first -- i know very little about tire/wheel fitment!

i'm trying to figure out what snow tires/wheels to get for my '11 sport. the stock size is quite unusual, it looks like tirerack only has 1 tire that would fit (185/55/16). and it happens to be a pretty expensive tire.

tirerack has assured me that their 14 inch wheel/tire package would fit over the brakes on the 11 fit sport.

i have two questions:
1 - has anyone used the 14 inch rims from tirerack on a fit sport for snows? any rubbing? any other concerns?

2 - am i calculating the overall diameter correctly (Tire Tech at Tire Rack) 185/55/16 -- ~24 inch diameter and 185/70/14 -- also ~24inch. is that true? would that mean about the same ground clearance? if the overall diameter is about the same, does the odometer wind up at the same rate? or is it a function of the rim size?

 

Just posted this on another thread but thought it might help you as well in calculating and shopping for alternatives...
Tire Dimensions Made Simple - Discount Tire

I don't have snow tire experience in reference to your question. But hopefully the link will give the answer to your 2nd question. Good luck!

 

2. Changing the rim size doesn't change the odometer. What I mean is, as long as the same overall diameter is the same then the odometer reading will remain the same.

 

I just got a 2012 Fit sport with the same size tires and have the 14 inch rim package from tire rack w/185/70/14 General Arctic Altimax snows sitting in my garage. I called tirerack and they've been selling that combo since '10 and have had no issues. I'll get back to you in a week or so when I get mine on and let you know.

 

Hey There Fellow Vermonter... (I'm Between Rutland & Middlebury)

I'm not sure about Clearance on the rims but I'm running 15" Integra Alloy wheels with the General Altimax Arctic snow tires. I ran them last winter and had no issues with a 52mile round trip commute. I've also had the Winterforce tires on my Integra & My wife's civic which worked great for the same so I can recommend both. I kind of felt more secure on the Winterforce tires but the Generals give you confidence as well.

Welcome to the forums and it's nice to see someone else from the area on here.

Also, of note, you'll need to have TPMS sensors installed since you have VSA. You won't be able to deactivate the VSA (to get your wheels spinning to get going in snow) if you don't have the TPMS sensors installed. That'll requrie the "quickset" tool or a trip to the dealer each time you swap out your all season tires for your winter ones and vice versa.

~SB

 

Are you sure about this? In nearly all vehicles the VSA (or traction or stability control by a different name) has NOTHING to do with the TPMS system.
This is completely confirmed in 2007-08 Acura TSX's & 2008+ Mustangs as I am very familiar with those cars.

In those cars the TPMS system is a very simple separate wireless module which does not interact with anything else in the vehicle.
In fact since, most Canadians run separate winter/wheels & tires in my area & very few bother with TPMS sensors in their winter wheels.
They just put a piece of black tape over the light on the dash & done.
Initially TPMS sensors were terrible in cold weather with tons of issues but my understanding is that they have improved in later years.

TPMS is mandatory by Canadian law & is totally overated. If you don't have a good pressure gauge & are not checking your tires regularily, you wont' notice a light on the dash either.


To take it one step further. Pulling the fuse or plug on the VSA system is common on cars with those systems for track use.
In all cars, turning VSA off with the button on the dash does not disable the VSA completely.

 

i use this site..

Online Wheel & Tyre Fitment calculator. Offset and Tyre Stretch

 

Not true. In fact my Canadian Fit doesn't even have TPMS and I'm happy about that fact.

 

Traction control is different from VSA. TCS applies braking to the left or right drive wheel to allow the other wheel which has grip to attempt to move the vehicle. VSA is braking at all four wheels as well as throttle modulation (among many other things). the owners manual says that VSA&TCS cannot be deactivated if the TPMS light is on. If you cannot defeat TCS or VSA, you can't spin the tires to get out of a near-stuck situation. I recommend pulling out the owners manual and reading up on the TPMS system and the TPMS notification light. This has been a discussion point on a few of the fits, especially since US bound fits have had VSA standard since 2011 (mandatory for 2012 on all US-bound vehicles)

hope this helps.

~SB

 

awesome, thanks for the links! i'm going to give the 14 package from tirerack a shot. good to know about the VSA, i will try without the TPMS sensors this winter, and if it sucks i'll get some next winter (or later this winter depending on how bad it is)

 

TPMS is not required in Ontario and our cars do not come with it.

 

The 14 inch steelies fit just fine, not a lot of brake clearance but it works just fine, took it out a few times today and no issues. It screams Ecobox with the 14 inch rims and the cheap hubcaps, but hey, it'll get me through the winter up here. Had our first snow already, of course they salted the crap out of the roads. Today was warm and I got to wash it all off, at least for now. The Artic Altimax are much quieter then the Winterforce on my wife's car, luckily it's the last year for those tires.

 

I, too, will put in a solid thumbs up for 14's and the 185/70/14 General Altimax Arctic's. I've had several sets, and I'm running these (with TPMS!) on my wife's GE Sport, and on my WRX. Pretty solid winter tires- remember, skinny=better for winter, but no amount of tire can undo physics! Drive smart, as always- Mark W.