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All season or Winter tire recommendations for Explorer Limited


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Better to buy extra wheels in a smaller wheel size - cheaper and more options. 18s are probably ok.

I've been thinking of doing this for my Flex, which is aweful in the winter (FWD, OEM tires were better than current all-seasons I may replace instead)

 

Is eBay the best source for takeoffs? I don't like the look of aftermarket. I go to the extremes, I've always liked the older MkS wheels, but have also thought about some PIU steelies. (Tagging onto this thread as Flex options should be the same as Explorer)

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Better to buy extra wheels in a smaller wheel size - cheaper and more options. 18s are probably ok.

I actually dropped to a 17" rim on my 2011 MKX that has 20" rims on it from the factory. Just watch the overall diameter of the tire and it works well. I am on my second season with my 17's and the winter traction is great.

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I actually dropped to a 17" rim on my 2011 MKX that has 20" rims on it from the factory. Just watch the overall diameter of the tire and it works well. I am on my second season with my 17's and the winter traction is great.

Just depends on the size of the brakes. Tirerack.com is a good source to see if a particular size wheel will fit or not.

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Just depends on the size of the brakes. Tirerack.com is a good source to see if a particular size wheel will fit or not.

True...it is why I "test fit" the rims on my Lincoln prior to making the leap. I picked up the 17" rims from an auto recycler that were originally from a 2006 Ford Five Hundred. Since they share the same chassis components, the fit was spot on. But, I agree with what you say, double check to make sure it will work. Just remember, the handling will be different but not unsafe.

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Just ordered these for my Explorer at Sam's Club - $80 Goodyear rebate in effect until Nov 30th

 

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/ultra-grip-ice-wrt-suv

 

I noticed the local Police Dept. have these on their Explorer PI's

Kev-Mo...I have those on my Lincoln, great tire. FYI...the rebate is $60 and you can double it to $120 if you put it on a Goodyear credit card. Since I was going to buy them outright, I applied for the card, doubled the rebate and paid it off when the bill arrived.

 

1897845_10203646175770810_43775152925980

 

Here are the OE 20's

 

10649914_10203542701184010_4046474406031

 

Comparison shot with the 17" winter wheel/tire combo...I later ditched the red center reflector.

 

1912233_10203542700623996_36353899640770

Edited by twintornados
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I've never liked Goodyear tires - always been a Michelin fan. But I'm on my second set of Continental Conti-Pro Contacts on the Fusion and they've been great so far.

Guess you don't have to worry too much in GA. Glad your Conti-Pros are performing nicely.

 

I am only buying these because the Michelin M/S 'all season' that I run normally on the Explorer is so horrible in a place where it really snows. Granted, they are fantastic 3 season tire but very weak in snow and black ice. I believe the compound is too hard, thereby living up to Michelin's reputation of outstanding wear qualities.

 

Nothing, and I mean nothing compares to a real winter tire in winter conditions.

Other good options include:

Cooper Discoverer M+S

Sigma Arctic Claw

Edited by Kev-Mo
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Kev-Mo...I have those on my Lincoln, great tire. FYI...the rebate is $60 and you can double it to $120 if you put it on a Goodyear credit card. Since I was going to buy them outright, I applied for the card, doubled the rebate and paid it off when the bill arrived.

 

1897845_10203646175770810_43775152925980

 

Here are the OE 20's

 

10649914_10203542701184010_4046474406031

 

Comparison shot with the 17" winter wheel/tire combo...I later ditched the red center reflector.

 

1912233_10203542700623996_36353899640770

Thanks!

$60 bucks rebate - my mistake, and I have a $50 Sam's gift card leftover in my pocket essentially gets me 4 for the price of three- I am a cash guy. I have already had two "gotta have winter tires" moments this month. One, collecting firewood from a fire mitigation project in the Colorado foothills, with cargo trailer hitched up - there was a few inches of snow on the unfrozen ground and I was sliding sideways down the bank in the slushy mud/snow mix. Managed to unhitch the trailer and work my way out. Two: Trying to pull my neighbors Tacoma out of a ditch along side the road during last weeks front range blizzard - my Explorer just sat there with both front and rear spinning in the snow with little bite - Michelin's M/S compound is way too hard to be an 'excellent' winter tire. They are great tires for the rest of the year.

Edited by Kev-Mo
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I've never liked Goodyear tires - always been a Michelin fan. But I'm on my second set of Continental Conti-Pro Contacts on the Fusion and they've been great so far.

I am not a huge Goodyear fan either, but $120 rebate is tough to beat. If it weren't for that, it likely would've been Continental Alti-Max Arctics.

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I've never liked Goodyear tires - always been a Michelin fan. But I'm on my second set of Continental Conti-Pro Contacts on the Fusion and they've been great so far.

I've always had good luck with Goodyears. I've been really disappointed with the Michelin Primacy tires I currently have on the Flex. They are aweful in snow/ice, and bad even in wet. They haven't worn all that well either.

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Why would you expect an all season tire to be good in snow/ice when they make specific snow/ice tires?

You'll notice they're called "All Season", not "Three Season". And as I said, they suck in rain too. I'm not expecting them to perform as well as a dedicated snow tire (which is, as I mentioned, why I am looking at getting snow tires) but rather the Michelins perform substantially less well than the OEM tires the Flex came with (which I think were Conti's?).

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Our Flex came with Hankooks.

Then we tried Pirellis. Never again. Worst tires I've EVER owned.

 

We've got a set of Continentals on it now. So far so good, but haven't had it in any snow with the Continentals yet.

Yeah, may have been Hanooks. I checked just now and the last set on my Escape were Michelins (Cross Terrains) and they were really good. Not impressed at all with the Primacys on the Flex though.

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