Dedicated set of winters or getting 20 inch winters on stock wheels?

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Sep 23, 2017
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hey all i have a 2019 ford f350 limited, and in Canada here our winters get pretty bad with alot of snow. I mostly do city driving but i do also do some highway driving and sometimes have a trailer on as well to load some stuff up. I believe my current tires are the stock ones that come on the limited which i believe are r20. btw the truck is a lease so i am not sure what im gonna do with it in the future. if im gonna buy back or get in a new one.

The roads where I live always get cleaned up so its not like im going to get stuck in the snow, I mostly care about the ice or snow thats slick.

I want to get strictly winter tires as I dont think the all seasons/all weather i have on my truck can really cut it. I know some of the high end all seasons are pretty good like K02 And or Duratracs but i think im leaning on getting strictly winters. So I wanted to ask the following

what would you guys do and cost wise what difference am i looking at if i do the following
1. Purchase winters tires which will fit on my stock wheel which i believe are 275/65/r20. I know these are gonna be pricey/harder to find since there r20, and in this case i would have them reinstalled every winter and then taken off in the spring and put my all seasons back.
2. purchase winter tires in a smaller better size like r17 or r18 or whatever with dedicated rims, and then swap the tire/rim combo every winter .
3. purchase a high end all season like a duratac or something and then put those on for winter and put my oem all seasons on for the rest of the month. the reason i included this option is that by the time i am done my lease and if i decide to give the truck back to them, one set of tires will for sure be done. im already at like 40,000 km's and still have 2 more years to go. my current tires seem fine and i think they are good for atelast another sunner. so if i do this option, then at the end of the lease ill just throw on the set of tires that have the acceptable amount of tread and return it with those (which will probably be the ones used in winter). cuz i assume i cant return it with winters obviously.


let me know and thanks so much!!
 
When I bought my F-150 used, it also came with 20" wheels, with 305-width tires. I found a good deal on some 17" F-150 factory alloy take-offs, and had Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2s mounted on them. Now I do your option #2 in the spring and fall. I don't regret my decision. A few things to consider:
1) Will your prospective winter tires be appropriately load-rated for your application? I have a lighter-duty tire on my truck, but I don't tow or carry other heavy loads in the winter. If I did, I would have gone with something different. I heard one of the guys at the tire store mention 10-ply Blizzaks, so that might be an option.
2) Do the math on changeover costs before considering option #1. Even within the span of a lease, it is likely that buying a set of winter wheels, along with the lower cost of 17" winters vs 20" winters will be cheaper. The spread only gets larger if you decide to keep the truck. Also, if you lease a newer F-350 in a few years, there is a good chance (not guaranteed) that your winter wheels will carry over.
3) Changeovers are way faster if you keep a dedicated winter set of wheels. I change mine over in my driveway rather than sitting in the tire shop waiting for them to do it. Even if you're not inclined to swap them yourself, you'll be in and out of the tire shop quickly.

Edited to correct type-o.
 
Honestly to me, just the fact that we have $80k trucks that people are afraid to drive in the winter reaffirms my belief that these expensive rigs are nothing more than for show.
 
Honestly to me, just the fact that we have $80k trucks that people are afraid to drive in the winter reaffirms my belief that these expensive rigs are nothing more than for show.

What exactly does the price of a vehicle have to do with wanting to improve its interface with the road (or ice, as the case may be)?
 
Surprised the OEM rubber isn't 4season adequate, Id do #2 and sell them later or buy something they'll fit.
 
I can't imagine dropping a G-note on tires for a lease with 25K miles on it.

Any thought about just driving it and buy tires if you decide to keep it? How many miles on the lease - 36K?
 
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I can't imagine dropping a G-note on tires for a lease with 25K miles on it.

Any thought about just driving it and buy tires if you decide to keep it? How many miles on the lease - 36K?

yeah true but i am hoping or assuming that i can also use these tires in my future truck. i have 75,000k mile allowance on the lease so i wont go over the miles or anything
 
When I leased my 2016 Ford Explorer Sport, I tried going the first winter on the OE tires. Terrible. The SUV couldn’t get itself out of a snow rut with the slick Hankook tires on it.

I picked up a set of steel 18” wheels from a salvage yard and got a set of winter tires from Discount Tire. I put in some TPMS sensors from eBay, and centers just to make it look a little better. And the Explorer went through snow way better than the original tires could.

When I turned it back in at the end of the lease, I held onto the winter tires (year and a half’s worth of use on them). I didn’t have an immediate need for them, so I blew them out for cash on Craigslist. I figure the difference between what I paid and what I got back (about $200) was simply the cost of having better traction and handling in winter. 🙂
 
When I leased my 2016 Ford Explorer Sport, I tried going the first winter on the OE tires. Terrible. The SUV couldn’t get itself out of a snow rut with the slick Hankook tires on it.

I picked up a set of steel 18” wheels from a salvage yard and got a set of winter tires from Discount Tire. I put in some TPMS sensors from eBay, and centers just to make it look a little better. And the Explorer went through snow way better than the original tires could.

When I turned it back in at the end of the lease, I held onto the winter tires (year and a half’s worth of use on them). I didn’t have an immediate need for them, so I blew them out for cash on Craigslist. I figure the difference between what I paid and what I got back (about $200) was simply the cost of having better traction and handling in winter. 🙂
If you consider the miles you saved on your summer tires by running winters you may have broken out even , here most lease returns ding you for new tires when you turn the car.
 
i vote for winter tyres on smaller rims as noted above. buying mounted snow tyres on line depending on wheel choice is most cost affective usually!!
 
20 inch winter tires is a terrible idea, ideally you want winter tires to be skinny and tall.
The stock size is 275/65/20 = 11x34" That size in Toyo CT or Nitto EXO is far better than many other winter tires in any size.
I wouldn't call my 295/55/20 EXOs (12x33) or 295/65/20 CTs(12x35), both on Fuel 20x10" Cyclone wheels skinny.
My vote goes to dedicated winter tires of the same size on an extra set of wheels.
 
Here's my advice:

Ask yourself this question:

When the lease ends, are you keeping this truck, or getting a different vehicle?
If you are getting a different vehicle, what size tire does it have on it in the trim version you are going to buy/lease?
Also, do you tow and load up the truck very heavy while driving in the snow?

If you don't load the truck down heavy and tow while driving in the snow, then feel free to choose a smaller wheel and tire option for winter tires, if you plan on keeping this truck, or buying/leasing a future truck that uses the same size and lug pattern.

If you do load the truck heavy, or tow while driving in the snow, I recommend staying with the OEM size because that is what your truck was designed for, and rated for. If you are planning on keeping this truck, or replacing it with one that uses the same size, I say you should go for a second set of wheels and snow tires.

I do NOT recommend skimping on snow tires when you spend a lot of time driving and towing on snow.
Just spend the extra few dollars, and get the right tires for the job, instead of compromising just to be frugal, and save yourself a little bit of inconvenience.

BC.
 
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