Dedicated Winter Tire / Rim Set-Ups

@bcrobbin just an fyi as well, our insurance companies are terrible here. They will blame you for anything. I was in a hit and run where there was proof of different paint on my fender from where I was hit and sent into the guard rail, even had traffic camera footage to show it was a hit and run, but because you can't see the plates in the traffic video and I didn't get the plates the accident was ruled as 50/50 and I had a premium increase for 7 years. Unless you have a license plate they'll rule it 50/50 and your rates go up.
Even if you have a plate and it turns into a he said she said type thing you're screwed. I was rear ended last year and my insurance told me it will be ruled 50/50 because the other driver said I cut him off and slammed on my brakes. If it wasn't for my dash cams showing I never changed lanes and that the other driver was tailgating me I would've been paying an increase again.

 

Not quite. Here in BC mountain/snowflake-rated tires are only required on certain roads and areas of the province. If you're in an accident without proper tires in one of those locations, your insurance is void and you're on the hook for all costs. Can you ever really commit to never driving on one of those roads? Not even for that 5-minute stretch that one time in the dead of winter? Running all seasons is an unnecessary risk.

And how about if you crash into someone that pulled out in front of you, injure or kill them, and their personal lawyers decide to go after you? Legally required or not, you bet your ass they'll bring up improper tires on your vehicle as part of the reason things ended as they did. We live in an age of blaming the victim - usually successfully.

Not to mention that insurance companies are not in the business of handing out money. They'll void your shit or put you at fault for absolutely any fine-print reason they can. Anything to improve their bottom line. Assuming the insurance company will play nice or see things your way is naive, at best.

Like I said earlier, stack the odds in your favour.

 

Just got mine the other day!!!! Hopefully they do good!!!

 

Maximas. It's always Nissan Maximas. Driving around on their chrome wheels and the budget all seasons they throw in for free with the wheel purchase.

 

Same here. Running dash cams to protect myself, and I learned this lesson the hard way: a semi truck changed lanes right into my BMW's rear quarter panel, on a bridge, at 60mph. Pit-maneuvered me. And then said I changed lanes into him. Insurance tried to do the 50/50 bullshit which would have resulted in 8 years of premium increases for me. A nightmare I don't wish to repeat.

 

agreed
read the post above I said to bcrobbin.
I was almost charged as 50/50 for some idiot rear ending me.

Actually case in point he rear ended me because he didn't have winters.
Hit a patch of ice, I applied my brakes to slow down and felt my ABS kick in, he tried to slow down and just slid right into me, didn't have winters on his GMC Safari.

 

here its every idiot.
I see a lot of them for the Hyundai crossover/suv things and kia crossover things.
same with all the honda civics, kias and hyundais

People here need to learn, being in a rush in a snow storm is just going to make you never show up because you'll be in the hospital or worse, the morgue

 

One of the biggest reasons I went with a dedicated snow setup was the effect of road salt on our wheels. Toyota's clear coats aren't exactly the greatest, as many people who owned 2G Sports noticed as the clear basically disintegrated on them. Having had the TRD Beadlock wheels on my old truck, the last thing I wanted to do was wreck them with salt.

The main piece of advice I have for those looking at a winter tire setup is to watch width and offset. This isn't from a performance standpoint, but from an aesthetic one. I had 265/70 on a set of MB TKO in 16x8.5 with a -6 offset. It looked almost comical having a highway tread tire sticking out past the fenders of the truck. With a set of large, knobby tires, I'm sure it would look great, but on my truck it looked pretty silly. I liked how the wheels looked on other people's trucks, especially with white letter tires, but on my truck it just looked silly. They lasted for about a month before I listed them for sale and I purchased a set of 2G TRD OR wheels.

 

I run my stock wheels with Toyo Open Country AT because that's what was on the truck when I bought it. I have dedicated winter tires and rim because I don't want to find out if my NV Methods can handle the Vermont salt season.....

 

This was my experience too. I purchased sensors from Tirerack with my winter tires last winter but was unable to get them to work. Ultimately had to go with "Toyota sensors" and send the Tirerack units back for a refund. Major hassle, cost and time sink though ...

 

I've run winter tires for years on my cars and am a believer. I had General Artimax on my last Tacoma (4 cyl AC 2wd) and never put weight in the back. For my new one I found a set of 2014 off road 16 rims on Kijiji and put Blizzak DMV2 on them. I dropped a size to save $120 on the tires and because I believe slightly skinnier tires bite better. Here in Toronto, we deal with way more black ice than deep snow so I'm more interested in an "ice tire" than a snow tire. I haven't put them on the truck yet, it's 16C outside today.

Do all the Canadian trucks have TPMS on them? The brochure says they all do, but the light doesn't illuminate. I installed the used 16" rims for a week before buying the Blizzaks to make sure the rims fit and were straight (you never know buying off Kijiji) and still no light. Dealer stated that it was a misprint on the brochure and only the Off Road and Limited came with TPMS. Any Sport owners with TPMS in Canada?

 

I've had my winter wheels (no TPMS) mounted on my SR5 for more than a week and still no light either here.

 

I believe they changed it in 2017? My 2017 TRD sport dclb auto has tpms. I'm Canadian.

 

My TRD sport 2006 had them...So does my 2016... I believe that you have to drive for about 20 Kms or so BEFORE the TPMS system starts searching for the sensors.... I've now got the winter tires without the sensors and go to town and back without the light coming on as, I did not drive far long enough.. you shut it off, it starts over again...

 

Anyone successful in cloning 2017 tpms? We're able to read the tpms ids on the truck using an ateq vt56 but reading them as a 2016. The ateq has the latest software but doesn't recognize a 2017 tacoma. When going to program the schrader ez-sensors 33500 its able to write but not verify. Any help be great.

Here are the details of the programmer:
Ateq vt56 running latest software which is da1-17-12 with database ra1-52

If not able to program what will happen if running winter tires without tpms? Just have a light on? Will the on screen computer be fixated on it? Etc.

Thanks

 

It sounds bad, but when the snow flies here for December through end of February I pretty much park my truck and drive my old subaru. The amount of rocks they put on the road, I mean gravel is terrible. I hate the thought of my tacoma getting sprayed with rocks and crap. Spring comes here pretty early, I don't have to wait that long. The Tacoma sits in the garage warm and clean.

 

Last winter I drove my old Cherokee whenever it snowed. Same reason and I didn't trust all the idiots on the road whenever it snowed. I recently sold the Cherokee so this winter is going to suck.

 

That's genius. How much is it to stud them? I want to lift mine and get bigger tires but may wait until after winter.

 

Yeah @Herniator , my Tacoma is a 2013 and looks great, its one thing to get scratched up out on a trail, thats what its meant for, but I hate getting damage done in the city, highway.

 

Hey I live in Denver and drive to breckenridge every week or so in the winter but mostly drive around Denver where the snow melts quick. I'm coming from an Audi all wheel drive with snow tires which got buried in both blizzards last year. Do you recommend running my stock wheels and tires on my 16 off road? I plan on lifting it and getting new wheels and tires soon. I may run these for the winter or go ahead and get bigger all season tires for it. I'm definitely lifting it but might wait until the TRD pro suspension is available. Suggestions?