Snow has hit Michigan and the Michelin Pilots I have do not provide adequate grip on snow. Therefore I am considering picking up a set of wheels with winter tires. I have a 3.0 2006 with 17" wheels. Please can anyone make recommendations for winter tires and when searching for wheels listed on other vehicles, what will fit? Do Lincoln LS wheels fit this vehicle for all year or only certain years?

Thanks

 

Garage and winter beater.

 

Try looking for 16" wheels and tires. This will open up the range of choices immensely. 16" snow tires are much much cheaper than 17" too. Don't forget that you want skinny tires not fat weenies that will float over the top.

I was very lucky and found a set of four 16" S-type Jag rims on eBay. Even with shipping from Florida to Canada it was less expensive all-in than buying plain steel rims locally.

I've had very good experience previously with Bridgestone Blizzaks (sp) and presently with Michelin X ice.

 

Mikey, I went to Canadian Tire and got a great set for my winter beater for next to nothing. Goodyears and steel rims. It's the right way to go! BTW, from Westmount now in Quebec City!

 

I'm in St.-Bruno in the Monteregie. The wheels I bought were even cheaper than Crappy Tire (I really lucked out!)

 

LOL! Good for you!

 

Mikey is dead on. Winter tires on 16" rims... Since you have a 3.0 the 16" rims will fit fine and there will not be a brake clearance issue. The other answer to your question is yes..The LS uses the same bolt spacing and offset as the 3.0 / 4.2 cars...the offset rules change for the R, plus most R's have staggered width rims. The R also has larger brakes that severely limit their owners when it comes to winter tires.

 

I purchased a set of factory "Zeus" rims from a member of this forum back in July and had some Yokohama W*Drive snow tires mounted on them.

In Minneapolis, we just had our first big snowstorm of the year, and the tires worked like a charm. Very, very minimal slide, decent acceleration and awesome braking. Only real problem, if you want to call it that, is that the tires are very soft, and any hard acceleration will eat them up in no time.

I know people cringe when they see my car in the snow, but I park in a heated parking ramp with an available car wash to get the evil salt off.

Having experienced dedicated snow tires versus supposed all season tires, I am now in the dedicated snow tire camp.

 

Thanks for the feedback Guys. Does anyone know if the Wheel pitch circle diameter changed in 2003? I had heard that it had from another post.

Thanks again.

 

Having your car freeze/thaw every time you use it is the worst possible situation. A car wash will just distribute the salt into areas where it would otherwise not go. Let the car get cold and stay cold.

My year round cars never come inside during the winter for this very reason.

 

tirerack.com makes its simple ind inexpensive and they shipped new wheels direct to my local installer.