Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

Nobody has any other wheel as of yet but Volvo NAD tire rack suggest 225's instead of 235's.
I'm going to use the proactive approach and buy a high mile, cheap 4X4 for 4K or thereabouts and sell it in the spring.
JRL

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JRL)

I meant "AND" tire rack

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

For what it's worth, I'm going w/17" OEM rims. The 17" rims give me more tire options, and most likely better traction than the 18" winter tires. I can also swap out the rims myself. Towards the end of winter when things freeze/thaw, the roads can get messy and I'd rather ride these roads with 17" rims for several reasons (comfort, rim damage, etc.).

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (alfluvah)

I'd like to think there is a $135 7" in wide ET35 17" rim that will fit...

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

Maybe someone that lives near a TireRack can spend an hour or two having them come up with a solution. As for me...I'll be doing the 225's on the 17" R wheels in an effort to force 18's in the coming summer.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (FineProperty)

Tirerack has a 17X7 Sport Edition Fox 2 that depending on offset may work.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (alfluvah)

Quote, originally posted by alfluvah »

For what it's worth, I'm going w/17" OEM rims.

What are the 17" OEM rims you speak of? Will they for sure work with the clearance issue of the Brembo brake calipers? I have not heard of anyone finding rims that would work in place of the Pegasus R rims. I would be interested to know if there is an OEM alternative.

Thanks-

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (mac)

Quote, originally posted by mac »

What are the 17" OEM rims you speak of? Will they for sure work with the clearance issue of the Brembo brake calipers? I have not heard of anyone finding rims that would work in place of the Pegasus R rims. I would be interested to know if there is an OEM alternative. Thanks-

The Pegasus R rims are what he is speaking of, only in 17" size instead of 18" size.
As of this moment, there really is no alternative to the R except Pegasus rims, but they are very reasonably priced, so why not buy a spare set and use them?

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (pino)

Correct. My head was thinking "OEM not available" but my fingers tapped out something else. Yes, I purchased a second set of 17" Pegasus R rims. I agree w/Pino that the price is reasonable enought that there is no need to go through the search for OEM rims that fit. Take a look at what rims generally costs as compared to the Pegasus R rims.

Also, while its a personal preference thing, I'm a bit of a purist and prefer the stock R rims on the car for now. In a few years maybe I'll be up for some change.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (alfluvah)

Wheels wasted on winter potholes are a done deal in this town....

So although I agree that 4X$200 for Pegasus ain't bad, 5X$150 to get through a winter is a better deal!

I even toasted a steel wheel on my Jetta last year and that was a normal profile 15". No amount of skillful driving can avoid a hole camoflouged by slush.

Lafe Effect Snow = garage it or be careful.... or pay!

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

The problem I've encountered with many years of winter driving in Rochester is that alloy rims get corroded by salt -- especially where balance weights are attached -- and they begin to leak as well as look bad. So I wouldn't be thrilled if alloys were the only option.

Joe

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (C DIEM)

Quote, originally posted by C DIEM »

The problem I've encountered with many years of winter driving in Rochester is that alloy rims get corroded by salt -- especially where balance weights are attached -- and they begin to leak as well as look bad. So I wouldn't be thrilled if alloys were the only option. Joe

The weights on the Pegasus do not get attached on the rim's lips like most wheels; they are attached (with an adhesive) on the inner part of the rim.

Yannis

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (C DIEM)

Quote, originally posted by C DIEM »

The problem I've encountered with many years of winter driving in Rochester is that alloy rims get corroded by salt -- especially where balance weights are attached -- and they begin to leak as well as look bad. So I wouldn't be thrilled if alloys were the only option. Joe

Good point Joe.... I drove 36 years in Rochester w/o worrying about potholes. The last few years things have gotten pretty bad in some areas of the county. I'm nervous about the 17" Pegasus wheels until I see some legitimate road patching going on. My real preference would be steel wheels but that appears to be a no-can-do iin 17". They can bend and be fixed with a hammer and rust and who cares.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

I dont think winters are half as bad as everyone else. It snowed more last winter here in southern N.Y. than anytime in the last three thousand years!! I had no problems. Im convinced I'll be fine with my current 18's. I'll just be careful, drive a little slower, and let the AWD carry me through. I've seen RWD porches, mustangs, and S2000's navigating through some serious snow.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (JimLill)

I thought they fixed potholes in Roc by dropping in an old VW.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (michael r)

Quote, originally posted by michael r »

I dont think winters are half as bad as everyone else. It snowed more last winter here in southern N.Y. than anytime in the last three thousand years!! I had no problems. Im convinced I'll be fine with my current 18's. I'll just be careful, drive a little slower, and let the AWD carry me through. I've seen RWD porches, mustangs, and S2000's navigating through some serious snow.

On stock Pirelli Pzeros? You're asking for trouble... seriously. It'll be like an ice-skating rink. I've had first-hand experience with summer tires in the snow.... there's only one solution - don't do it.

(and this WAS on another AWD car...)

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (djeuch)

Point taken. Was it Louisville that was one of the hardest hit during that superstorm blizzard of 93'??? I think i remember our UPS terminal down there being paralized for the first time??

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (michael r)

Quote, originally posted by michael r »

Point taken. Was it Louisville that was one of the hardest hit during that superstorm blizzard of 93'??? I think i remember our UPS terminal down there being paralized for the first time??

Yep, but I wasn't living here then. Lived in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the last 10 years... One good snow storm in NH was as much snow as tne annual amount in Louisville!

In any case, I go with snow/summer combinations because I don't want to compromise on traction....

 

For what it's worth, a June Volvo Product Update Bulletin recommends the use of the Pegasus alloys and Pirelli Winter 240 Snow Sport or Michelin Pilot Alpin for 18 inch wheels (235/40-18) and Pirelli Winter 240 Snow Sport for the 17 inch wheels (225/45-17). It also states that a steel wheel for use with winter tires is not available because of the larger Brembo brake calipers on the R.

 

Re: (jaibel) volvos60r

I'm thinking of buying an s60 R, and I actually have a deposit on one, but I'm hesitating because of the wheel/tire issue. I live in the northeast, and the roads aren't great any time of year, to say nothing of the winter and snow/ice problems. Do you(or anyone) think the winter tire recommended by Volvo(17 inch tires) is an adequate choice for winter? I have a Volvo(C70) that came with low profile tires 5 years ago, and I ended up changing them to 16s as the wheels kept bending due to road conditions. Changing the tires on the S60R apparently isn't an option. I really do like the car though, but I want it to be useful(and safe) in all seasons.

 

Re: (jaibel) volvos60r (esf99)

I attempted to have some 17" steel wheels fabricated. The problem is that even custom wheels start with an off the shelf centerless "hoop" raw wheel and those don't clear the Brembos.

Use of a 17.5" blank wheel is a possibility, but then oddball truck tires would be all that fits.

 

Re: (jaibel)

I believe it says 17's only. Even if 18's are available with snows you would have to be nuts to try it.
You need a narrower, taller tire NOT a lower profile with snows .
They just won't work too well.
I saw that bulletin and I don't recall anything being mentioned about 18's.
JRL

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (djeuch)

Also PZero's don't work in the very cold westher. They get hard and are not sticky.
Not only will you have little traction you MAY ruin the tires.
It said right on the window, TAKE OFF DURING THE WINTER.
JRL

Quote, originally posted by djeuch »

On stock Pirelli Pzeros? You're asking for trouble... seriously. It'll be like an ice-skating rink. I've had first-hand experience with summer tires in the snow.... there's only one solution - don't do it. (and this WAS on another AWD car...)

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (michael r)

Trust me on this one, high performance tires + snow = disaster. My C36 had Bridgestone S-01's and the one (and only) time I got caught in a dusting of snow the car totally crapped out. I got stuck on a mild incline and the tires would be spin causing the ASR to throttle back the engine. ASR doesn't give you gas if you don't have traction and if you don't have traction you can't get gas. Our little electronic friends sometimes aren't very bright. With the ASR off, the car would move about six inches at a time with the rear end sliding left or right each time. From this happy experience I learned the value of Winter tires (and the uselessness of high performance tires).

I was thinking of Nokian's on 17's, but we get ice. I'm probably going to go with a full-fledged winter tire. I wish the Nokian winter tires came in 17's.

 

Re: Snow Tires, Wheels, best approach? (BarryH)

Quote, originally posted by BarryH »

Tr I was thinking of Nokian's on 17's, but we get ice. I'm probably going to go with a full-fledged winter tire. I wish the Nokian winter tires came in 17's.

They do...

http://www.nokiantires.com/new...?id=1