dungngo

Hi, just wondering my Rx350 has 19" rim on all season tire, could I down size to 17" for snow tire? anyone have any advise. thank you

NTH

Check out Tirerack.com for available wheel and tire sizes.

lexus114

i wouldn't do it! its going to look goofy as hell, and your speedo will be way off.

ColAngus

Not if he/she selects an appropriate tire size to match the previous rolling diameter of a 235/55/19.

Clutchless

He could easily find a used Toyota or Lexus set of SUV wheels in either 17 or 18 on which to mount snow tires.

lexus114

its going to look stupid im telling ya....

Clutchless

I agree and think 18 would be a better size for snow tires and you may have a larger tire selection in the stock tire size versus whatever tire size you needed in 17 to make it the correct diameter.

11bravo

Correct, Angus, and it would take a 235/65/17 tire.

11bravo

I may be overstating here, but it has been my experience from when I lived in heavy snow country, people are not overly concerned with how their cars look with winter tires/wheels. It's a time of year when function is more important than form. For the record, though, I would go with 18", instead of 17"

Another option is to just put four 19" snow tires on your 19" rims. Pick up a set of Continental WinterContact tires in 235/55/19, and just switch them out.

In my opinion, it only makes sense to have two sets of wheels/tires if, and only if, you will do your own tire/wheel swapping each Winter and Fall. If you are going to use a shop to swap out the sets of tires/wheels twice a year, they are going to charge you for that, and it will probably not cost much more to just have them do a tire swap each time, using your wheels. Plus, if they are using your wheels, they will do a re-balance each time, which is not a bad thing to do twice a year.

vfr700f2

On the F-Sport, I know you can't use a 17", according to Tire Rack. I don't know about the non-F.

Droid13

I get my winters changed at the shop. For my old Sienna with 16" tires and no TPMS it was cheap to pick up some steel rims and winters and it's a quick easy and cheap swap at the shop. But for my RX, it was a much tougher choice that I pondered for a while, rims are a lot more expensive plus the cost of new TPMS sensors and having to reprogram them each swap offset the cost of just using the same rims year round. I know some go without TPMS for winters but here in Canada where winters last 11 months (or at least seems that way sometimes) it didn't make sense to me not to have TPMS working for such a long time. Anyway, I decided just have one set of rims. The tires seem to be standing up well to the twice a year swap and I've always felt that regardless of tread life, a tire's actual tread function starts to degrade noticeably after 4 or 5 years anyway so I don't plan on having any tires kicking around long enough to make a difference.

SteveCraig

Using a Blizzak as an example to compare overall tire height:235/65/17: 29.1",235/60/18: 29.1",235/55/19 29.2". Either size will give you the correct tire diameter regardless of rim size.Only concern I would have is making sure the 17" rim has clearance for your brake calipers. It would pay to try one on the car prior to buying the tires. We're East Coast Canada & as you mentioned, function over form for severe Winter driving. Our '10 came factory with 18" wheels. Put new Winters on it right away started looking for a spare set of wheels.Found the 19" were more readily available & bought a set of 3 new wheels, new old stock, for about $ 150.00 each. Couldn't get the 4th at the time, bought another set of OEM 19" & had 1 refinished. Now I have 3 spare ! Bought tires & sensors run them Spring, Summer & Fall. Winter we put on the 18" set.