Winter Wheels and Tires finally on.
 

Special thanks to rx8cited for posting pricing information on Dunlop Winter Sport M3 235/45HR18 tires. Also thanks to Gord96BRG for blazing the trail on snow tires and being so informative.

As for me, I thought I would just finish out my comments here with a few pics. Yesterday, I dropped off my new snow tires and wheels, tire sensors and tire sensors nuts at a local tire shop. My first issue was a vibration coming from the rise of the new snow tires stong enough to but a vibration in a persons speech when ridding. Tire Rack said the tires needed to be re-balanced. I have to admit I find this strange to find that Tire Rack did this incorrectly since their main business is selling tires. A little concerning on my part.

Anyway, I got the wheels/tires back later yesterday. Unfortunately, where the previous weights had been removed, the adhesive was still on the wheel. I realize that the local shop didn’t get the benefit of putting the first weights on a new wheel like TireRack did. So the application would be a little more involved. But I don’t understand why they left 4 by 1 inch strips of paper (adhesive backing) on the wheel and expected me not to care. Luckily, I had some 3M adhesive remover here. Probably spent 5 a wheel getting the stuff off, being careful to not let the stuff touch the existing weights. The wheels were also a little chewed up around the previous weights and rear of the wheel. I have yet to really clean the “faces” of the snow wheels, but I think they look fine. Again, the tire shop had to work with the mess that Tire Rack left in my opinion. I may be pursing them for a discount on my wheels.

But the good news is that this morning I took it for the tire sensor setting drive. No vibration. Obviously now they are balanced correctly. No tire sensor warning either after a 30 minute drive. So all seems well … finally.

In addition, since I had the tires at the tire shop on Friday, I spent Thursday night painting my calipers letting them sit until this morning. I have to be honest, I think the pictures make it look better than they really look. I just wasn’t that impressed with the results. If I could have taken the paint back off after finishing the rears (I did one axel at a time) I would have. But it doesn’t look terrible and it wasn’t a lot of cash invested. So we’ll see how they look over time. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much space to take the pics since it was in the garage, but I think you get the idea.

So here's the front ...

... and here's the rear.

Those are nice, and except for extra bolts lining the inside of your rim, they look quite similar to the 17"x7" FRD30 wheels that I've got mounted for the winter (see attached photo for comparison). Specs posted in the Canada Forum:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...703#post140703

Canada

Canada,

Yea, i'm not crazy about the wheel look either. But I did want to get a package to try and minimize my issues. That worked out well! :) Actually I didn't see the "bolts" until i blew up the tumbnail pic. And by that point I thought - they are winter tires, not that big of as deal. I know some like the look. I just like the traction the tires give!

Well I thought there was a thread asking for pics of Snow tires and wheels pics. But now, I can't find it. So I'll just add the pic i took this morning here ...

heres mine =) Dunlop M3 on 235/45/R18's on the stock Mazda rim... Rides like a dream in wet and dry weather... dont really feel like snow tires.... I remember when my dad would put the ol' snow tires on his 77 Caprice Classic. Made it sound like a tank! Gotta love technology =)

one more...

Canada:

Like those wheels! At first glance from a distance, they remind me of the stock ones.

Pirelli-ASA combo
 

Pirelli 225/50HR17 W210 mounted on ASA LW5 17x7.5 wheels, courtesy of TireRack. As far as I can tell, these tires are 804 revs per mile whereas originals are 780, so speedo would indicate about 3% high.

Konig Holes 17", Toyo Garit HT 215/55-17

WHealy, did you mention somewhere what wheels those are, and I missed it?

Also, Dick and Gord, are the wheels you got compatible with the TPMS sensors?

I don't know, figured I could live without them on the snows. Two trips so far, about 3 miles each, no warning light to date.

Yeah, but ...

Tires : Dunlop Winter Sport M3 235/45HR18
Wheels : Mille Miglia Evo


Nice pics guys.

Off-hand, I don't know. Canadian RX-8s don't have the TPMS system at all, so it hasn't been an issue for me!

Regards,
Gordon

Gee Gordon, as much as I've been reading about snow tires (mostly your informative posts), I didn't realize that those of you in Canada didn't have the TPMS. Not sure how I missed that but thanks for sharing!

Per the theme 215/55/17 on ADR GT-Sports:

Pirelli Winter 210 SnowSport tires on 17x7.5 ASA LW5 Rims from TireRack. The tires are 225/50HR-17. I had to special order the silver center caps. The originals were bright blue. The blue caps got mixed reviews...

http://web2.chicagonet.net/~reds/whe...new%20caps.jpg

http://web2.chicagonet.net/~reds/Blue%20Caps.jpg

Send them to Whealy ... he will find a use for them =P