Blizzak 255/55/18's for the rear?

[Roger D]

I know the snowtire discussions have been had before - BUT I'd like to keep the front and rear ratios pretty close to the oem tires on the 18's. I'm planning on installing the Blizzak LM22's 235/45/18's for the front (easy choice) - but will the 29" 255/55/18's clear the rear? Alternatively, would it be more appropriate to use a somewhat narrower setup for the snow/ice- such as 225/45's on the front and 235/50's on the rear (both 18's)?

Given the length of recent CT winters, I'd really like to keep the Marauder wheels on the car and avoid the black steel wheel routine (it will be hard enough giving the Nitto DR's on the widened Marauders rims a "rest" until next May).

Thanks & regards,

Roger

[2003DOHC]

How about 235/55/18 blizzaks on the front and rear??

[Roger D]

Blue Oval

Thanks for getting on this one for me!

I found 235/50's, 255/45's and 255/55's - but no Blizzak 235/55's in 18's - unless I'm looking in the wrong place (TIRERACK). There are 235/55's in 17's.

I'd really like to keep the rears a bit taller/wider than the fronts if possible - the rears I'm running now are very close to 29" in diameter - but just shy. It does look like there may be enough space to clear the well, but I'd like to be sure before having such big pieces of rubber shipped.

[2003DOHC]

I have a set of 4 in my basement and they are listed on tire racks web site. They are 28.3 inches in diameter. Blizzak WS50.

[Roger D]

Thanks very much - problem solved - I was looking at the LM22's & missed the WS50's.

How does your car handle in dry conditions w/ four of these mounted?

Regards,

Roger

[2003DOHC]

Thanks very much - problem solved - I was looking at the LM22's & missed the WS50's.

How does your car handle in dry conditions w/ four of these mounted?

Regards,

Roger

I have not used them on the Marauder. When I bought the MM I did not intend to store it in the winter but since have changed my mind. Bought a 2001 Ranger for winter use. I have used the Blizzaks for 9 years on 2 different Crown Vics. They will not perform as well as a summer tire but are hard to beat in the snow!! Purchased a set for the Ranger also.

[HenryIV]

My current snow plan is 235/55/18 WS-50 on the rear and stock tire up front. I live in Kentucky, where we can get snow, even deep snow, but it normally melts in about 2 days. Almost no one here bothers with snow tires, but my wife drives the MM so I want to be safe. I will prob stick a few sand bags in the trunk as well.

[BillyGman]

Roger, I'd go with the Blizzak WS-50 snowtires like Blue oval mentioned because I think that the WS-50's are probably better in the snow anyway since they're designed specifically for snow and not also for high speed cornering. Here's a link to a size spec chart. You'll see the 18" Blizzak WS-50 tires on the bottom of the chart.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?make=Bridgestone&model=Blizzak+WS-50

[Bradley G]

Welcome newbie HenryIV, I would remind you 70%+ of your breaking is from your front tires the oem tires front and back are absoulutely WORTHLESS in the snow. I live in Chicago (near) I drove the MM every day since Dec and I WILL Be getting the Correct tire / wheel package this winter.I look at it this way : Tire wheel pkg=$5-6 hundo$$ VS. one incident = ??????.... $$$$$$$:censor: What's my deductable?? What's my life (wife's Too!!) worth??:confused: Don't answer that ;)
My current snow plan is 235/55/18 WS-50 on the rear and stock tire up front. I live in Kentucky, where we can get snow, even deep snow, but it normally melts in about 2 days. Almost no one here bothers with snow tires, but my wife drives the MM so I want to be safe. I will prob stick a few sand bags in the trunk as well.

[ADE 1000]

I drove on the stock wheels/tires last winter as well. I made it around ok, but I could see how things could get difficult if conditions got worse. Luckily we had a mild winter last year here in Chicago. I also did not feel good about getting all that salt and grime all over the factory 18" rims.

This year I am not taking chances, and I am probably going with 16" Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow tires all the way around. I was considering the Blizzak WS-50s, but I hear that they are horrible in the dry. A recent review of them on a Mini Cooper labeled them as downright scary in the dry. Given that I will probably only drive in actual snow during winter less than 25% of the time, I am willing to trade ultimate snow grip for some decent dry weather handling.

[rayjay]

I went with a wheel/tire package from the tirerack. Where I live we have significant snowfall on a regular basis from Nov - Mar. I have to traverse 3 good size hills to get to work. I work nights and the plows are off the road before I leave for my shift. I went with the Firestone WinterForce snows. They appeared to have the most aggressive tread pattern for snow. The only other MM in our county had to be towed to a tire store during the 1st snow storm last year. He couldn't keep the car on the road to get home. He has a 03 300A, no traction control.

[BillyGman]

I agree w/the comment that it's a major advantage having true snow tires (not just "all-season" tires) on all four wheels. I did last year during the four major snow storms that we had here, and my Marauder went through as much as 12" of un-plowed snow even up some pretty steep hills. And w/out fishtailing. And my Marauder doesn't have traction control either (and I wouldn't want it).

[mmmmmmarauder]

Let's assume I widen my wheels (ala Lidio) and I drive primarily
on plowed albeit icy streets...

Is there ANY tire that is reasonably all-season in design that would
fit within the "drag radial" size, profile, handling, ride, tread noise, etc.?

In other words, I want to widen the wheels as wide as possible and
practical (is that 2"?) and have one set of tires that would work under
most any conditions...


Also, I admit there would be some trade-off in that I would have to
drive much more carefully in winter conditions...I just want to be able to reasonably move, steer, and stop in Chicago winters...


Peter



W :flag: '04

[BillyGman]

I think that trying to find an all-season tire like you're asking about would defeat the entire purpose of getting the rims widened in the first place. The widened wheels turn out to be 9.5", and yes they look cool, but the primary reason for doing that is to get as big of a contact patch as possible on the dry pavement for the best traction possible, especially at the dragstrip. Which drag radials are good for. But if you put an all-season type tire on the widened rims, then it will NOT give you the dry pavment traction on the street nor at the stip that a drag radial tire will give you. My advice to you is to forget about the widened rims atleast until you can afford them as well as snow tires too. What I did is I had Lidio get me a new pair of wheels for the back, and I had him widen the new ones, so that I still have the factory width, as well as the widened width.

[rayjay]

Wide tires on snow = your in the ditch. All they do is plow and you can't steer or get traction. I remember a MVA I went to. The kid had put really wide, off road, sand type tires on a jacked up F150. He drove out of a parking lot and landed in the ditch on the other side of the road, in 4x4 drive. He couldn't understand what happened. I asked if he had the tires that came with the truck at home back on Long Island. He did and took my advice to put those on. He tracked me down and thanked me a few weeks later. Someone down there had told him the wider the better in snow, WRONG. If you live where it snows a lot, you need snow tires, period.

On another note with my winter tires/wheels. My center caps for my tirerack package came in today. They should look ok. Getting the right lug nuts is another project. Turns out the center caps for an interceptor are the same as for a Ranger with steel wheels. The local Car Quest ordered both lug nut styles for me to see which one will actually work. They will be in tomorrow morning. One is 64 cents a piece, the other are $1.79. Obviouly I'm hoping the cheaper ones work. The center caps were approx $23 a piece from my local Ford dealer. I'll have part numbers available if anyone needs them.