So it is finally time to get around to getting a new studded snow tire/wheel combo for my father's truck.
Option 1. Tirerack.com $1,030 shipped($130). 16"alloy($112x4), Firestone Winterforce($99x4) w/studs($15x4) at my door, mounted/balanced(free!), ready to bolt on. Pros-Simple, known $, 16" combo cheaper than 17". Cons-the winterforce is the only studded 245(265)/70/16 on TR, delivery charge.
Option 2. Used wheels at $75-$85 each, special ordered. Studded, maybe Hakkas. Plus mount/balance/disposal. Pros- No delivery charge, More tire options. Cons-Yet unknown total$, shop fees, possible 17" combo costs more long term, special order PITA.
did you at least check discounttiredirect.com? not sure if they have what meets your needs but i have had equally good experiences with them as i have with Tire Rack.
You do know that the 04-up Durango and DR-bodied 5 lug Ram wheels are a direct bolt on right? If you can't find a set of alums or fullsize spare steels for less then what you already quoted.....
Forget the studs. Go with the new studless ice and snow tires, ie: Blizzaks etc.
Studs get slippery on concrete and are frowned upon in certain areas.
Plus they are noisy.
Thanks for the heads up on full size spares. The parts recycler has 4 in stock and they are a bit less. This means I'm looking at 265/65/17. Unfortunately, limited selection in this size for studded. And my father refuses to back down on the studded issue.
neon4891 wrote:
And my father refuses to back down on the studded issue.
"Sorry, Pop, nobody makes studded tires any more." 
Check horseheads pic-a-part in e-town or garys u pull it in binghamton for spare wheels. Both places have decent prices, Gary's is usually less picked over with wheels but mopars are at the bottom of the hill.last time I got wheels it was like 5 a piece for steelies or 15 a piece for alloys.
Ok, hhds is 20 a wheel for steelies, garys is 11 a piece if its smaller than 17"
Used to always run studded 15" passenger car snow tires on my F-150 4X4s from the 80s- early 90s, they were the absolute tits... and reasonably priced in 15". I don't drive near that much anymore and can't justify the cost now of studding a separate set of 16" LTs for my Silverado. I miss the old snow tire tread pattern too, can't find it anywhere.
