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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>ZB's take:<div><br></div><div>Low profile tires are for making a styling statement or for the track.</div><div><br></div><div>In warm non snow regions, or the summertime, one can use them. Dry weather handling coupled with a correctly balanced suspension is superb.</div><div><br></div><div>Snow conditions require a tall self cleaning skinnier tire. The rubber compounds are softer also. You need tires that can cut a path.</div><div><br></div><div>That's my two cents.</div><div><br></div><div>Brion S. aka zionbrion</div><div>S. Utah - where snow is a rare novelty.<br><br><div>> From: topnotch@nycap.rr.com<br>> To: type3@vwtype3.org<br>> Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 12:56:30 -0500<br>> Subject: Re: [T3] changing tire size<br>> <br>> Have you ever tried driving one of those low profile tires in the snow?<br>> OMG they are USELESS! When it snows I have to get up in the middle of the<br>> night now and up the hill or someone will spin out and close it for everyone<br>> by 7AM. I drove my Aunts car in the first storm with 60 series tires and I<br>> almost couldn't keep it on the road, it was all-seasons and snows would be<br>> better but still, I have to decide between fixing the Golf or driving a new<br>> Honda in the winter and that old Golf with its 80 series is likely to win<br>> The Winter car choice.<br>> <br>> And yea, the junkyards have piles of bent rims these days! So many that<br>> getting a set of steelies for a newer car for snows is hard to do.<br>> <br>> Keith<br>> <br>> <br>> Top Notch Restorations<br>> topnotch@nycap.rr.com <br>> http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm<br>> 71 Squareback "Hothe"<br>> 65 Notchback "El Baja Rojo"<br>> 65 Squareback "Eggcrate"<br>> 87 golf "Winterat"<br>> 93 RX7 "Redstur"<br>> <br>> <br>> -----Original Message-----<br>> From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces@lists.vwtype3.org<br>> [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces@lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Jim Adney<br>> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 12:25 AM<br>> To: type3@vwtype3.org<br>> Subject: Re: [T3] changing tire size<br>> <br>> On 21 Jan 2014 at 22:25, Bobbokush@aol.com wrote:<br>> <br>> > my rims are not stock, would those tires still fit, ? would the larger <br>> > tires affect the ride, which is wonderful now.<br>> <br>> Start by finding out what your rim width is now, then check to see if <br>> this is an allowable width for the tires you want to put on. Then <br>> check your clearances to make sure you don't end up with something <br>> that's undrivable. Mounting tires that are too wide for the rims will <br>> actually degrade the handling.<br>> <br>> If you end up having to buy new wheels, too, check to see what the <br>> offset is, because the offset is likely to be different and not put <br>> the tire where you expected it.<br>> <br>> MANY years ago, I had some 185s on the rear, and IIRC, those barely <br>> cleared the fender. Those were on stock 4.5" rims and they were the <br>> old standard profile tires. I believe those were the widest tires <br>> allowable on that width rim. Unfortunately, they pushed the rear end <br>> way high and made the car too tall and wobbly. That was back in 1974, <br>> and low profile tires weren't available in the sizes they are now.<br>> <br>> I know that extremely low profile tires are all the rage now, but I'm <br>> not among their fans. Our Jetta came with 55 series tires, and my <br>> daughter hit a pothole over Christmas. That bent one wheel and <br>> destroyed one tire. There's a second tire that is probably damaged <br>> enough that it's days are numbered. The cost for that single incident <br>> was over $500, not counting the second tire.<br>> <br>> A higher profile wheel and tire might have survived. I would pay <br>> extra to move UP in tire profile in a new car, but the only options <br>> these days is to move down.<br>> <br>> If the roads in your area are always smooth and flat, this may not be <br>> something you need to worry about, but in areas where there is winter <br>> and potholes, low profile tires are a real gift to the tire shops. <br>> <br>> -- <br>> *******************************<br>> Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org<br>> Madison, Wisconsin, USA<br>> *******************************<br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> VWType3.Org mailing list - type3@vwtype3.org<br>> http://lists.vwtype3.org/listinfo.cgi/type3-vwtype3.org<br>> Contact gregm@vwtype3.org if you need help with the list.<br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> VWType3.Org mailing list - type3@vwtype3.org<br>> http://lists.vwtype3.org/listinfo.cgi/type3-vwtype3.org<br>> Contact gregm@vwtype3.org if you need help with the list.<br></div></div> </div></body>
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