Firestone Winterforce

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 29 Aug 2015, 12:17

Firestone Winterforce

Anyone tried them on RWD Volvo?

Quiet...Fuel Hit?

Post by **oragex** » 29 Aug 2015, 13:19

Good snow tires for the price, last quite long. Not good on ice.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 29 Aug 2015, 15:42

oragex wrote:Not good on ice.

The review problem these days is most all reviews are based upon FWD vehicles, where about an extra 500-lbs sits on each tire, when compared to a RWD setup.

For previous several winters, I have used two spare tire rims and mounted 165/80R15 tires (VW Bug). With the width being much smaller, I've never had an issue with traction. But, with higher speeds, a wobble-effect could develop on rear end if steer tires are doing too much left-right motions (in other words, slow steering changes are fine).

In Volvo's 740 snowrace commercial, Volvo is using a much smaller width tire.

245 came with 185/75/14 tires, but I think the all season tires available today are not true to that spec; I have stored away a set of these tires from the 1970s, and their width is smaller.

Hence, wider tires, snow or all season, do not work well, but those 165/80R15 tires have worked fine, without positive-track rear end.

thx for tidbit...I may just use 165/80R15 tires.

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 29 Aug 2015, 20:25

Isn't 185/65R15 a stock winter tire size?

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 29 Aug 2015, 23:07

lummert wrote:Isn't 185/65R15 a stock winter tire size?

One tire site lists various sizes, but for 1993-245, they got it wrong. 185/65R15 was used on some models.

Using a 165/80R15 is a 0.46" larger diameter than 245's stock 185/75/14, and a 185/65R15 is about 0.46" smaller diameter than 185/75/14.

Keep in mind, I'm using the spare tire rims, which are narrower than OEM's normal rims. Also, I run county gravel/dirt roads, and want stock or higher ground clearance.

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 30 Aug 2015, 09:06

Okay then, for the spare wheels the 165R15 is about as wide as can be fitted.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 30 Aug 2015, 11:19

lummert wrote:Okay then...

In earlier days, pre 1970s, except for high performance vehicles, smaller width tires were the norm.

With time, the wider width tires became the norm...and for FWD vehicles, with an extra 500-lbs on each axle, most people would not have issues in most snow conditions with an all season tire.

My perception is OEM tire companies may have reduced their inventory by producing a generic size that had several different sizes imprinted on it. If you look at revs per mile, there are variations for same sized tire, and generally, its a higher number, which means a smaller sized tire...at least for the 185/75/14 tires I've checked.

Again, I have a 1970s vintage 185/75/14, and it has a smaller width than a later day Michelin 185/75/14.

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 30 Aug 2015, 22:29

Tires were made differently before 1990. European metric tires were sized differently than P-metric tires. Now Euro-Metric and P-Metric tires are pretty much the same.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 03 Oct 2015, 19:48

lummert wrote:Tires were made differently

245 came with 185/75/14 tires, and today I purchased a pair of Hankook Optimo H724 - 185/75R14

These tires have a similar width to the Nankang 165/80R15 spare tires I have.

Those Michelin 185/75/14 I had were much wider than these Hankook tires. With these Hankook's tires, I should be able to get around in most winter conditions like I did with those Nankang 15" tires.

Hence, these Hankook tires are similar in width to 185/75R14 tires I have from 1970s.