Fit snow, winter tires,winter driving questions??

[mordock]

Hi,I'm new to the forum and have a question not knowing too much about tires and rims.I'm waiting like a lot of people on a silver sport honda fit from my local dealership.My question is could i use a base fit's 14"steel wheel's on a sport model in the winter to save my alloys?I didn't know if going from 15" down to 14" would be a problem with the added ground effects on a sport.I found a good deal on a base fit's 14" steel wheels and thought they might be a good way to go.Any advice would be much appreciated. THANKS!

[DRum]

Should work fine. I always have seperate snows for winter.

[mordock]

Thank's for the reply.Didn't know if the change in size would be a problem,but they are take offs of the base model so I thought they could be used on a sport.

[jim@tirerack]

We have 14" steel wheels for 35.00 apiece. They would fit the car fine even with modifications.
If I can help let me know.

[Spule 4]

All:

I am not sure what tires are being put on Fit/Jazz cars outside of the US, but here we have a Dunlop low rolling resistance SP31 that has US designation for "All Season" but I have some concern on this.

Is anyone running snow/winter tires, and if so, can you give "us Yanks" who have yet to have their Fit on a cold day, nevermind snow, some ideas of what you are using?

Thanks-

[RageOfFury]

Well I live in Canada and I'm planning on putting winter tires on my Fit Sport for sure. I've already made up my mind and I'll be going with Michelin's Pilot Alpin PA2 winter tires.

[JDMish]

Originally Posted by RageOfFury

Well I live in Canada and I'm planning on putting winter tires on my Fit Sport for sure. I've already made up my mind and I'll be going with Michelin's Pilot Alpin PA2 winter tires.

got the same set coming for my Fit as well. between the x-ice and the pilot there were maybe $10 dollars difference, might as well go with the better ones.

God i love getting parts for a car i dont have in my possesion yet

[fit2bowner]

Any opinions on the Dunlop Graspics? I'm trying to make up my mind between those and the Michelin X-Ice or Pilot Alpin PA2. There is a considerable price difference but the Dunlops seem to be rated fairly well on some of the tire websites.

[Spule 4]

All:

First, forgot to mention, what my concern is for this area is light snow and ice, Vs deep snow and slush, so that has to be a consideration.

The other is rolling resistance. Granted, the most current report I can find (Choose Green from 2003) states that the Graspic DS-1 and Michelin Alpines were both low resistance tires. I am sure that things have changed since.

I may jump over to the Hybrid forums and see what I can find there.

Thanks!

[jim@tirerack]

The Graspic will handle snow better but they are squishy handling in the dry. I have used them on a 3 Series BMW for two years and they worked fine.
We will have wheels and tires available for the car.
If I can help let me know.

[Granit]

I will soone have to put winter tires on my Fit. These will go on the original 14inch rims.

I know nothing about tires...
Any suggestions ?
and why?

[DRum]

Michelin makes a nice winter tire. I have used these and like them very much. Bridgestone Blizzaks are also very nice. I strongly reccomend getting 4 extra rims for ease of changeover.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....e1=yes&place=4

[Granit]

Thanks...

Actually I will put them on the original rims...In spring I'm buying some 15inch Gunmetal wheels

[tricolor]

I would go for an ICE tire rather than a SNOW tire.
Snow is already safer than ice as it offers a better grip and falls at a milder temperature than "black" ice. Also, traffic is slowed down by snow where as ice covered patches will cath you off gard on a sunny day.
ICE tire such as the one from Michelin, Bridgestone or Toyo are more expensive, but their softer rubber with multiple slents will act as "ventouse" and work good with ABS at any speeds. They wear faster as the temperature gets over freeze point, but are so much safer.
I myself have yet to buy mine...

[rainonfire]

I bought the winter I Pike's.. Love them.

But I'm in Alaska, so I like the staggered studs and such.

Now, if I could find some rims..

[citizenkeith]

Any Yokohama recommendations?

[JonasM]

If I'm not mistaken, the Fit has the same bolt pattern as the 93 Civic EX. Since I don't have my Fit yet, I can't check to see if my old 14" rims will fit. I plan on buying snow tires for them. The Civic tire size I used was 185/60-14.

1) Will the rims fit?
2) What would be the correct winter tire size to maintain the proper tire diameter? (I used to remember how do do the conversion between sizes, but it's been a long time sine I've worried about that).

JonasM

[wyy183]

I have some 185/70-14 Hakkapeliitta 1's that I have mounted on steel Civic wheels that I'm planning on running this winter.

On the sport, it has 195/55-15's. This works out to a diameter of 23.4"

The 185/70-14's are 24.2" in diameter, giving me an extra .4" ground clearance.

The 185/60-14's that you mention are 22.7" in diameter.


Formula:
(wheel width / 25.4 *aspect ratio / 100 * 2) + wheel diameter = wheel/tire diameter

[JonasM]

OK, so if I remember the old rule of thumb, when I go down 1 inch in wheel diameter, the standard thing to do is go 10 down for the width, 10 up on the aspect ratio, leaving the diameter the same: 185/65-14 would be 23.46" diameter. Cool.

Thanks a lot!

JonasM

[bschurma]

Here is a nice little online calculator to compare tires.

http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp