Winter Setups
 

Hi everyone,
Before I begin this, I know I know search button blah blah blah. I have been searching and reading up on threads for this. I also know some will flame me (flame suit on) for not only DDing my Z but also driving her throughout the winter but alas. That's the life of someone who doesn't need 2 cars and a motorcycle.

Anyway now that I have gotten all of that out the way. I was wondering what you all do (personally for your winter setups). I see the vast majority of people going with Blizzak LM-60s, some 19" (I don't really agree with that) and many running 18s.

I was thinking of going with the Blizzak because of the high level of reviews that I have seen showing them being more than competent in the snow/ice.

I guess my question is 2 things:
1. Recommendation on tire size (225/40/R19 vs 225/35/R19 vs 255/40/R18). Please note I have an 09 Touring with the sport package.

2. What are you personal setups for those who drive through the snow.

Search button sucks!

Anyway, I have an '09 also with the sport breaks, I run a 225/50/18 front and a 245/45/18 rear Hankook Ipike for winter, on a set of 350Z track wheels no problems.

Thanks for the info. How do you like the Hankook??

yah, LM60's are very good. i tried it on my G a few yrs back in deep snow.

since they come in stock 19 sizes, i'd just use the sport wheels and stock sizes. at least the car looks good in the winter too. :D

for me, i just hibernate my RWD cars though.

I bought rims and Blizzaks (model now discontinued) at 225/50-18.
Handles the snow big time. No issues at all.

Yeah I would have enjoyed having a secondary car for the winter but it just didn't work that way. I would ideally like to have a second set of wheels/tires so I don't have to worry about unmounting and mounting multiple times a year. I figured that running a smaller diameter would actually be better than keeping with the 19's

I saw that the blizzaks were on blowout specials which worried me (I wonder what they will be replaced with). The way I read your post, it sounds like you are running a square setup.

I am not worried about looks for the winter because everything in the winter just needs to get me from point A to B safely

actually not so much the diameter but the width. narrower is better in the snow. so i suppose if you want to go the cheaper route, get the base 18" wheels and run their stock sizes which are like 225/245 or something. :)

Right that was more of what I was trying to convey. I think the one person I saw was running the stock Sport Rays on Blizzaks and I didn't necessarily think that was the best option. I'm trying to start this process early so I can make sure I have them before the cold weather starts

my winter set-up:

car cover
heated garage

done lol :tup:

I can only dream of that setup...

One day...

I was going to buy blizzaks too but they were discontinued, I purchased Michelin x-ice 3's i believe which held great during this harsh winter...i bought 18's as well for the set up...the back wheel looked sunk in but since it was my winter wheels it didn't matter much...i think they were 215/50/18 i'll check for you and let you now, they are sitting in my garage now lol

Awesome. I appreciate it. I know some people have mentioned using spacers to fill out the back, but like you, I don't really care all that much for the winter.

Square is a pretty good bet for snow tires. I bought Blizzak LM25s 4 years ago and they are great. They were discontinued because they came out with the LM60s. They have tons of tread left. I have had a couple of flats in them, but they were both my fault. I'm probably the first human being ever to get a nail in their tire when they weren't on the car. Picked one up in my storage shed when the tires/wheels were off of the car. :icon14:

I'd definitely recommend getting wheels. It takes me an hour or so to swap mine out and you don't have to pay a tire store every time you swap. I paid $1255 for wheels, tires and lugs in January 2010 from TireRack. Well worth the money.

I bought a set of base wheels and run Michelin Alpin PA4s in 245/40/18. I live in DC, though, so I wanted to run a tire that would still perform well on mostly dry roads.

Up in Pittsburgh I'd try to run a 225 square setup and a Blizzak since you're probably going to be dealing with much more snow/ice than I do.

Yeah I was planning on just swapping them out myself before the snow hit so I've been lurking the wheel classifieds to pick up a set of wheels (trying to get lucky and get a full setup) but either way I am getting some winter tires for sure.

Note to self: Keep all tires away from you :D

Awesome. Thanks for the advice on it. I was leaning toward the square setup because it seems like a lot of people are having success with it.

Would the 225s clear the sport brakes though??

I think I've settled on going with a square setup all around (seems like I can get 225/50/18 to work)

Do you think that these wheels will clear the sport brakes:
Wheel Details - Discount Tire Direct

Or

Wheel Details - Discount Tire Direct
(what concerns me about this is that they are 18 x 7" so I don't know if they will clear)

just think that you have plenty of time until we get snow lol

actually stop talking about it. youre depressing me lol

Trust me it's upsetting me too. I'm just trying to plan ahead because if I can get all of the things figured out and know what price point I'm at then I may pull the trigger on an exhaust early next week :tup:

There's always a secondary reason to everything :rolleyes:

I figure an exhaust of any caliber that is not some ebay cheap P.O.S. will survive. I mean my exhaust on my GTI survive with no problems for multiple winters.

yea always good to plan ahead i guess. at least you'll be driving yours in the winter lol

Yeah I figure if the care can't handle being driven all year round (just like driving spiritedly) then I shouldn't have bought it.

I don't mind an occasional rinse session during the winter just not improper tires.

I'm debating if I want to wait until spring to buy the exhaust or just go for it now. Decisions decisions.

i just dont like having it out in winter due to the salt and cinders dropped when it snows. my car sits basically november-april weather pending.

Makes sense. If I had funds or space for a second vehicle I'd probably have one. This will likely be a one car setup for maybe 2 years or so.

yea i had a 2002 tahoe when i bought my Z as my winter car but then sold it. i just bounce around with whatever flip vehicles i got laying around typically

I thought about picking up an old crappy civic for the winter for the price of the winter setup, however the Z would still be out in the snow for the winter

well, part of the issue is corrosion and keeping the car clean, but the other is you feel like a frikken sitting duck while normal folks around you slide around in the ice/snow, and crash into you.

that said, i rather have a beater even if your z is outside, plugged in, and car covered.

FPeavy- so now you understand how loyal i am to the Z...

it's not milage per year, i tell you.

Yeah about being able to have it plugged in...

Yes. I've got Sport Package.

I drive my Z daily - including through Chicagoland winters (25,k yearly mileage). I don't know what's "right", but I bought my first vette when I was 17 and drove it through the winter without 'fancy' winter tires back then. 25 cars later I'm in a Z and we have a ton of choices that are better than - 'do the best you can, and ask someone to give you a shove when you need to.'

Last winter I ordered a specialty set tires & wheels from TireRack. They fit the Sport brakes perfectly.
225/50R-18 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60
255/45R-18 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60
4 18x8 Sport Edition F10 Silver

I left SUVs behind at every stoplight.

Good wishes on your journey!

I like them, it's not that i'm driving through deep snow, it's more for the temp. it gets cold up here in the winter. The first set of wheels you posted, probably wont fit, the second should, you may need a spacer. The narrower wheels like that, or like I run do look a little funny as they sit in the wheel well a fair bit, but you can space them out, if your running that narrower wheel, I think you said they were a 18x7...I chose not to, as it helps keep and the crap from the road off the quarter panel and in the wheel well...up to you. you may also want to look for a set of base 370 wheels, or a set of 350 wheels like I did, their cheap and they fit.

Awesome info. Good to know someone else is driving a lot and and through the winter as well. I'll take a look around for the F10s as well.

I assume you had the 50s in back and the 45s up front

I didn't even think of the 350 wheels that's not a bad idea.

No, the wider 255s in back.

Do you guys think that 225/60/r18 would fit on the car for a winter setup??

225 50/18 is the correct conversion. 60s are too tall. I run the 225 50/18s with the Sport brakes with no issues.

Thanks tree. I was hoping the 60s would be short enough but back to the drawing board.

So I'm reviving this post and think I will buy these 350Z's stock rims and put on some "snow" tires on all 4 just in case I need to drive the Z this Winter, the question is that I have the sports package and hope that these rims fit my '13Z, and at $400 I hope they do,

From what I've seen around other threads and responses here, I hear that the base wheels (I think the 350 wheels as well) will clear the brakes. There is another member on here running 18x8's all around and is having no issues clearing the brakes.

I actually picked up a set of wheels from the rx8 to put on.

Worst case a set of spacers should give you a little extra clearance if you run into issues.

I have some track pack 350Z wheels, 18's, and there is more clearance then the 19's... so depending which 350Z wheels you should be fine.

will find out tomorrow, a friend w/ a 350z told me someone left him a note on his windshield and wil give me the email address so I can ask for some pics of the rims, what type winter tire r u running/..thanks

Go as narrow as your rims will allow.

I am a huge fan of Blizzaks but bought Hankooks for my Altima to save some cash and have no complaints.

Dont forget to save money for the most important thing a Z needs to be driven in snow....
http://atvillustrated.com/files/vend....snow-plow.jpg