This is my first post here, and I'd like to start off by saying I'm a noob when it comes to anything mechanical. I read the Maximum Tire size thread, but don't understand what the difference/reference to 15x7 or 15x8 is?

I just put on my winter tires as we got ice/snow on the roads recently, and my winters are shit, not because they don't have enough tread (75% remain), but they just can't grip ice, and the reviews are good on these tires. My ranger is a 2004 Edge 2WD REG CAB, and it's absolutely brutal trying to stop/gain traction on ice.

I want to know what the maximum tire size I could fit/ what the best size is for ICE. I will be studding whatever tire I decide on buying.



Hopefully someone who deals with the same roads (Canada), and drives a 2WD Ranger knows my pain.

I greatly appreciate any response.

Current tires: P235 75R 15 GOODYEAR NORDIC.

Currently I'm running Michelin LTX M/S2 on my truck. Until last winter it wore a set of Nordics, which didn't seem to have anymore traction the SR-A's that came on the truck. I've also had Dunlop Rover RVXT's on the truck for a while, they were great in mud and snow, and downright dangerous on ice. My advice in your climate, look at a set of Michelin X-ICE3. The issue with studding nowadays, is that they are used on lower quality winter tires to try an improve the traction on them to bring them closer to what the better tires use compound for. If you insist on staying with a studded tire, the Goodyear Nordic and Winter WRT are about as good as gets right now, you still won't have the traction the X-ICE will provide.

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2010 Ranger XL 2.3L 5 Spd 3.73:1 Bone Stock
2013 Scion FR-S 2.0L/H-4, 6spd, 4.11:1 Fast Enough Stock

Narrower the tire the better on ice.

Thanks for your detailed reply. I've looked at the reviews for these Nordics and they seem really well. I'm hoping that if I just get 2 new rear ones studded it'll help allot, and last year I had 6 sandbags, I can't remember the weight :/, but I figure if I add around double that so 12 bags I'll have enough weight. What do you think?

Better traction but lower MPG's.

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1992 Ford Ranger XLT, 4.0 L, Auto.

Yeah that's the only downside, but if it means I can have a better chance of preventing an accident I think I'll risk the 1-2mpg loss.