School me on winter wheels/ tires for '16 Camry

[andyd]

Just as I was considering to check the '09 Camry underneath, just because. The car was t-boned and totaled. No injuries, thankfully. Its replacement is a '16 Camry SE. with the stock 17" mags. Rides like a truck. I'm not a fan of the low profile tire. But, it is MDW's transportation appliance, and happy wife... I'm thinking ahead to next winter. Even though the summer tires will be worn by then, the only thing dumber than 17" lo-pros is 17' lo-pro snow tires. Will 16" steelies clear the brakes? Wabbout 15s? TIA

 

[silverrat]

Are 55 aspect ratio considered low profile nowadays? I believe that Camry uses 215/55/17.

 

[Andrew1972]

Tirerack.com will allow you to pick downsized rims that actually fit and figure out proper sizes.

An SE possibly has upgraded rotors so the base model wheels may not clear the rotors. Tireraxk configuration will tell you.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Tire Rack says 205/65-16 or 215/60-16 will fit fine

It probably doesn't have big Brembos or anything, so clearing the brakes will not be a problem with minus sizing.

The Dunlop Winter Maxx might be a good choice for you

 

[SatinSilver]

205-65-16s come on the LE model. The sport tuned suspension and lower profile tires seem to give it a rougher ride.

 

[Olas]

Go narrower with winter tyres, helps push down through the snow and contact the Tarmac beneath. Try a 195/65.
As for using 15s or 16s, did any cars with the same engine from the same year use those sizes?

 

[Bandito440]

You've got a while to shop, so keep an eye on Craigslist and other sources for a nice set of 16" Toyota wheels.

I found a set of 18" Jeep alloys on eBay. Nobody else bid, and I got them for $125 delivered. I imagine that's more likely with 4x4 vehicles, as many people need fancy wheels for them.

 

[TinyVoices]

Lots of times tire rack will tell you a smaller wheel will fit when it actally will not clear the brakes.

I always go to the junkyard and grab some older toyota steel wheels. Same center bore and bolt pattern. Google and see if some 2002-2006 camry 15" steelies will fit. Those are all over junkyards and you can usually get them for like $10 a wheel or less.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Tire Rack says 205/65-16 or 215/60-16 will fit fine

I've been running general altimax arctic in size 215/60/16 on my 530i for a number of years. Very happy with this setup.

 

[andyd]

Thank you responders. Yah, I liked the set of Altimax all seasons I put on the '09. My ideal winter tires for this car would be 195 75 15s. Come winter, I prefer more side wall, less width.

 

[ecotourist]

OEM wheels should be a good option though I was never able to find a set at a reasonable price for my 2007 Honda Accord.

This is a good site for a discussion of aftermarket wheels. https://www.thoughtco.com/toughest-aftermarket-wheels-and-what-to-avoid-3234451

I bought aftermarket Sport Edition wheels and regreted it. The paint came off in patches and they became pitted where the tires met the rims so slow air leaks were all too common. Media blasting and repainting would have cost more than the original cost and the tires were about timed out anyway so I took them to the recycler.

I don't agree with their comments about Mille Miglia though. I've had a set of those for the BMW for about 14 years and they've been fine.

 

[PolarisX]

Originally Posted By: silverrat
Are 55 aspect ratio considered low profile nowadays? I believe that Camry uses 215/55/17.


I have 225 55 17s on the Impala and 215 55 17s on the Malibu and they are decently meaty tire. I would say that at 45 is low pro, but the 55 is more on a standard sidewall. Any bigger would start to trend into SUV/Crossover/Truck territory. I think actually 225 60 17 is a Subaru size.

 

[d00df00d]

Wheels:

Tire Rack has 16" steelies for $62 apiece -- or, for $87 apiece, you can get some alloys that'd save you 6 lbs per corner. That is a BIG difference for a manageable amount of money. I'd STRONGLY recommend the alloys.

I've never cared about looks, especially in a winter wheel (you're running it less than half the year and your car will be filthy most of the time anyway), so I'm probably the wrong guy to ask about that.

Don't worry about strength in a wheel that won't see a heck of a lot of miles or fast driving. If you hit something and it bends your rim, at least that's one impact your suspension didn't have to take. Bent wheels are annoying, but a lot less annoying than bent suspension parts.


Tires:

This is the hard part. It's going to be tough to get close to the stock overall diameter with a narrower tire. I've played with a few different sizes and, of the ones that actually exist, 205/65/16 looks like the best option. Good winter tire selection, too; can't go wrong with any of the options on Tire Rack. I'd go with the Michelin X-Ice Xi3, no question -- unless you're willing to pick up a lot of NVH for deep snow/slush traction, in which case the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 might be worth a look (per edyvw).


Hope that helps.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: silverrat
Are 55 aspect ratio considered low profile nowadays? I believe that Camry uses 215/55/17.


I remember that anything lower than 70 was considered low profile...

 

[userfriendly]

I like the biggest tires that will fit the vehicle, especially for winter.
Three examples;
2011 GMC 2500 275/65/20 studded Hankook RW-11
2013 GMC 1500 275/60/20 Nitto EXO
2013 Matrix 225/45/18 Blizzak on 18X8 wheels.
Only the 2500 rides like a truck @ 70 psi.

 

[Dominic]

I run 225/55R17 snows on my winter driver - my Mazda 6 - (Pirelli Sottozero performance snows I got on clearance) and they're far from low profile considering how big the tire and wheel assembly is. You'll do well with the new Continental snow tire or even the cheaper yokohama. Bridgestone's are the bees knees but cost a bit more. The key is, you will have 3x the stopping ability on ice and snow with them, and better cold wet winter braking and acceleration. I'd rather be in a Camry with snows than in a truck (4x4) on all-seasons!

 

[Nigel_The_Great]

My preference for pure winter tires is to have studs and to have the widest possible. Studs help with ice and I want the tire to find any available traction possible.

 

[Padawan]

Originally Posted By: TinyVoices
Lots of times tire rack will tell you a smaller wheel will fit when it actally will not clear the brakes.


Tire Rack goes to significant lengths to ensure that the wheels they list for a particular vehicle actually fit that vehicle. If you somehow happened to purchase a wheel that didn't fit, I have no doubt Tire Rack would accept a return and pay for shipping, assuming the vehicle is unmodified and the wheel was actually listed in their fitment guide.

Of course, just because Tire Rack sells a 15" wheel that fits, it doesn't necessarily mean any 15" wheels not listed on their site will fit.

 

[andyd]

There are all sorts of reasons not go with whats in style for wheels. I admit, my last piece of hoonage cost me all sorts demerits. As I am hurtling toward the big 66 at an alarming rate, I have let up a bit on the skinny pedal. The car may see a short burst above 80 to run around a clot. I'm not driving at Le Mans. When I was hooning it was on worn out 195 70 14s on a 3200 lb BMW. A little slide is de riguer