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Man, I went to get some Nokian Hak 2's for the OE wheels (215/50/17) and was told they're not made in that size. That sucks, I kept the OE wheels for winter use and I don't want to buy steelies.

I guess I'll have to get some Blizzaks.

wesleyl524

Yeah I learned that too about Nokian, in fact, theres not many manfucaturers that make winter tires in ourstock size. i got the blizzaks yesterday and ill put them on this friday. They look pretty good. Lots of biting teeth and thick tread.
I'm sure they'll do a good job.

narci

You know that blizzaks are only good for 50% of the tread as a winter tire right? I believe the first 50% is the soft compound while the last 50% is a harder compund making them all season rated after 50% tread depth.

http://www.consumersearch.com/www/au...ve/snow-tires/

It's probably cheaper to go with steel wheels and a 16 inche snow tire then to just get 17 inche snow tires alone.

curls

Off topic: NARCI: Can you empty your PM box a bit? Thanks.

wesleyl524

Yeah, ive learned that so ill get two winters out of them at best i guess, maybe by then Nokian will have a Hakk for the OEM rims...

Youre right about price too. 17 inch snow tires quite pricey. $200 each mounted and balanced in the NH/VT area. I got them on Tire rack intead, much much cheaper.

helraiser

T minus 8 days for the arrival of the '06 Tixxy :-) She's gonna be a sexy one. Here's hoping we don't get any snow or else I'll have to get her trailered from Regina to S'toon. That highway is a death trap after each fresh snowfall.

MTLer

So i bought some Nokian Hak 2's and steelies in a 205/50/R16 package. I will see how it goes come the snow

sauceman

And we should get snow today. Timing is perfect.

weirdg

Frik man... I bought the Nokian WRs last week and i'm still waiting for it to snow.... I live in frikin Edmonton, and it still hasn't snowed.... doh!

WG

MTLer

Yeah i heard about 5cm today.. for some reason im hoping for a blizzard.. lol im crazy, just wanna see what they can do.

weirdg

Sadly, I envy you

WG

helraiser

y'all are crazy! snow's only needed from dec 1st to march 1st (white xmas/new year and a reason to escape for spring break - even tho @ 29yrs old I don't get to really re-live my spring break heh.)

otherwise, try shovelling many pounds and pounds of snow in -40C weather or even getting rid of it with a snowblower. you'll be cursing!

sauceman

Phew. My OEMs (near-bald) own me today in snow driving.

JDMculture

Just got my Toyo Garrit HT's mounted yesterday onyo my factory rims. Anxiously waiting for the first snow fall and I'll let you all know how they hold up. Better be good for the price I paid for them haha

gdcwatt

The Garrits HT's are great when it' cold (less than 35F), but you'll be sliding around corners in the dry at 40F if you push it - which is fun, but will also eat-up you tread. I'm on my 3rd season with only 1 or 2/32 gone, but it's been snowy the last few winters. Wet braking, when it's warm, is only OK, so be warned, when it's warm.

ebell

Are you suggesting Hak4 is better than Hak2?

I gather that Hak2 lasts longer and is "better" than RSi from Tireguy's posts.
However, (not sure if the info I have is correct) I heard Hak4 is RSi+stud. Which means Hak4 will not last as long as Hak2???

Can anyone help me out here?

weirdg

I live in Edmonton, Canada... we have pretty bad winters, and my Nokian WRs were frikin amazing. WRs are also "all weather" not all season. They're the only all weather/season tires to have the severe winter driving condition logo on them. Honestly, while my family and buddies were getting stuck in snow last year, I was still able to keep going. The treads are also supposed to be good for 3 years.

WG

helraiser

I don't know if the Hak4s are indeed RSIs+studs but from all the literature I've found on the RSIs, they're the best non-studded winter tires available.

They're currently doing well on dry roads, albeit +6C max. There is significantly less traction on dry roads as it tends to slip a fair bit.

The WRs are indeed an excellent all season tire and I was really tempted to switch to these rather than constantly switch but I live in Saskatoon and we get some pretty nasty winters here. Besides, my summer tires are stock and only have about 14k kms on them.

I would only use the Haks - which don't come studded by default, you add the studs at an extra cost - if you need severely aggressive winter traction.

weirdg

Saskatoon has similar winters to Edmonton. The WRs did well during our heavy snowfall last year.

WG

TodaSi

I have the Nokian Rsi's and think they are too sloppy on dry roads. I live on the west side of Michigan and get snow all the time due to lake effect, but still think the Rsi is too much...unless you live in the sticks and don't have plowed roads for days on end.

I wish I bought the Hankook Icebear or Nokian WR...I've owned Blizzaks before and don't think the best of them...like buying 1/2 a winter tire.

ebell

Im in montreal downtown area, where lots of hills etc. I think I can justify the need of Haks.

I am leaning towards Hak4, which comes with studs.

Switch

I'm going with Yokohama Ice Guard 721's in 215/50/17. Got them for $106/per

dereksmalls

Having just moved to Calgary, I can tell you that snow removal is an art they have mastered in Montreal. Out here, the Chinooks are the only reliable form of snow removal. Decided to be conservative with my choice of snow tire, so I went with the Michelin X-Ice instead of a "performance" model. These turned my old Civic into a snow plow so I figured they would work on the TSX. We've had our first snow day, and so far so good.

helraiser

Switch: you ideally want narrow tires as there's less snow to plow through hence less area for your tire to plow through and push your car forward. Of course, if they had studs then it's all good.

Switch

Yea, I understand that, but I've got stock rims already to mount the tires on. We don't see too much snow here in Detroit. I could actually go with a good all season, but since I already have a set of summer tires might as well get winter too A "snow storm" for us is 12" Normally its just several storms of 3-6" and icy driving.

helraiser

Strange... I just got off the phone with Kal Tire and they said the Hak4s don't come with studs but that's extra $$$. The Hak2s aren't being sold anymore and the Hak4's are "RSI+studs" with different tread pattern.

I checked their website and I really can't find any difference in materials on there except you now get studs.

Switch: yeah, you'll be okay with those tires. They were 3rd on my list and the Green Diamond tires were #1 till I found out they weren't available in the size I was looking for.

MikeMa

I'm going to be putting a set of winter tires on my stock rims (so I can justify to myself buying a set of RonJon Servo's for my regular tires come next spring). I'm considering Nokian Hakawhatever RSi's, since I loved their WR's so much on my old EL. I noticed that the closest tire to stock is the 215/55R17. If I'm understanding the numbers, that would make them slightly higher profile tires....which would then make them a bigger outside diameter.....which would then make my speedo read slower than I'm going, right? Anyone have a different tire size suggestion that would maintain the outside dimension?

afici0nad0

for those running 205/60/16 winters with 16" steelies, did you have issues with front caliper clearance?

i have a set of 16x6.5 steelies, and when i mounted the winters today, the front rims did not clear my calipers.

i can't confirm whether i have honda steelies. do any of you have the serial number for the steelies?

helraiser

I'd've got you the serial #s but I'm in Calgary right now. Poor guys got dumped on here too. My 16's clear the calipers just fine but I got 'em from the dealer. Also running 205/60/16 RSIs.

afici0nad0

found out that i have the following rim specs:

16x6.5
P/N: 42700-SNA-A01
stamping on wheel: 16 X 6.5J TOPY 11 04 05 E2.3 782 SNA

what i need is the following:

16x6.5
P/N: 42700-SDB-A91
stamping on wheel: CMC 16x6.5JJ 2.6 03/11 YK4

i have the wrong honda rims. no snow yet, so no rush at the moment. but, just time wasted. i'll be making the exchange this week.

nuke

This is the 4th winter for my snows, purchased in November 2003. I specified knock off rims (ie copies of honda rims and not just universal rims). There is sufficient clearance for the 16 inch rims. This size rim is used for the European Accord which is basically our TSX. I am running Pirelli Snowsport 205 60 16. More wet than snow in the Toronto area during the winter and these tires are great in light snow, wet and dry pavement and still good for the occasional snow dumping we get here.

dowzer

Just a note that the "03/11" on stamping of the correct rims is just the manufacturing date, so it will vary. The other numbers should be the same I believe.

richman2072

Don't like the 16" steel rims on my car. Got the Toyo KX today can$1030 with tax and install at Tire 23. And it will get back $70 factory rebate. It feels good on dry road, not too soft like other winter tires. Hope it will have good performance on ice too.

5o9

The Nokian WR comes in an H rating and a V rating for our stock wheel.

The recent Consumer Reports says the H is better on ice and the V is better in snow, and the V is better for wet.

I think a V is always more responsive than an H in the same tire line.

Wonder if Nokian comments on this forum are for the H or the V?

Kev L.

Ran into the same issue, dealer ran out of the steelies for the TSX and gave me the same set you got initially, which is for the RSX. I was just getting the rims from them and they called me back the next day to switch to this silver set for the TL instead. 42700-S9A-901

Haven't mounted tires on it yet, but saw a few TSX with them while at the dealership, so assume it should be fine. Hope yours works out.

kolodzie240

I got 4 ...16 inch steels with 4 used Blizzaks snows on Ebay for $200 bucks! Tread life on two are good , other two are ok. For that price I will take my chances using the not so hot Blizzaks this winter.

chuson

Just got the 205/60/16 Viking Snowtech + 4 steelies installed today. Not sure about their Wet/Snow performance, but it's much quieter than Stock Michelin.

afici0nad0

^

tell me about it. pretty quiet to me.

replaced my steelies with ones that fit. other than time, no extra costs to me. so i'm good to go for the snow.

afici0nad0

cool. i guess the rsx (base?) runs a smaller front caliper...

so you getting a free wheel upgrade, from steelies to a silver set? bastard...

SPARKIE

My nokian WR's are H rated and just put them back on for the second winter. They are great in snow, good on wet, handle fairly well on dry roads but as not as good on dry as the Pilot Alpin Snows I had previously.

IMO - For those looking for steelies , try the OEM rims for a 2006 CRX in LX trim. They are 16 inch, painted silver, are hubcentric unlike most aftermarket steelies and are a styled steel wheel. You can use your original chrome nuts and your plastic Acura centre cap...they look great, are HONDA quality and you can get them from a Honda dealer for around $65.00 each. I was told they fit TSX.