[serith]

After searching high and low, I finally got my hands on 4 steel wheels for the tC at a hole in the wall wheel store, that just happened to have 10 steel wheels left for my car. I got those, and then went to Dunn Tire to check out tires that would fit. They only had one brand that would fit the wheels I got, and they were 205/55/16 Kelly's. I have pics too

Dunn Tire was PACKED both days I was there. I bought the tires last night, and brought my rims with me, and dropped my car off @ 5pm. I picked her up this morning all finished at 7am (when they opened), and their parking lot was packed. People were all waiting inside reading the paper, watching tv, etc. I got mine right away because I dropped it off and had it stay there overnight. Anyway, I think snow tires are a must for where I live. We already have several inches of sticking snow, and as I speak, there is a National Weather Advisory for a lake effect snow warning where I am. BRING IT ON!!!

IMO, these tires are doing AWEOME in the snow so far. I'll let you guys know how they do on ice if i find any. Also, I know kelly tires aren't the absolute best, but uh, I didn't have any other choices besides paying about $40/tire more from tirerack, plus shipping. I paid.. *checks receipts for those who want to know*.. $78.86/wheel, and $91.98/tire (that's with mounting/balancing/etc). All said and done, it was $778.06. I know that's a lot, but it's definately worth it to have control and fun in my vehicle. I drove my 18"s with the Perelli rubber just once in the snow.... Yeah... I barely made it home. They have zero traction on snow, let alone rain!! But yeah, this was worth every penny. What's funny/random though, is when I pulled up in my buddies tC to pick up my tC this morning from the tire shop, a lady came up to us and asked me where I found the steel wheels for my tC (as i was walking towards my car to look it over). I told her where, and she was SOO damn happy. I told her to get over there quick though, b/c he didnt have many left. She told me she was driving her boyfriends car b/c she also has the 18"s and she said she wont drive it till it has snows on it, lol. I love those random tC encounters.

 

[Drift Motion]

luckily i live in so cal, no snow = good

 

[ecks]

all you need are some spinnin' hubcaps!

but yes, i envy you, i wish i had some cash to put towards steelies and some rubber.. for now i roll on the stock 17s and yokos...

 

[nY1018]

yea, i should do that, but i really dont want my car to look like the hubs fell off

 

[lo bux racer]

Is that dried salt spray on the side of the car? Ewww. I hate salted roads. BTW, you should spray the ends of the axles with a corrosion inhibitor...

 

[serith]

Yes, it's dried salt..

And by the end of the axle, do you mean in the middle of the lugnuts? And if so, do you recommend a brand?

 

[kidazn719]

wow.. i have no idea what it's like to drive in the snow but it doesn't look like much fun

 

[lo bux racer]

Driving in snow is a lot of fun if there's no one else around. You can learn a lot about car control in poor traction conditions at very low speeds without being in serious trouble. A friend and I were lamenting this fact the other day. When we were young and all tires (including performance tires) sucked, it was pretty easy to get a car out of shape at a low speed and learn to recover it. These days, the tires are so much better that you are going a LOT faster when things get loose so if you do make a mistake, the consequences can be really dire. It didn't used to be that way.

Serith - Permatex makes a spray that both removes corrosion and inhibits new corrosion from forming. You should be able to find it at any decent machine shop. Maybe an automotive store if they do machine work on the premises. If those threads get too rusty, getting the axle nut off will be ten times worse than it already is, and it ain't easy now, trust me.

 

[basilisk4]

SWEET mod!

 

[DeaTh_tC]

i agee with lo bux about the car handling thing... i learned a TON about how my old civic handled by driving it in the snow. basically, the car's tendencies are magnified. just snowed 5" here yesterday, so i had to drive around in the stock yokos. they're garbage on the snow, but you can get places on just about any tire as long as you don't drive like an idiot.

actually, if you're in an area where it snows, just go to an empty parking lot (where you know there's nothing you'll hit, that is..) and start doing donuts and whatever else. after awhile you'll find you can have the closest thing to complete control that can exist under the conditions. if you can keep your car under control on top of packed snow, you've got less to worry about if your tires slip in july.

 

[kurker]

My stealies go on tomorrow!

 

[nY1018]

cant you buy steel rims that actually look like real rims?

 

[thepda]

Originally posted by nY1018@Nov 23 2005, 07:00 PM
yea, i should do that, but i really dont want my car to look like the hubs fell off

haha agree'd... I still wash my car when the weather is above freezing.. this keeps the salt off and keeps my paints at a good level of shine..

I have been doing this for years. Works every year. Also, I wont drive when there is snow on the ground, ill wait until its been plowed and its just like rain.. Just how I do it.. But im worried about the winter.. Cant wait for summer already...

 

[damien1023]

glad to see you finally found a set! the tC looks so funny with them on it

 

[MustangJolly]

that is quite a lot of money for some steelies.. at least your rims will be safe for the winter x)

 

[serith]

Yeah, ~$800 is a good chunk of change, BUT.. I paid ~$2000 for my summer wheels/tires, and I didn't want to wreck them by driving them this winter. Not only that, but keeping performance tires on your car is like neglegence if it snows real bad and I get in an accident.

And yeah, I plan on washing her every chance I get when it's above freezing, which is never, lol. I actually found a place that you pay like $100 to, but you can come back as much as you want for the winter months.

And I think seeing as how my car is black, the black steel wheels look ok. If i had a light colored car, I'd probably have gotten hub-caps, or $pin|\|eRs!1

Oh, and this is probably the only time I hate the fact that the tC has uber torque. I'm really disliking first gear in the snow. You have to be so carefull when you release the clutch, or you won't move. But anyway, I can't wait for a good snow storm, then I can go to work in our huge parking lot and eat some donuts

 

[JFBP4991]

i dont like the look of those wheels buy hey you have to do what you have to do to be safe in the winter

 

[Azrael]

Originally posted by serith@Nov 25 2005, 02:07 AM
Oh, and this is probably the only time I hate the fact that the tC has uber torque. I'm really disliking first gear in the snow. You have to be so carefull when you release the clutch, or you won't move.

You can always start out in second if you find yourself spinning it up in first.

 

[lo bux racer]

The car starts out fine at idle if you just let out the clutch slowly.