Driving year round on winter tires and aluminum wheels?

I found a great deal on a lightly used set of 15" tires, but they're winter tires. Normally I'm the kind of guy who has one set of wheels for summer tires and another set of wheels for my winter tires. But, I'm trying to keep costs down and not have to keep storing an extra set of wheels and tires year round. I'm going to run with 235/75R15 tires at the stock height and later do a 2" lift on my 2WD B2200.

Would it be such a bad thing to run with my new (used) winter tires year round? They're rated Mud and Snow, so you would think they're just all season tires, but they have the snowflake and mountain symbol too, so they're rated for severe snow conditions. There is no treadwear rating, so I can't predict how fast they'll wear down. Typically, true winter tires are made from a softer compound and get worn out quicker. And they feel a bit more squirmy on the highway.

AND... last week I got carried away and bought several sets of rims. My favorite is an aluminum 15" Nissan wheel, they're mint, never driven in snow or salt. I almost hate to use them for winter. Maybe I should pay the $80 to have the worn Michelin LTX M/S tires pulled off the chrome wheels and put them on the aluminum ones, for summer use (those Michelins are quite worn, maybe 1 more summer and they're finished). And then pick one set of steel (chrome) wheels for the winter tires and be stuck with storing an extra set year round.

Well, given the fact you didn't say these snow tires are also truck tires, and that you have a set (albeit worn down) of "summer" tires, I'd highly suggest against using winter tires year-round.

There are some factors that can help, such as your typical climate, but two things come to mind: 1. they're winter tires, and 2. they're not truck tires. Passenger snow tires will wear even quicker than truck winter tires, especially when put on something as heavy as a truck (mini or not). I'm guessing if you look up the load rating on those versus a set of actual truck winter tires it's a bit lower. Also, if you are in a climate that gets terrible winter weather, you'll probably be thanking yourself for keeping those winter tires for the season.

The second item to consider is how long you are planning to keep the truck. Given that you are talking about modding (referencing 2" lift), this is no beater / throw-away truck. In that case, the likelihood of you having to buy a new set of tires very soon when those winter tires are gone (if you ran them constantly) is fairly high. So if you plan on replacing your Michelins, yes, the cost will be a bit high now, but save you in the long run.

Third, if these tires are as nice as they sound, then they probably cost a pretty penny. No sense in wasting a good thing (my opinion, obviously).

Also, as you mentioned, snow tires are meant for snowy roads at possibly lower speeds. 70mph on a blistering asphalt road for months on end can give terrible handling, quicker wear, and possibly even worse mileage. (Although you may not be concerned about gas mileage...)

In short, you have two sets of rims, two sets of tires. Local shop would probably charge $10 - 20 to swap everything, and I think the investment is well worth it.

Swap um and don't run snow tires in the summer, bad idea. You'll just trash them as they are not meant to run on hot roads as MercilessLTD said.

Why ruin a perfect set of wheels you like, don't take the easy road and swap um!!!

I'm picking up the tires tomorrow. That's the only time me and the seller could meet. I hate to bother him again to ask if they're LT rated 6 ply tires or just regular 4 ply, but I know they're advertised as SUV and light truck tires (Cooper Discover MS). This guy was really hard to get a hold of too - it takes him a day or two to respond usually, so I might as well wait until tomorrow to find out. I'll take them either way.

Apparently he only used them for one season (barely) and I'm getting them for less what two of them cost brand new. Around here, tire shops typically charge $20 per tire to install, balance and install new valves. But I might be able to get a cash deal - there's a new place that just opened and when I called him, he said $10 per wheel, but I think that was for steel wheels.

But I'm thinking I should mount these winter tires on steel wheels anyways. In my mind, I knew driving on winter tires year round isn't the smartest thing to do, but a lot of people do it. The truck is not a beater, but not exactly a show truck either. I plan on maintaining it well and using it as a daily driver, or at least a daily driver 50% to 75% of the time. I estimate I'll do less than 10,000 miles a year on the truck (16,000 kms).

But in the end, maybe I should just run with these winter tires until mid-April, so another two months (even if there's no snow, they'll stick to cold roads better than all season tires). I'll keep my eyes open for a good deal on some lightly used all season, all terrain tires - either BF Goodrich All Terrain TA or a better set of Michelin LTX MS and run those from approximately April to October each year. I was just hoping to simplify things and keep costs down with one set of rims and tires. But, in the end, it's probably better with the two sets of rims and tires. Safety first!