[ScaryFatKidGT]

So I just got a 2018 SS 1LE and I love it... how ever it is my only "properly" working car and I am planning on driving it in the winter...


Telling people this in person I get gasps and generally shunned as if I told them I was never going to change the oil and just scrap it when the engine blows... How ever on here I seem to so tons of people running winters, a 245 or 255 on a 18 or 19" rim seems the way to go, being my first staggered tire car tho I'm not sure what offset rims to run for a square set up. I would like to go with 18's due to cost so a 244/45R18 or a 245/50R18 is what I would like to do on a 8.5" or 9" rim but what would be the correct offset? I was looking at TSW's with a 20mm offset.


Also on all my other cars I have gone with full studdless winter tires however with this being a Camaro and having the 1LE package I'm wondering if a 255 or 265 Michelin Aplin PA4 would be better? I want to drive this car in the winter but if it's a salty slushy mess or their is snow 6" over the front splitter I plan to try and take one of my other cars. When the roads are clear but it is just -10 I might be better with the performance tires.


Someone with X-Ice3's, Nokians or Blizzakks how did the car do on clear roads and how hard was it to not shred the back tires?

[JamesNoBrakes]

Well, here's some stuff to think about:

1, corrosion. Even if they don't use salt on the roads, all sorts of businesses use it in their parking lots...to absolutely crazy extents that should be illegal IMO or they at least should buy you a new car. So that already limits how and where I drive in the winter.

2, you won't put power down with skinny tires, the car needs some pretty wide tires in the rear for this. The idea that you should go for "skinny" rear tires is ridiculous given how low the car is and how you'll be driving on compacted snow and ice surfaces most of the time. This is better served by wider tires, skinny tires will not hook up well and you'll be all over the place, literally. I can do ok with my 255s (which I just reinstalled this weekend), but when it starts getting real wintery, they are pretty poor. The idea about using skinny tires comes from people wanting to drive something like a VW van in 1 foot of fresh snow.

3, I made an excel sheet to figure out what sizes would work in diameter and offset/width and how much it would change stuff. If you find out the stock sizes, you can work backwards and figure all this out. I think I set my height criteria around 1/4" or less, so my setup on 19s is very close to OEM. I think I'm around 15 or 19 (see my posts) and it is within 5mm of the stock width on the square setup, looks good...but the tires are obviously pretty skinny compared to stock.

For the last question you ask, the car easily overpowers skinny tires...that's all you need to know. You either drive carefully, or you spin tires. It cuts power pretty well in the normal modes, but you gotta be very careful on the frozen surfaces. Braking is pretty good with the tires you mention, but starting off in the RWD car is pretty terrible. Find some weight to put in the trunk.

[Alpha1BC]

Originally Posted by ScaryFatKidGT

When the roads are clear but it is just -10 I might be better with the performance tires.

Don't run the OE SC3's below freezing temps. The rubber compound in these tires becomes brittle somewhere between 40 and 20 F, and driving (or anything that would cause the rubber to bend or move) at temps lower than that can lead to cracking.

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

Don't run the OE SC3's below freezing temps. The rubber compound in these tires becomes brittle somewhere between 40 and 20 F, and driving (or anything that would cause the rubber to bend or move) at temps lower than that can lead to cracking.

The exact numbers are: driving not recommended at 40 and below for lack of traction, do not drive at 20 and below due to possible cracking. If it's getting colder than 40, it's time for me to change my tires. Right around 40 and there are several factors that may cause your tires to not actually be all that cold, like friction from driving, the sun heating the asphalt (vs the air temp), etc. That can also work in the reverse though and the driving surface could be much colder than 40 even if the air temp is 40.

[Alpha1BC]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

The exact numbers are: driving not recommended at 40 and below for lack of traction, do not drive at 20 and below due to possible cracking. If it's getting colder than 40, it's time for me to change my tires. Right around 40 and there are several factors that may cause your tires to not actually be all that cold, like friction from driving, the sun heating the asphalt (vs the air temp), etc. That can also work in the reverse though and the driving surface could be much colder than 40 even if the air temp is 40.

Awesome, thanks for the correction/clarification

[VinnAY]

I ran Xi3 on my Mustang GT perf pack in 245/45/19 and did very well with those, I would recommend them. For the Camaro I found that I didn't need a set of snow/ice but a good all-season so thats where I'm going with the Camaro. I can wait out .5-1 day that the streets aren't plowed and otherwise take a day off.

[RacerX78]

I myself will be looking to run 285/35/20 on the stock wheels.

[DaveC113]

Personally, I got 19x10 / 30mm offset and 7mm spacers for the front.

I got 265/40/19 PA4 N-Spec for $130/tire from Tire Rack and once those are done anything from 265 to 285 should fit fine.

This allows tire rotation and full warranty on the tires where a staggered setup will not have full mileage warranty.

[RUQWIKR]

Originally Posted by DaveC113

Personally, I got 19x10 / 30mm offset and 7mm spacers for the front.

I got 265/40/19 PA4 N-Spec for $130/tire from Tire Rack and once those are done anything from 265 to 285 should fit fine.

This allows tire rotation and full warranty on the tires where a staggered setup will not have full mileage warranty.

Full thread wheel studs like Dorman's or longer like ARP? If not, with 7mm, you have about half the stock thread engagement.

[DaveC113]

Originally Posted by RUQWIKR

Full thread wheel studs like Dorman's or longer like ARP? If not, with 7mm, you have about half the stock thread engagement.

I'll have to do a quick test fit and see where it's at. I expect longer studs may be necessary.

[DaveC113]

Originally Posted by RUQWIKR

Full thread wheel studs like Dorman's or longer like ARP? If not, with 7mm, you have about half the stock thread engagement.

I searched "extended wheel studs" and got my answer. I ordered the ARP studs. I have Mcgard splined lugs/locks, if they don't fit w/o spacers I may have to remove some of the "nose" as I don't want to have to change studs 2x/year. Easy to do but PITA...

It's still better than running not-enough offset in the rear and having the rears stick out past where the stock 305s are, or running staggered snows. IMO...

[shawndean22]

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...wtpackage=true

[Detroit Muscle]

Do you guys know of stock 5th gen tire/wheels will fit on this vehicle for say winter storage??

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

Don't run the OE SC3's below freezing temps. The rubber compound in these tires becomes brittle somewhere between 40 and 20 F, and driving (or anything that would cause the rubber to bend or move) at temps lower than that can lead to cracking.

I know, I mean a Performance winter tire, vs a studdless ice and snow.