Todd316

Im just wondering if the smaller rim will give me better traction over the 17". If you guys think not then I will use my stock 17's for snow tires and by a new set in the spring. I just had my first taste of Pirelli P6000 and snow. Let me tell you it wasnt fun, but thank god I didnt hit anything. Please give me all your oponions as right now I am a little bit discouraged.

System_S4k

My dad runs 16's on his A4 and I run 17's. Can't really notice any diff between the two in the snow.

jprice@CPS

typically a tire on a 16" wheel is narrower than the tire on a 17" wheel. Narrower tires will cut through the snow better, where wider tires will ride up on the snow a little more, causing more of a floating feeling (this is fresh snow we're talking about here). Also, you'll have a taller sidewall on the 16" tires, which means a little more flexing (unless it has super sidewalls). More flexing of the sidewall will give you a little more of a "gradual" break away, where a shorter/stiffer sidewall will loose lateral traction more suddenly.

Apex Appeal

they suck for dry pavement. That is the comprimise you will have to deal with.

Narrow=good for snow
wide=good for dry pavement

jprice@CPS

Your stock tires don't suck so bad because of the size, they suck bad because of the rubber compound and tread design. They're NOT made for snow. A snow tire in the same size as your stock tires will perform WORLDS better than your stock tires. It would be so much better, it's not even worth comparing. Nokian NRW/WR, Dunlop M2, Blizzak LM22 are some good choices for a snow tire that won't give up quite as much dry performance.

System_S4k

Todays snow tires are designed to hold snow on the tire and then use it to stick to snow that has fallen on the ground (snow sticks to itself).... We had a large argument this time last year over the actual contact patch of 16 and 17 inch snow tires... I don't think we ever settled on an answer, but everyone agreed 17 tires are just as well off as 16's.

jprice@CPS

Thought you were saying if we didn't think 16" was better that you'd use your stock tires.. you said stock wheels.. hehee

I still recommend getting a separate set of wheels for winter. Don't worry as much about scraping, pitting with all the crap they put on the road... And makes it a lot easier to switch out when it comes time.

TRM

you will get even better snow performance w/ a 16" setup.

i've put Blizzaks on my stock 17" avus wheels. these are the super-duper snow Blizzaks (WS-50's)- not the other version (LM i think) which gives a better balance of wet/dry performance.

i bought a set of 18's w/ Ultra-High Performance tires for the summer.

i don't think you'd be disappointed going my route except for the drain on your wallet.<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/1053819.phtml">quattro &amp; snow tires: one man's opinion</a></li></ul>

jprice@CPS

narrower = better. Think of the shape of the contact patch.. think of how weight is distributed.. think of the snow a wider tire is pushing out of the way. On packet snow and ice, I'd agree it's less of an issue.. but I was thinking of fresh, deeper snow. especially when you're traveling at higher speeds.. wider tires will ride up, since they are displacing more snow. maybe not a huge difference, but some. ;-)

System_S4k

I really would like to get a couple S4s to test out this theory one day..