Help! Winter wheel tire combo-05 Dakota: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Oct. 6, 2011 9:59 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

So it is finally time to get around to getting a new studded snow tire/wheel combo for my father's truck.

Option 1. Tirerack.com $1,030 shipped($130). 16"alloy($112x4), Firestone Winterforce($99x4) w/studs($15x4) at my door, mounted/balanced(free!), ready to bolt on. Pros-Simple, known $, 16" combo cheaper than 17". Cons-the winterforce is the only studded 245(265)/70/16 on TR, delivery charge.

Option 2. Used wheels at $75-$85 each, special ordered. Studded, maybe Hakkas. Plus mount/balance/disposal. Pros- No delivery charge, More tire options. Cons-Yet unknown total$, shop fees, possible 17" combo costs more long term, special order PITA.
Oct. 7, 2011 7:20 a.m. failboat HalfDork

did you at least check discounttiredirect.com? not sure if they have what meets your needs but i have had equally good experiences with them as i have with Tire Rack.
Oct. 7, 2011 8:22 a.m. Ranger50 Dork

You do know that the 04-up Durango and DR-bodied 5 lug Ram wheels are a direct bolt on right? If you can't find a set of alums or fullsize spare steels for less then what you already quoted.....
Oct. 7, 2011 9:48 a.m. iceracer SuperDork

Forget the studs. Go with the new studless ice and snow tires, ie: Blizzaks etc. Studs get slippery on concrete and are frowned upon in certain areas. Plus they are noisy.
Oct. 7, 2011 9:02 p.m. iadr New Reader

Studs= wet ball bearings under your tires. Obsolete. And I'm in Canada, and sell tires, so I might know winter tires
Oct. 8, 2011 5:35 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

Thanks for the heads up on full size spares. The parts recycler has 4 in stock and they are a bit less. This means I'm looking at 265/65/17. Unfortunately, limited selection in this size for studded. And my father refuses to back down on the studded issue.
Oct. 8, 2011 9:56 p.m. RealMiniDriver Dork

neon4891 wrote: And my father refuses to back down on the studded issue.

"Sorry, Pop, nobody makes studded tires any more."
Oct. 9, 2011 1:43 p.m. daytonaer Reader

Check horseheads pic-a-part in e-town or garys u pull it in binghamton for spare wheels. Both places have decent prices, Gary's is usually less picked over with wheels but mopars are at the bottom of the hill.last time I got wheels it was like 5 a piece for steelies or 15 a piece for alloys.
Oct. 9, 2011 1:48 p.m. daytonaer Reader

Ok, hhds is 20 a wheel for steelies, garys is 11 a piece if its smaller than 17"
Oct. 9, 2011 8:03 p.m. fasted58 SuperDork

Used to always run studded 15" passenger car snow tires on my F-150 4X4s from the 80s- early 90s, they were the absolute tits... and reasonably priced in 15". I don't drive near that much anymore and can't justify the cost now of studding a separate set of 16" LTs for my Silverado. I miss the old snow tire tread pattern too, can't find it anywhere.