Ben's Blog

Many of our customers know about the potential advantages of going to a smaller wheel size when selecting a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package. When minus sizing, not only would deep snow traction be enhanced, but the cost of a winter package is usually lower than a package maintaining your vehicle's original size tires and wheels. An additional advantage higher profile tire sizes offer is they feature taller sidewalls and smaller diameter wheels that more easily resist damage associated with winter road hazards and early spring potholes. However, we often receive questions from customers looking for wheels who only see equal or larger sized wheels when shopping, and nothing smaller than what is Original Equipment on their car.

In some cases, the size that's on your vehicle may be the smallest size possible that will still clear your vehicle's brakes. For most cars, it's possible to go smaller, you just have to know where to look. One way is to shop for a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package rather than searching for wheels in our website's wheels section. Tire Rack's Preferred Winter Package often feature alternate sizes that combine smaller diameter wheels with narrower, higher profile tires that have equivalent load capacities and overall diameters. Unfortunately, wide, low profile tires have to "plow" a wide path through deep snow, where narrower tires have an easier time. So if you're likely to drive through deep snow this year, you'll want winter / snow tires and wheels in sizes that better help you.

Your winter tire and wheel sizes should be based on one of the following:

Your Vehicle's Original Equipment Tire and Wheel Size

While not a dimensional advantage, winter tires and wheels in the Original Equipment size to replace your all-season or summer tires will offer more traction in cold temperatures, slush, snow and ice.

The Tire and Wheel Size from Your Vehicle's Base Model

This is often an easy way to select an appropriate narrow tire for your car, van or truck. While this may only provide a small dimensional difference, a smaller combination (for example, 225/50R17-sized tires to 215/60R16-sized tires on 16" wheels) will reduce your cost while increasing your vehicle's wintertime traction.

A Minus Size Tire and Wheel

Minus Sizing combines taller profile tires with smaller diameter wheels.

Begin finding a smaller diameter wheel for your winter driving by searching for Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package!