Please don't install just a pair of winter tires on your Westy, whatever
wheel size you choose. You're asking for trouble because you'll be out of
traction balance -- one end of the VW will get more grip than the other and
you'll be understeering like mad in some situations. Tires are meant to be
installed in fours, summer or winter, if you want the best performance in
emergency situations. And we buy tires with those situations in mind, or at
least we should.

As for  keeping a set of winters permanently mounted on wheels, I think
that's the smart move. The more often you mount and de-mount a tire, the
more you'll be asking for bead damage.

Going back to the Vredestein thread, I run Comtrac all-weather tires (on
16-inch steel wheels from Van Cafe) on my '90 Westy and like them just
fine. I don't run the VW on the worst of winter days so I can't comment on
how they perform in heavy snow or on icy surfaces, but they're good in
light snow. About a million times better than the all-season tires they
replaced.

The 'all season' moniker is very nearly deserving of a fraud charge.
All-season if you're in Florida, maybe. But if the temperature dips below
about 7 C or 44 F, they're useless. And forget about traction in snow.

Rolf in Toronto

On Thu, Nov 24, 2016 at 2:47 PM, Toomey Douglas <drt@uoregon.edu> wrote:

> I want to run a pair of winter tires on my 87 Westy.  In Oregon studs or
> chains are often required to go over passes in winter; we carry cable
> chains.
>
> I recently upgraded to 16” wheels with Michelin Defenders, which were good
> for a summertime cross-country trip, but probably not for snow and ice.
> Many years ago I bought a pair of 15” wheels, which I still have (should
> have gone with 16s originally, but got bum advice on fit).
>
> Does it make sense to permanently mount winter tires on the 15” wheels?
> Or should I just stick with 16’s and switch tires for the seasons?
>
> Thanks!  And Happy Thanksgiving to all.