12" winter tires ?s

[TominMO]

Where can we get 12" winter tires, if anywhere? I guess if anyone would know it'd be the Canadians.

If they are available, in what brands? Even if 12" snows are not normally available in the US, if it's a brand that is sold here, maybe it could be special-ordered.

I did a Google search and didn't come up with anything, and of course checked Tire Rack and Discount Tire.

[TominMO]

Did a Google search on "12 inch snow tires" and came up with this...

http://www.1010tires.com/tire.asp?tirebrand=Kumho&tiremodel=I*Zen+Stud+(KW11)&pc=KW11-412

[Gene@Gearworksmfg]

Hercules makes a G2000t that works great in snow. it's a 155/80R12. I have a customer that runs a fleet of 12 Festivas in Wisconson and absolutly loves the hercules in the snow.

Unfortunatly I'm out of stock of them untill october.

[Banana Bonanza]

Maybe just run 13s for winter? I just dont like being dependent on "special order" stuff so although I was happy enough with 12s (when they were super cheap anyway), it was a no-brainer to go 13s which are stocked everywhere.

[Pu241]

TominMO,
Don't think your going to gain too much with"snow" tires.
I've lived in places that get way more snow than St Louis gets and never had an issue using a good quality All Season radial.
And I've probably put 300,000 miles on various festivas.
I will agree the 13's might be easier to come by now than the 12's, but even the 13's are harder to get than they used to be.
Note the US is going to raise the tariffs on Chinese made tires.
Don't know how that will affect us, but something to consider.

[m715]

I personally run dedicated snow tires on extra sets of rims in the winter. I live in a rural area that often finds me being the snowplow in the morning, and high water changes my 37 mile commute into a 43 mile one with an especially nasty ridge with steep drops, and horseshoe turns that have a nasty habit being a solid sheet of ice.
I have run Dunlop DS-2 , Bridgeston Blizzak WS50, and Michelin X-ice on mine in 155-80-13 for six winters so far, and they have made a difference for me. Most of the tires I have run in the summer have been alright for the beginning and end of the winters, and would have worked in the milder ones as well, but when it comes time to go up my drive with 5" of fresh snow, I'll have a winter tire on mine.

Michael

[TominMO]

Yeah, the question was somewhat academic, for the sake of general knowledge for the forum folks. I am a good snow driver, and have never needed snow tires--even in 22" of snow on the road (really). That was a 4WD Subaru though.

I have a set of 13" wheels for Blue (Festy brakes), which I was going to put some good all-seasons on. But I also have a small pile of 12" rims I don't really need for any of my cars, and was thinking of stick a set of snows on four of them, and make Blue my "winter car", and sell the Subaru, which I don't drive much. I have five cars w/insurance, and want to get down to three, keeping Blue, Casper and The Uberegg.

[Banana Bonanza]

Yea, the insurance thing gets crazy when you are only owner and driver of several cars. Insuance company doesnt seem to appreciate the logic of only being able to drive one vehicle at a time. I'd even gladly sign contract that I wouldnt give permission for anybody else to drive one of my vehicles (not that anybody would want to...)

[GenevaDirt]

I have a set of 13" wheels for Blue (Festy brakes), which I was going to put some good all-seasons on. But I also have a small pile of 12" rims I don't really need for any of my cars, and was thinking of stick a set of snows on four of them, and make Blue my "winter car", and sell the Subaru, which I don't drive much. I have five cars w/insurance, and want to get down to three, keeping Blue, Casper and The Uberegg.

if you have the Aspire swap the 12's won't fit anymore

[TominMO]

The 12" rims are for Blue, which still has Festiva brakes.

[GenevaDirt]

ahhhh....never mind...LOL

[bhazard]

I think tirerack has the firestone winterforce in 13". They have a really aggressive tread and are about the cheapest winter tire they have. Installed a lot of them at the tire shop I used to work at.

[spiko]

It's pretty hard to find 12" snow tires, let alone studded snow tires. I ended up getting a steal on some nice 13" winter rims and bought 4 13" Hankook studded snow tires. They're a little pricey, but will worth and and handle amazing in the snow.

[m715]

I forgot to add that some of my Dunlops were 155-80-12. The last ones I bought I found through a local Goodyear store.

Michael

[TominMO]

It's pretty hard to find 12" snow tires, let alone studded snow tires. I ended up getting a steal on some nice 13" winter rims and bought 4 13" Hankook studded snow tires. They're a little pricey, but will worth and and handle amazing in the snow.

My 13" rims are all from the JY and have old tires with decent tread. If I keep Blue at all, I might just put the winter tires on my 13s, since I have plenty of regular 12" tires with good tread. What I'd really like to do is find four more 13" rims and get out of the 12"-rim situation altogether; then I could buy actual good-quality 13" tires, and not be stuck with the very limited choices for 12" tires.