Author Topic: Snow Tires  (Read 2804 times)

KnuckleBuckett

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Snow Tires
« on: November 24, 2015, 06:13:59 AM »
I have a rear wheel drive car and have always run all season tires.  This year I decided to try dedicated snow tires.  Anyone else fool with them?

ober

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2015, 10:06:32 AM »
I never have.  Never saw the value in it.

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2015, 01:23:16 PM »
I do, both cars. The difference is huge. I'd even put having winter tires above having AWD.

X ice are good in the hard icy slippery stuff, but not great in the deep fluffy snow. I have then on our car. I'm going to try good year Nordics this year on the SUV, they have a better reputation for the deeper snow.

I grew up never using winter tires. I got them for the first time when my wife was going to be driving my car ;) I couldn't believe the difference. I've had a set every year since.



... Also, put some serious weight in your trunk. Rwd isn't fun in the snow.

hans

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2015, 02:00:00 PM »
Every year with my wrx. Makes such a difference. I don't think I'll ever run all seasons again on any of my cars. Took me a while but my brother swore by them for years.

Just make sure you get the right kind. Mine aren't great in deep snow but wonderful on dry cold and a few inches which since we plow roads pretty quick works nice. I believe mine are Dunlop sport.
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Jake

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2015, 02:16:36 PM »
I would get snow tires for the sedans I owned in the past. But have been running all-season on the van and now the durango. We just had a foot of snow dump on us last weekend, and the Durango behaved great! even better than expected with the large rims. I will not be getting snow tires for the Wrangler :D

Snow tires are an awesome investment and surely make a difference for smaller vehicles- they usually last 3-5 years, depending on where you live. Make sure you have a place to store them.
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jkim

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2015, 08:32:49 PM »
Just got my snow tires on the rims and balanced today. It'll be the first year I have them. General Arctic Max. I literally know nothing about them, thanks husband! We'll be putting them on my Focus when it's warmer later in the week :D

KnuckleBuckett

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2015, 06:20:27 AM »
Awesome and interesting. 

Ben.  If you don't think the difference is major, it is.  When I first started putting them on the wife's VW I tested the diff on the K-Mart "ice lot".  Stopping, handling, and acceleration are like you are in a different vehicle.  The VW is naturally good in snow and light ice, but this makes it simply amazing.  This definitely adds significantly to her safety in the winter. 

I expect similar results with the Lexus.  Snow tire tech has come a long way, and is to me, worth the investment on at least her vehicle.  They will last you four to six years if the VW is any indicator.  On at Thanksgiving off in April.

Lots of folks seem to think AWD or 4WD is the answer to these things, but it isn't.  They have the same traction surface areas that they would have had without it.  So stopping doesn't change at all or gets less controllable (multi-point engine braking).  Yes, they can be more efficient at acceleration and plowing through deeper snow, but those features do not replace quality tires and safe driving technique.  I have always been amazed at the morons that think because they have AWD/4WD they can bust down a snow and ice covered highway at 75 MPH.  Sigh...  :dunno:

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2015, 09:32:00 AM »
Speaking of snow tires, I installed then on my car last night and broke a fucking stud loosening one of the lugs... Fackkkkk

KnuckleBuckett

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2015, 11:58:56 AM »
Speaking of snow tires, I installed then on my car last night and broke a fucking stud loosening one of the lugs... Fackkkkk

Noooo!   :(

hans

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2015, 05:14:46 PM »
Knuck, it's 80. ;)

So I just tried to put my winter wheels on tonight and on the last lug nut it stripped out terribly. So now I have to swap out a wheel stud. Yay. I think I should be able to do it in my garage without calling in my father or brother. Only downside is I don't have a good torque wrench (mine's busted). My dad is supposed to come over for Thanksgiving tomorrow so I'm hoping he can let me borrow his for a bit.
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Jake

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Re: Snow Tires
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2015, 11:54:54 PM »
there is a great article in this month Family Handyman about AWD a 4WD vehicles.
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