FocusCanada Forums

I need to get two snows mounted first since two are dead, and they'll be going on. The Kumho ASTs are holding up rather well so far in the frosty mornings with frozen puddles...

(11-09-2010, 03:43 AM)darkpuppet Wrote: [ -> ]I swear by winter tires -- I've been able to navigate my RWD car out of the path of out of control AWD SUV at least once a year.

man those drivers must suck badly lol

I'm still dithering about WHEN to put them on, but there are three sets (all on steel wheels) ready to install on the Focus fleet:

- 185x14 CanadianTire Nordics for the 2003 SE wagon
- 195x15 Goodyear Nordics for the 2005 SES 5-door
- 195x15 Michelin X-Ice for the 2010 SE

My history is that I tend to wait until the last possible moment, then wind up outside in the driveway, in the dark, with flurries swirling around my head, using a flashlight to see where that @#$%^ nug nut rolled away to.

Maybe I will take a wiser approach and do all the cars in the sun, over this coming weekend, with coffee breaks between each one. But those aluminum wheels just look so NICE.... :-)

Bob

(11-11-2010, 08:27 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-09-2010, 03:43 AM)darkpuppet Wrote: [ -> ]I swear by winter tires -- I've been able to navigate my RWD car out of the path of out of control AWD SUV at least once a year.

man those drivers must suck badly lol

Or they assume that AWD + A/S tires = invincible.

Newsflash, not even AWD + dedicated winter rubber = invincible

Just too many variables in winter driving, gotta drive it like you don't know whats coming around the bend.

NefCanuck

I put mine on a few weeks back. My old ones were just about done so I finally picked up the tires I've been lusting after for years.

For those of you still needing to buy snows, if you can find a place that still has access to them, the Nokian Hakka RSI's have been discontinued and are on clearance here and there. I picked up a set of 185-65-15's for just over $500 installed (by comparison, for the new Hakka R that replaced them I was quoted $180+tax per tire).

-George

I use Michelin X-Ice on all our vehicles over winter. For those that like the look of their aluminum wheels, consider this. The SVT wheels to be installed on SVT-WGN (Focus wagon) next spring are 17". The correct size tire for this rim is 205/45-17 at $148 per tire. Instead over winter, I use a fifteen inch rim with a 195/60R15 tire which cost me $93. Add in the $15 to mount, balance the tire in the fall, and then again to switch back to summer tires in the spring, and considering my previous X-Ice lasted four winters, means my total cost for vanity is $55 (difference in tire price) + (4 years x $15 per changeover x 2 times each year/season) or a total of $175, or more than what a nice aluminum wheel costs on the used market.

Add in the following benefits. A higher profile tire (would we call this Minus-Two?) is better able to cut through the snow (look at military vehicles - none of them use wide, low profile tires) and have more resiliency when hitting a pothole (very low profile tires mean you will inevitably dent your large vanity rims on that very first pothole), not to mention the possible corrosion because of the salt.

My recommendation? Buy the smallest diameter rim that will clear your brakes/rotors and install the highest profile winter tire you can. You will save money, aggravation, and your car will thank you.

Some tire/wheel combinations for the Focus:

18 inch wheels (largest diameter wheels recommended for Focus). I would never run a 35 profile snow tire.
215/35R18 (23.93 inches in diameter)
225/35ZR18 (24.20 inches in diameter) $199 Pilot Sport PS2

17 inch wheels (SVT)
205/45R17 (24.26 inches in diameter) $148 X-Ice $185 Pilot Sport A/S Plus
215/45R17 (24.62 inches in diameter)

16 inch wheels (newer Focus)
195/55R16 (24.44 inches in diameter) $118 X-Ice
205/50R16 (24.07 inches in diameter) $132 X-Ice

15 inch wheels (older Focus)
195/60R15 (24.21 inches in diameter) $93 X-Ice $106 HydroEdge

14 inch wheels (old Escorts, Contour/Mystique)
185/70R14 (24.20 inches in diameter) $82 X-Ice $97 HydroEdge

Finally, may I suggest you test your speedometer for accuracy. Most new speedometers and odometers are accurate. Older vehicles are sometimes as much as 10% out. Use or borrow a GPS. On an empty stretch of highway, set the cruise on your car to exactly 100 km/hr. Then check the speed reading on the GPS. If it also says 100, then just match your existing tire diameter to maintain accuracy. If however, the GPS reads under 100 (usual, rare to read over) note that value.

Use the following formula to determine your optimal tire diameter (works for all speeds):

For example one of my former cars, the GPS read 95 when the speedometer said 100. So plugging these numbers into the above equation (100 divided by 95 times 24.21 inch old tire diameter) gives 25.48 inches for the corrected tire diameter. In this case I would go from the 195/60R15 tire to a 205/65R15 to correct the speed (larger diameter tire). Using an oversize tire like this should fit, but always check.

Better still, go up one size of wheel to a 16" and use a 215/55R16 tire.

The formula to determine overall tire diameter looks like this:

(11-27-2010, 10:14 AM)SVT-WGN Wrote: [ -> ]The SVT wheels to be installed on SVT-WGN (Focus wagon) next spring are 17". The correct size tire for this rim is 205/45-17 at $148 per tire. Instead over winter, I use a fifteen inch rim with a 195/60R15 tire which cost me $93.

If your SVT conversion includes brakes, you'll need 16" rims minimum to clear the brakes.

An alternative to SVT brakes is to go with the Focus Rally brakes which are slightly smaller diameter (same knuckle, though) and in fact can be cleared by 15" rims.

It's almost december and I'm still on my summers and that's at Bruce county where winters are very harsh. I'm like Duckcanak lol
Picking up a used winter set this sunday. Had to find a new set so the rims can clear Brembo's

I have the Focus Rally kit on the front of mine and the SVT's on the rear. Minimum is 15's for sure as the front set up is the OEM 05+ front brakes. Not 100% what the minimum size the rears would take but my 16" stockers work just fine. But I sure do miss my O-Z's. Looking forward to the spring in a big way at this point.

If and when the SVT brakes get installed, and the 15" do not fit, then I will find 16" and use them. What I was trying to say in that earlier post, was use your existing rims or the smallest rims that will fit for winter. Save the sharp, gorgeous wheels for summer.

On the Taurus, I use my stock, original 16" with the X-Ice in winter and a set of 17" Volvo aluminum rims with HydroEdge for summer use. Steel wheels (at least around here) are over $60 per wheel. Used steel wheels average about $25. Used aluminum wheels are anywhere from $50 to $500 depending on the type and condition. The Volvo wheels were $75 each.

Used SVT wheels seem to go for between $50 to $100 each. Considering that a steel wheel has absolutely no cachet, the premium for the SVT wheel makes good economic sense. Add in the cost of mounting tires twice a year, and the reason becomes even stronger.

(11-27-2010, 01:38 PM)SVT-WGN Wrote: [ -> ]If and when the SVT brakes get installed, and the 15" do not fit, then I will find 16" and use them. What I was trying to say in that earlier post, was use your existing rims or the smallest rims that will fit for winter. Save the sharp, gorgeous wheels for summer.

On the Taurus, I use my stock, original 16" with the X-Ice in winter and a set of 17" Volvo aluminum rims with HydroEdge for summer use. Steel wheels (at least around here) are over $60 per wheel. Used steel wheels average about $25. Used aluminum wheels are anywhere from $50 to $500 depending on the type and condition. The Volvo wheels were $75 each.

Used SVT wheels seem to go for between $50 to $100 each. Considering that a steel wheel has absolutely no cachet, the premium for the SVT wheel makes good economic sense. Add in the cost of mounting tires twice a year, and the reason becomes even stronger.

Yup - we here ya (and you're talking mostly to the converted here) ... but unfortunately for me I have a rim fetish that does not include steelies.

I have four sets of rims for my Focus (and a couple of odd-ball Team Dynamics rims) and a pair each for two Fusions - the upper part of the mezzanine in my garage is mostly for rims and tires LOL.

In terms of used steel rims you may find the 4x108 bolt pattern for the Focus a little more difficult to find as many on this board can attest to - and that's especially true of 16". If you find a set cheap, jump on them because they tend to sell fast. What you may find ... as I did many times over (I'm on my 8th Focus) - is that inexpensive alloy rims, even new ones, aren't much different in price than 16" steelies.

(11-27-2010, 11:07 PM)ZTWsquared Wrote: [ -> ]Yup - we hear ya (and you're talking mostly to the converted here) ... but unfortunately for me I have a rim fetish that does not include steelies.

Me too. My apologies. Obviously I was still not clear enough. If the stock fifteen inch rims do not fit, then it will be stock sixteen inch rims I would use in winter (stock aluminum rims probably from a later model Focus). To clarify, in summer I use 17" Volvo rims while in winter I use 16" stock Taurus aluminum rims (with appropriate tires each season.)


Photo with 17 inch Volvo rims (used with lower profile summer tires)


Photo with 16 inch stock Taurus rims (used with winter tires)

While the overall wheel diameter remains the same, the winter tires have more give. I probably could have gone to an even smaller rim and gained even more resiliency (sidewall height), but this option only involved buying one set of rims. (And yes, I am a long roof fan.)

alas i just put mine on today, now i can't take corners anywhere near as hard.

(11-27-2010, 10:14 AM)SVT-WGN Wrote: [ -> ]I use Michelin X-Ice on all our vehicles over winter. For those that like the look of their aluminum wheels, consider this. The SVT wheels to be installed on SVT-WGN (Focus wagon) next spring are 17". The correct size tire for this rim is 205/45-17 at $148 per tire. Instead over winter, I use a fifteen inch rim with a 195/60R15 tire which cost me $93. Add in the $15 to mount, balance the tire in the fall, and then again to switch back to summer tires in the spring, and considering my previous X-Ice lasted four winters, means my total cost for vanity is $55 (difference in tire price) + (4 years x $15 per changeover x 2 times each year/season) or a total of $175, or more than what a nice aluminum wheel costs on the used market.

Add in the following benefits. A higher profile tire (would we call this Minus-Two?) is better able to cut through the snow (look at military vehicles - none of them use wide, low profile tires) and have more resiliency when hitting a pothole (very low profile tires mean you will inevitably dent your large vanity rims on that very first pothole), not to mention the possible corrosion because of the salt.

My recommendation? Buy the smallest diameter rim that will clear your brakes/rotors and install the highest profile winter tire you can. You will save money, aggravation, and your car will thank you.

Some tire/wheel combinations for the Focus:

18 inch wheels (largest diameter wheels recommended for Focus). I would never run a 35 profile snow tire.
215/35R18 (23.93 inches in diameter)
225/35ZR18 (24.20 inches in diameter) $199 Pilot Sport PS2

17 inch wheels (SVT)
205/45R17 (24.26 inches in diameter) $148 X-Ice $185 Pilot Sport A/S Plus
215/45R17 (24.62 inches in diameter)

16 inch wheels (newer Focus)
195/55R16 (24.44 inches in diameter) $118 X-Ice
205/50R16 (24.07 inches in diameter) $132 X-Ice

15 inch wheels (older Focus)
195/60R15 (24.21 inches in diameter) $93 X-Ice $106 HydroEdge

14 inch wheels (old Escorts, Contour/Mystique)
185/70R14 (24.20 inches in diameter) $82 X-Ice $97 HydroEdge

Finally, may I suggest you test your speedometer for accuracy. Most new speedometers and odometers are accurate. Older vehicles are sometimes as much as 10% out. Use or borrow a GPS. On an empty stretch of highway, set the cruise on your car to exactly 100 km/hr. Then check the speed reading on the GPS. If it also says 100, then just match your existing tire diameter to maintain accuracy. If however, the GPS reads under 100 (usual, rare to read over) note that value.

Use the following formula to determine your optimal tire diameter (works for all speeds):

For example one of my former cars, the GPS read 95 when the speedometer said 100. So plugging these numbers into the above equation (100 divided by 95 times 24.21 inch old tire diameter) gives 25.48 inches for the corrected tire diameter. In this case I would go from the 195/60R15 tire to a 205/65R15 to correct the speed (larger diameter tire). Using an oversize tire like this should fit, but always check.

Better still, go up one size of wheel to a 16" and use a 215/55R16 tire.

The formula to determine overall tire diameter looks like this:

All of that can be summarized with
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

i'm looking to get a set of winters installed on the Focus hopefully this weekend. i called a bunch of places and a few of them offered me the Barum Polaris 2 tire. as far as i know, they are made by continental, so they should be decent? i'll be spending just under $400 taxes in with installation/balancing for the rubber only. anyone have any experience using these tires or heard of this brand? are they any good?

IIRC for 14's or 15's I see Michelin UltraGrips going for around that price ($400). I haven't even heard of the tires you mentioned. Personally i'd go with something middle of the road, hankook w409's are a pretty good tire and most dealers can get you a good price.

Where are you located? If your close to durham give these guys a call, their prices are usually the best I can find installed/out the door.
http://www.exclusivewheel.ca/

I am running Barums on my O-Z's in the summer. So far so good for quality. Not sure about their snows though.

(12-03-2010, 07:57 AM)srg Wrote: [ -> ]i'm looking to get a set of winters installed on the Focus hopefully this weekend. i called a bunch of places and a few of them offered me the Barum Polaris 2 tire. as far as i know, they are made by continental, so they should be decent? i'll be spending just under $400 taxes in with installation/balancing for the rubber only. anyone have any experience using these tires or heard of this brand? are they any good?

Like you said, Barum is a Continental company, like Gislaved or General. They're a European arm of Continental, and a little more economical than Gislaved. Anything I've ever seen has been they are a good snow tire, but not the ultimate, like a Nokian or Gislaved. I'd compare them to the BF Goodrich of the Continental world. Good, but not the best. Definitely comparable to Goodyear Nordics, or the Hankook I-Pike W409s I'm running.

For $400 taxes in, it's hard to go wrong...

thanks for the advice guys!
i'm going to see if i can get an appointment for next week!

ending up getting a set of Dunlop Graspic DS-3s for just over $400 with a rebate...pretty good reviews all around and were just a tad more than the Barum's (which seemed to not have that many reviews)