Wheels & Tires

[Jay3wheel]

I did not know that but then again I live in a city which becomes completely paralyzed when only a few inches of snow falls from the sky.

The narrower the tire the less the number of square inches of tire on the road. Same weight divided by less sq. in. equals higher friction per sq. in., or something like that.

 

[CompTrex]

The narrower the tire the less the number of square inches of tire on the road. Same weight divided by less sq. in. equals higher friction per sq. in., or something like that.

Granted, but that is for very specific conditions: light, fluffy snow, where the tire pushes it's way through the snow to contact the road surface. What about the instance where you are on snow packed roads, which, unless you are the first car down the road after the snow fall, is most of the time. Think about when you shovel your driveway after driving on it. The last few inches of packed snow can be pretty difficult to remove. There's no way, regardless of the width, that a tire is going to push the snow aside and get to the road surface. So now what? Since pushing the snow aside to get to the road is not gonna happen, I would think that the wider tire would give more surface area and thus better traction.
Then again, I do get what you're saying about more pounds per square inch = higher friction. Seems like a cursory Internet search returns both opinions and no real data.

 

[Ocean9000]

We have actually looked this up already and a 145/65R15 should work just fine as a replacement for a 135/70-80R15. This will be good to know not just for winter tires but just in case you are caught somewhere where they do not have the standard Elio tires.

As compared to a 135/70R15 the 145/65R15 is actually the same size tire except it is 0.4 inches wider which is likely beneficial in winter. This would be considered a direct replacement and would likely even fit under the stock wheel covers.
As compared to a 135/75-80 the 145/65R15 would be a bit shorter while still being 0.4 inches wider. The only issue with being a bit shorter is that you would actually be traveling a little bit slower than your speedometer indicates.

http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-calculator/

Hi Goofyone and thanx. I listed those sizes because those were what I searched for based on this sites reports that EM will likely fit 135/xx-15's as front tyres. With 70/30 weight distribution and FWD I can't think of a reason a wider rear tyre will be needed, but it seems the engineers found one - lateral loading perhaps... Regardless, I am aware that replacement hinges on clearance and diameter (rev/mile) - the big problem being the only snow/winter tyre currently produced in an appropriate size is made by a company (Dunlop) I will never purchase from and that I would in the strongest terms, discourage anyone from supporting.
If Cooper does not produce a full-on snow/winter tyre in the size(s) that EM finalises, I will remove the front fenders and run 155/7X-15 mud and snow type tyres - a size I believe to be widely available (or upsize until availability and selection exist).
No snow/winter tyres is not an option, I would not be able to get to the state highway many days in winter without them. My current non-motorcycle is a '99 S-10 pickup 4cyl 5spd 2wd with 4 mud&snows. It's fine until the snow gets more than 10-12" deep, at that point I stay home anyway. I could keep it running indefinitely (150K now) but the rust rats have gnawed the body rather severely.
So I (not so) patiently await my new motorcycle with a roof, which, like the Ural I was also considering, must have snow/winter tyres (but will have a roof and heat as well).

 

[Johnapool]

Lots of talk on here about "winter" tires. I lived in Leavenworth, Washington for about 18 years before retiring and moving back to the Ozarks 5 years ago.
We dealt with lots of snow out there every winter. In serious snow country, where you either drive on packed snow plowed shiny by constant snow-plowing, or drive through falling and deepening snow, park your front-wheel drive in the garage for the winter!
I can not even begin to tell you how many times I have pulled front-wheel drive cars out of the snow, sometimes just stuck in the pile of snow left by a plow crossing a street intersection. A front-wheel drive Elio weighting 1200 pounds is just not gonna have much traction on that sort of road. My little Scion xB is a good example, as it weighs 2200 pounds, and after a short attempt at winter roads, went into the garage until spring.
That said, the only kind of "winter tires" regularly used in snow country by most folks is good all-season tires, sometimes with studs added for control on ice. With four-wheel drive, I drove out there all those years without studs, on the same all-season tires I used the rest of the year.
I know, lots of you are going to say you make it just fine with front-wheel drive in winter. Just keep your AAA card handy....

 

[CompTrex]

Lots of talk on here about "winter" tires. I lived in Leavenworth, Washington for about 18 years before retiring and moving back to the Ozarks 5 years ago.
We dealt with lots of snow out there every winter. In serious snow country, where you either drive on packed snow plowed shiny by constant snow-plowing, or drive through falling and deepening snow, park your front-wheel drive in the garage for the winter!
I can not even begin to tell you how many times I have pulled front-wheel drive cars out of the snow, sometimes just stuck in the pile of snow left by a plow crossing a street intersection. A front-wheel drive Elio weighting 1200 pounds is just not gonna have much traction on that sort of road. My little Scion xB is a good example, as it weighs 2200 pounds, and after a short attempt at winter roads, went into the garage until spring.
That said, the only kind of "winter tires" regularly used in snow country by most folks is good all-season tires, sometimes with studs added for control on ice. With four-wheel drive, I drove out there all those years without studs, on the same all-season tires I used the rest of the year.
I know, lots of you are going to say you make it just fine with front-wheel drive in winter. Just keep your AAA card handy....View attachment 3246

Lots of people around me use chains. Not sure about the legality of that, but that's not the topic. I wonder if chains would work on the Elio without having to remove the wheel covers.

 

[LockMD]

Lots of people around me use chains. Not sure about the legality of that, but that's not the topic. I wonder if chains would work on the Elio without having to remove the wheel covers.

I don't think so......not enough clearance.

 

[Truett Collins]

Lots of talk on here about "winter" tires. I lived in Leavenworth, Washington for about 18 years before retiring and moving back to the Ozarks 5 years ago.
We dealt with lots of snow out there every winter. In serious snow country, where you either drive on packed snow plowed shiny by constant snow-plowing, or drive through falling and deepening snow, park your front-wheel drive in the garage for the winter!
I can not even begin to tell you how many times I have pulled front-wheel drive cars out of the snow, sometimes just stuck in the pile of snow left by a plow crossing a street intersection. A front-wheel drive Elio weighting 1200 pounds is just not gonna have much traction on that sort of road. My little Scion xB is a good example, as it weighs 2200 pounds, and after a short attempt at winter roads, went into the garage until spring.
That said, the only kind of "winter tires" regularly used in snow country by most folks is good all-season tires, sometimes with studs added for control on ice. With four-wheel drive, I drove out there all those years without studs, on the same all-season tires I used the rest of the year.
I know, lots of you are going to say you make it just fine with front-wheel drive in winter. Just keep your AAA card handy....View attachment 3246

45 years of driving on snow, never had a problem with front wheel drive and helped pulled a lot of 4 wheel drives out of the ditch......it depends on the driver.

 

[Truett Collins]

I don't think so......not enough clearance.

This was a question that was asked several times at the Denver show. The reply was that there will be plenty of clearance as long as you keep your chains tight. You see here in NM and in Co many areas require you to be chained up before you drive over those roads.

 

[CompTrex]

This was a question that was asked several times at the Denver show. The reply was that there will be plenty of clearance as long as you keep your chains tight. You see here in NM and in Co many areas require you to be chained up before you drive over those roads.

So now the question becomes, can you buy three chains?
Actually, all this is moot for me anyway as if it's bad enough out to need chains, I'm driving my truck.

 

[JEBar]

G' one, narrower tires actually do better in snow than wider tires. In the northern states, the hot rodders take off the wide tires , and put on narrow snow tires for winter driving. Wide tires just do not work in snow. Although .4 inches wider will not be noticeable.

correct .... the wider the footprint the less pressure on any given square inch of surface .... on sand you want a wide tire to help with flotation .... on show you don't want flotation, you want the weight to be concentrated so as to exert the strongest force possible

Jim