Decent snow tires for 2005 Cobalt

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Dice144

Senior member
Oct 22, 2010
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As the title says I am currently looking for decent snow tires. I live in Buffalo and this winter has started off fun. Front two tires are semi worn all season rear tires (that were on the front) are worn to almost the tread line.

Hoping to pay less than $400 (if reasonable)
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
If you have 15's, look at this. $310 shipped if you don't get road hazard. Find a shop to mount/balance them for $15-20/each and you're good. You can get another $50 off if you get their credit card (rebate).
 
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Dice144

Senior member
Oct 22, 2010
654
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He has the old skool balancing bubble tool (sorry not a gear head) so not sure the real name of the tool.
 
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Black2na

Senior member
Nov 25, 2010
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have had the General Altimax Arctic's on my 2007 cobalt. for the past 4 years in the winter on my 2nd set. tires are awesome great budget tire does as well as blizzaks did on a beetle i drove for a little while. iver never gotten stuck and ive done better then some trucks in the snow! i agree 200% with Jlee
 
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Dice144

Senior member
Oct 22, 2010
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Ok thank you both for the feedback! Gotta wait till Thursday to fix the lug net that broke off last month before I can get them mounted (if I am feeling lazY)
 
phucheneh

phucheneh

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Jun 30, 2012
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If it's a 5 bolt hub, one missing lug isn't going to be that crucial, so long as the other four are torqued properly.

The balancer you're referring to is a 'bubble balancer.' Basically, the wheel is balanced on a center point, and weight is added opposite to the side that dips down. When it's balanced, the wheel will sit level. It's not a bad tool if you know how to use it, but it only does a 'static' balance- it corrects for radial imbalance. A 'dynamic' balance uses weights on both the inside and outside of the wheel to also correct for lateral imbalance.

A static balance is usually good enough to eliminate most if not all vibration up to a reasonable speed. Just don't expect a super smooth ride at 95mph.
 
phucheneh

phucheneh

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Jun 30, 2012
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Howard said:
One of my wheels damn near fell off with 4 lugs only.
Click to expand...

I somehow doubt that was with a factory hubcentric wheel with the proper lug nuts/studs at the proper torque. 'Damn near' is also...well, damning. Having four lugs instead of five isn't magically going to make the nuts loosen.

If four of five lugs was not strong enough, the failure would be in the studs shearing off. Not in the loose lugs, wallowed-out seats, et al that you normally see from inadequate torque or wrong hardware.
 
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Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
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phucheneh said:
I somehow doubt that was with a factory hubcentric wheel with the proper lug nuts/studs at the proper torque. 'Damn near' is also...well, damning. Having four lugs instead of five isn't magically going to make the nuts loosen.

If four of five lugs was not strong enough, the failure would be in the studs shearing off. Not in the loose lugs, wallowed-out seats, et al that you normally see from inadequate torque or wrong hardware.
Click to expand...
Two of the four nuts had loosened enough on the highway that I could feel and hear the vibration. Upon getting out of the car, I found those nuts turnable by hand.

Freak accident perhaps. I don't recommend driving with 4 out of 5 nuts for any long stretch of time.
 
phucheneh

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
7,306
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Factory wheel/nuts/studs? No spacers or anything else aftermarket?

It's just that I've seen a lot of people driving indefinitely on a missing lug with a five lug car. I wouldn't exactly recommend it, but I just don't see any random wheel ejection happening because of it.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
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phucheneh said:
Factory wheel/nuts/studs? No spacers or anything else aftermarket?

It's just that I've seen a lot of people driving indefinitely on a missing lug with a five lug car. I wouldn't exactly recommend it, but I just don't see any random wheel ejection happening because of it.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine made it from NH to AZ with 4 out of 5, heh.
 
C

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
My first pick are always General Altimax Arctic. For the money, these tires are some of the best you can get.

I currently have Hankook Winter iPike W409's and they're pretty good also.

Both of these may be slightly over your budget but I am not sure, perhaps you know where to get some good deals.
 
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