Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site and I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a new 2012 FX4 f-150. If anyone can offer any advice on what I should get/not get or what to look out for please let me know. Some salesman told me that the 20 inch optional rims are no good for the snow? any thoughts on that. I would also like to know, what price range I should be around. I'm getting the FX4, like I wrote, with the luxury package. Thanks for any and all comments ...Matt

 

Welcome to the forum!

The winter tires need to be narrower than the usual all-season so they face less resistance when cutting through the snow. The larger rims are usually wider as well so that the tire can support the load while having a slimmer profile - since it has less room to compress under load, it needs to be wider to offer enough contact surface to the road (remember, force = pressure x area,and the force also increases with tire compression because the internal volume decreases leading to an additional rise in pressure). This comes against the recommendation for winter tires (narrower, taller sidewall).

If you love the looks of the 20" rims, then you should reach for the wallet and buy a set of winter tires on smaller rims as well. That will give your truck the looks in the summer, and the best road grip during winter. Also, depending on where you live, studded tires can be truly wonderful. They are noisy, but for the extra grip you get on ice and packed snow, you will love them, and congratulate yourself over and over again for choosing to go with studs in the tires. True, the studs take away a lot of the pleasure of playful controlled skidding and doughnutting in the snow, but hey, you can't have it all HTH ...