Used Wheel Shopping / Winter Tires

[redpoint5]

Any tips for shopping for used rims to be used for winter tires? Seems most people don't list crucial wheel specs such as bolt pattern, center bore, and never the offset. What are some of the best places to look for used wheels? I've been searching OfferUp, and I'll check out CL and Ebay next.

Why are stud capable tires less expensive than studless? Do they have worse snow/ice traction without the studs compared to the studless tires? They've got to be better performing than M/S rated tires, right?

I'm looking for my friend's Ford C-Max, which has OEM size 225/50R17. I'll probably go down to a 15" rim just to save on cost, but if I find a good deal in 16" or 17" I'll go with it.

What a pain in the arse trying to find the right tire/wheel combo for winter tires on the used market. No wonder most people probably just buy new.

[me and my metro]

Be careful that the smaller diameter wheels will fit over the brakes. Studless traction tires are very soft, whereas studded tires are more like mud tires. Studless traction tires work pretty well but burn up in the summer heat here. Do you need studs to go over the pass to Bend? It is usually traction tires or devices on 10k gvw not towing on the passes. If it is chains required you probably shouldn’t be up there.

[redpoint5]

Interesting, so studded tires aren't great on snow/ice without the studs?

I'm looking for winter tires/wheels for a friend that often visits CO/MT, and might move back to Montana at some point. I'll make sure she doesn't run them the other 3 seasons.

I've never cared what the law says I have to carry. I come prepared for the conditions I'll encounter. Not only am I prepared to travel those conditions, but I've got tow straps, shovels, jumper cables, and tools to help other motorists.

[me and my metro]

There is no real advantage to studable tires without the studs other than the aggressive tread. They work in snow but don’t really help in the ice. Chains work best but you know that. Another thing studs suck in the rain they slide really easily.

[Ecky]

Winter tire compound definitely helps on ice, studs or not.

To find rims for my Insight, I just looked for Honda rims in a junkyard. 4x100 bolt pattern, 51.4mm center bore, 5.5" rim width, 45mm offset. Toyota rims do not fit because even though everything else is the same, the center bore is smaller. One could probably put Honda rims on a Toyota but you'd want a ring for the center bore to make sure it's mounted hub-centric.

My girlfriend's Fit came with either 14" or 15" rims with the same dimensions so I figured they'd fit any other rim from a Honda that's 14", but not so apparently. The Civic HX 14" rims I was using on my Insight for winter tires didn't clear her brake calipers - the back of the spokes scraped - and needed a 3mm wheel spacer to let it spin freely. I don't think there's even a spec for this, because my Insight OEM wheels fit and they have the same offset as the HX rims.

In other words, it's a mess.

[oil pan 4]

Well most of the people on Craigs list are idiots.

Will the 15 inch wheels fit over the front brakes?

I'm doing the same thing for my leaf right now. I wasted 2 or 3 hours at the junk yard looking for some 16×6 on 4.5 on 5 hub with zero offset.
I'm probably just going to buy some steel wheels off ebay.

[redpoint5]

I'm thinking the best way to shop is to find other vehicles that have compatible wheels. From what I can tell, all Ford Taurus wheels should fit, as well as some Focus wheels. Rather than searching for specific specs like a reasonable person, I'll just search for "Taurus wheels", and hopefully find something with winter tires already mounted.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm thinking the best way to shop is to find other vehicles that have compatible wheels. From what I can tell, all Ford Taurus wheels should fit, as well as some Focus wheels. Rather than searching for specific specs like a reasonable person, I'll just search for "Taurus wheels", and hopefully find something with winter tires already mounted.

Funny thing. You can put a 99 Civic DX wheel on a 99 Civic HX, but not vice versa, even though both cars share the same tires and knuckles. The HX has brake calipers which extend a few mm less out the side (width, I guess you'd call it) to clear the spokes of the rims they chose to use for weight reasons.

Maybe the other common factor here that could almost absolutely guarantee fitment is to make sure both vehicles use the same brake calipers, or that the brake calipers on the vehicle in question do not extend in any direction farther than the calipers of the doner vehicle. Otherwise, while a rim might be very likely to fit, there are no guarantees.

[redpoint5]

That's the great thing about buying used; there's no depreciation at the time of purchase. I could at least get my money back out of something if it didn't fit, and perhaps more since I'm better at advertising than most (I actually describe the item, and my photos aren't taken in the dark, out of focus).

I still don't understand why there has to be so many different spec'd wheels. Why isn't center bore and offset a standard?

[Ecky]

Haven't a clue. Would be nice.