Anyone use steelies for winter?

I have steels and I am using the original lugs nuts. They will likely look like crap after the winter is up but oh well. they are holding fine though.

 

I just ordered a set of General Altimax Arctic Studded tires for the Prius II. Anyone else have steelies installed with the stock alloy wheel lug nuts? Is it safe to use?

 

There really isn't a reason to use steelies. They are heavy and ugly. You are already going to take a hit with winter tires, why make it worse with adding a bunch of weight. A lot of tire stores have stopped selling them even. You can pick up really cheap aluminum wheels from most big-tire stores for $45 to $65 a wheel. They will look better than steelies and weigh half as much.

They let you drive with studded tires in NYC? And why do you even need studded tires?!

 

Yes, as mentioned earlier in the thread. Using the OEM lugs... no problems and this is my third winter. I am also using the Altimax and they are hands down the best snow tires I have used.

 

I just out on some winter tires (Michelin X-Ice) and steelies today. The tire shop used new lug nuts and gave me the factory ones to store.

The tiny bit of additional weight of the steelies in proportion to the overall vehicle is hardly worthy of consideration.

All good.

 

I'm actually located in upstate NY now. I will be driving alot between Syracuse and Binghampton for work. Drive back to NYC maybe once or twice a month. Not sure what winter is like up there so I just went with the best setup for all winter conditions.

 

I've probably got the same rim as you, it's Corolla, purchased new from the dealership. They suggested plain, open-ended lug nuts, which I went with. They were $31 for the set.

 

I went the "other" way I jazzed my Prius UP with a set of Toyota Chrome wheels for my snow tires -- WAAAY cool Picked them up on eBay for a VERY good price.

 

The Effects of Rotational Inertia on Automotive Acceleration

 

I had my Michelin X-Ice2s mounted on the factory 15" wheels with no wheel covers and Toyota center caps. While I didn't care for the look of the naked factory wheels with the all-season tires, the more chunky winter tires look pretty good mounted on them. I'll be buying a new set of wheels for summer use, either 15" with the factory tires or maybe moving up to 16" or 17" with new tires.

 

anyone with experience driving studded tires on the highway in the dry? I'm probably going to mount my studded winter set during thanksgiving break. Speed limit is 65MPH but people usually drive +10 over. I'm having second thoughts on my decision of buying the extra studs.

 

I drive 30 miles daily on the studs in the winter @ 65. 75% of the time the roads are dry. Can't say that it is fun to listen to the hum or see a few more studs gone at the end of the season but it is making it home without flying off the road that makes it... priceless.