psi. For me, traction is more important than max fuel efficiency in the winter months.
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Smart move.

.... Summer, Winter (IF) the effective stopping distance is 6 inches inside the bumper of the car in front of your bumper~~~ the effective "savings" on your MPG will all be paid to the fix-it repair shop.

.... and maybe some more $$$$s to your insurance company with higher rates ~ or a cancellation

.... did I forget a possible traffic ticket

.... Medical issues

... and a nice note of a wreck reported to CARFAX

....
 
R

RIP TDI

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IndigoBlueWagon said:
I thought about switching my GSW to Lyons, but their appearance discouraged me.
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You're a man of class and good judgement.

Before I switched the OE 17" Genevas for the 15" Lyons, I had no illusions about their appearance, but couldn't find any VW or aftermarket alloys with at least the ET43 of the Lyons. I thought I could use a wheel with more offset that that with a 3 mm or 5 mm spacer, but the Mk 7 rear hubs have an odd centering snout that won't allow for a proper hubcentric wheel mounting w/ spacers that thin.

Having lived with the Lyons for a few weeks now, I'm tolerating them better.
 
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The Tortoise

The Tortoise

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I am running the Lyons as my winter wheels. I think they look pretty decent, and miles better than black steelies.

Mostly I was happy to be buying 15" tires, so cheap!
 
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20IndigoBlue02

20IndigoBlue02

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Maybe consider Nitto SN2, as a budget alternative. Gets good reviews on www.tirebuyer.com

Recommended to me by Hevster1. On my 3rd season with them, with plenty of life to go.

Since the GSW TDI doesn't have big brakes like the old JSW TDI, 15" makes things more affordable, so 195/65r15 is $74 per tire. If you insist on 205/55r16, that's $99 per tire.
 
turbobrick240

turbobrick240

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740GLE said:
I've also heard it used to describe people thinking they are Mainers yet live in So Portland/Cape Elizabeth and think Bangor is northern Maine.
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I think any native Mainer is exempt. Generally natives of Vermont and New Hampshire are too :) . The term isn't purely derogatory either- as I'm sure you know. Half of my neighbors are "from away", and they are fully accepted and well liked.

As far as snow tires go- I just looked at some Nokian Nordsman studded snows. They actually weren't overly expensive which surprised me. I'll be getting a set soon.
 
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aditud

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I've never used winter tires. Never been stuck in snow. And during my 7 years of this 130mi round trip commute only once did I have to turn back due to heavy snow (and it wasn't that I couldn't move through it but the traffic was crazy).

The neighborhood I live in is one with the highest taxes around here and truth be told our roads are always clean (heck, the plows wake you up at night whenever there's a little snow falling; they keep going back and forth even on my cul de sac). The highway is well taken care of too. Many trucks, and many businesses along it.

I'm not saying winter tires aren't good to have. But they're not a must everywhere.
 
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sportwagen3

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So if I have the GSW SE with the 17" wheels, can I use 205/55/16 winter tires on my car? Would there be any adjustments I would need to make?
 
R

RIP TDI

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sportwagen3 said:
So if I have the GSW SE with the 17" wheels, can I use 205/55/16 winter tires on my car? Would there be any adjustments I would need to make?
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Yes, or 195/65-15. Other than a set of rims, no adjustments necessary.
 
S

sportwagen3

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Anyone know if the Ronal 7Jx16H2 ET45 rims would fit? I can get them cheap locally.
 
7

740GLE

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NH
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sportwagen3 said:
Anyone know if the Ronal 7Jx16H2 ET45 rims would fit? I can get them cheap locally.
Click to expand...

Biolines are 16 6.5 ET50 and they cleared the Alltrack,

Soon as you go to 7" wide 215-65-16 is a great size to fit on the mk7s, fills out he wheel wells perfect.
 
jonferns

jonferns

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I've been very happy with Dunlop Wintermaxx's on Tirerack steel wheels (16"). Ran these for 2 seasons on my JSW, and now I swapped them over to my MK7.
 
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