[mjunior]

So my factory dunflops are coming to the end or their useful life at 25000 miles. I was thinking that I may get a new tire and wheel package. I have read reviews on numerous tire sites, and of course read through many pages here about larger rims and tires.

I have the factory 17" wheels right now with 265/65/17 tires. I was thinking about going with a 20" rim and 265/50/20 tire. After reading through many posts on this site, it seems that the Tundra's that have 20" wheels are mainly in the southern states with warmer climates. This poses a problem for me coming from Wisconsin. It really doesn't give me a feel for how the wheels and tires may perform in the wintertime.

If anybody who lives in a state that gets a moderate amount of snow would like to chime in on tire and wheel sizing, I would appreciate it. Just looking for real life experience from anybody who has driven in the snow with larger rims and smaller profile tires. Thanks

mj

 

[ScreamingTaco]

Those friends of mine who run low profile in the summer switch to normal sized steel rims during the winter.

The problem isn't so much the tire handling... it's what curbs tend to do to the rims as you slip and slide around. Large sidewall tires tend to protect the rim bead from curb damage if you slide into one or drive over one.

If you're not adverse to swapping wheels twice a year I'd keep your stock rims for winter and this 20in set your looking at for summer.

 

[jaegermeister]

Depends on the tread. If it's not good winter tread they're gonna crap out in winter regardless of size etc. My opinion has always been to run real winter tires in winter and nothing fancy is better because you don't want to ruin a nice set of wheels with road salt etc and as said above - sliding into stuff! I like having a set of rims/tires for winter and summer - it's easier and cheaper to change them over come the end of the season, plus in a pinch - I can do it in my driveway if I need to.
But the main factor would be the tread on those 265/50's. Being a 50 series I would guess it's not too aggressive?
I don't see a 20" rim as having a negative effect on traction in snow. Most cars have really low-profile tires from the factory and they swap to same size winter tires in the winter and have no issues.

 

[ericb]

I concur about having separate wheels/tires for the winter. I kept my OEM steel rims and put good winter tires on them, saving my bling wheels/tires for the non-snow months. For snow handling, the more narrow the tire, the better, so consider the OEM 245 size for better bite in the snow.

 

[mjunior]

Thanks for the reponses guys. After doing some more research, I think I may go with an 18" rim and 285/60/18 wheels. That should fill the wheel well pretty good and still give me enough sidewall for a good ride in the winter. Plus, there are more all season tires available in the 18" size.

mj