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Snow Tires and wheel size?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by sklarskyj, Apr 25, 2017.

  1. sklarskyj

    sklarskyj Junior Member

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    Hoping to upgrade the 2010 Prius III to a Prime Premium this weekend. When we bought the 2010 (used w/ 20k miles on it from someone who only drove it in the winters in the Berkshires) it came with Toyo Winter tires (195/65R15) on it. We then picked up a set of bridgestone ecopias to use the rest of the year. I never got around to mounting them on their own rims, but I'm thinking about keeping the Toyos since they have some life left on them to use in the winter with the Prime and getting some rims to mount them on (looking at something like this right now)?

    Would that work for the Prime? I'm not sure what tires come standard on the Prime, but I'm assuming we'll want to swap out for snow tires like we did on our Gen3.
     
    #1 sklarskyj, Apr 25, 2017
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The 195/65R15 size was used on 3rd gen and continues on 4th gen. How many 32's of an inch tread depth are left on those snows, and what's their manufacture date (If you don't know: there's a code on tires; google how to read).

    If they've enough tread to still be effective, say 8/32" or more, and they're not much more than 6 years old, they should work. If they're only around 6/32", or less, I would recycle them.

    Do I undertand correctly you're swapping two sets of tires on the OEM rims? It's likely better to get separate rims for the snows. OTOH, assuming you're in the States, that can be less viable, with stricter tpms regs.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Apr 25, 2017
  3. sklarskyj

    sklarskyj Junior Member

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    Yeah in the US, and I had been swapping the tires on the OEM rims. I know I should have done it a while ago. I'll check the tread life and age when I get home. I doubt they're much more than 6yrs old though, and we have them on for less than half the year. Any reason rims from another car work as long as they are the same size and have the 5x100 bolt pattern?
     
    #3 sklarskyj, Apr 25, 2017
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    These Corolla steel rims work:

    Corolla steel rim, part no: 42611-02471 (2003-2008 corolla or matrix, CE, LS, S)
    steel rim lug nuts, part no: 90942-01007 (plain, open-ended, galvanized)

    The lug nuts aren't strictly necessary; the OEM lug nuts will work, but look a little odd on regular steel rims: they're tall, and their captured washers are just sort of dangling.

    I wouldn't say any rim with same bolt pattern would work: offset and clearance from brake components might not work. Any third or fourth gen 15" Prius rim will work though. Probably second gen too?
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Apr 25, 2017
  5. sklarskyj

    sklarskyj Junior Member

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    Gotcha. Thanks for the tips!
     
    #5 sklarskyj, Apr 25, 2017
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  6. sklarskyj

    sklarskyj Junior Member

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    Upon further inspection, they're right around the 8/32" mark but have a manufactured date of 06/2010, which will be over 7 years by next winter. Perhaps next winter I should just get new snow tires along with rims. Though, depending on how the all-seasons perform, we may pass, since we're also buying a (used) Subaru Outback to be our second car, and if it's snowing that will be the car of choice for her commute since I don't drive to work.
     
    #6 sklarskyj, Apr 25, 2017
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Sounds a lot like ours, 8/32" (XIce2), bought in november of 2010, they're under wraps right now but likely a similar manufacture date. They're for sure going to be used at least one more year. They're mounted (on aforesaid Corolla rims), so makes me want to hang on more. They're getting on, but no cracking so far.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Apr 25, 2017
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