Installed the third set of tires on my Cadillac yesterday... second set that I paid for during my ~5.5 years of ownership and daily driving.
When it came time to replace the factory Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s a bit over 3 years ago, I opted to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s. Since then, I have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them, which I detailed in my comment here:
Despite the unseasonably warm weather we have had recently (we have had afternoon highs of up to 18C for the past couple of weeks), I simply did not want to drive on the Michelins at all this winter. I also wanted to do it early enough to escape the inevitable rush and / or gouging that happens as drivers panic by the first cold snap.
So, here they are, Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 in 285/35R19, mounted on 4x factory 9.5x19in “Sedan Rear” wheels in Satin Graphite, aided by 12mm “spacers” in front and 15mm “adapters” in rear (both hub-centric + wheel-centric):
Here is a picture of one of the Michelin A/S 3 that came off. Like I said, probably still good for a few months yet, especially in light of our current mild weather. Regardless, off they go!
Finally, here are the pictures of the spacers and adapters I ran to make this “Sedan Rear Square Setup” work, back when I bought the A/S 3s. The original front wheel and tire sizes are 9x19in with 255/40R19 tires... and for those who wish to mount the rear whees and tires onto the front, wheel spacers of at least 12mm are required to clear the front suspension.
For aesthetic reason, then I bought 15mm wheel adapters for the rear. It was unnessary to do so, so it was purely for looks.
As for why “spacers” for the front but “adapters” in the rear: extended studs are highly recommended to pair with any spacers install, just to ensure that the wheel nuts still have enough threads to bite into. For this car, it is relatively trivial to replace the studs in the front axle, but to do the same in the rear will require a LOT of labour. Opting for adapters makes life easier for all involved.
Then why not also “adapters” in front as well, you might ask? Well, their minimum thickness is 15mm, because the pressed-in studs need enough material to hang onto. I thought that might end up being too much “poke”.
