Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
01-11-2007, 08:04 PM
#11
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CO
Posts: 3,095
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
ORIGINAL: Barbarino
First lesson in owning a stang, never ever ever ever drive it in snow, rain, sleet, ice unless you know what the hell you are doing. Stick shift is safter imho than an auto in the snow, in a stick you can keep the tack really really low and bog around town. Tires won't save you, keep a full tank of gass in the car at all times, if all else fails put two concrete bags in the truck over the tires.
First lesson in owning a stang, never ever ever ever drive it in snow, rain, sleet, ice unless you know what the hell you are doing. Stick shift is safter imho than an auto in the snow, in a stick you can keep the tack really really low and bog around town. Tires won't save you, keep a full tank of gass in the car at all times, if all else fails put two concrete bags in the truck over the tires.
01-11-2007, 08:27 PM
#12
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 1,313
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
So you were going 60 mph on icy roads and you are hoping that studless snow tires are going to help?
First to answer your questions
1) Get a set of M50 Blizzaks with the same size as yout stock tire, a 235 tire is skinny enough, you don't need to go to a 215/60/17.
2) The Blizzaks are a soft compound tire so they can flex and stick to the ice and snow better, I think they are rated under 200 whereas your all seasons are 400. Some tire companies say put your winter tires on when the average temps are down below 40 degrees, thus you can put your all seasons on when the temp is constantly above that.
3) Keeping the winter tires on during the summer is only a good idea if you hate them and want to wear them done immediately, they will heat up and ge slippery and wear down in under 5-10K miles depending on driving habits. However, the caveat is that they make winter tires that are not that soft, like Michelin M2 winter sports that will last longer but won't give you the ultimate in ice and snow grip.
Now, um . . . back to you driving 60 mph on ice, studdless snow tires won't help you at those speeds. Snow tires help you out at slow speeds to get going and stop. It doesn't matter how much marginally better traction real snow tires gives you over your all seasons, on a sheet of ice no particular tire would have stopped you from sliding. Now better driving technique might help but probably not to the point of completely avoiding hitting ice at 60 mph.
Trust me, I use to run a pair of blizzaks on my AWD audi and they were great for getting moving and stopping on ice but that's it!
First to answer your questions
1) Get a set of M50 Blizzaks with the same size as yout stock tire, a 235 tire is skinny enough, you don't need to go to a 215/60/17.
2) The Blizzaks are a soft compound tire so they can flex and stick to the ice and snow better, I think they are rated under 200 whereas your all seasons are 400. Some tire companies say put your winter tires on when the average temps are down below 40 degrees, thus you can put your all seasons on when the temp is constantly above that.
3) Keeping the winter tires on during the summer is only a good idea if you hate them and want to wear them done immediately, they will heat up and ge slippery and wear down in under 5-10K miles depending on driving habits. However, the caveat is that they make winter tires that are not that soft, like Michelin M2 winter sports that will last longer but won't give you the ultimate in ice and snow grip.
Now, um . . . back to you driving 60 mph on ice, studdless snow tires won't help you at those speeds. Snow tires help you out at slow speeds to get going and stop. It doesn't matter how much marginally better traction real snow tires gives you over your all seasons, on a sheet of ice no particular tire would have stopped you from sliding. Now better driving technique might help but probably not to the point of completely avoiding hitting ice at 60 mph.
Trust me, I use to run a pair of blizzaks on my AWD audi and they were great for getting moving and stopping on ice but that's it!
01-11-2007, 09:33 PM
#16
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: S.burbs Chicago
Posts: 4,793
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
Volcanic sand in the tires rubber compound helps ALOT. I know Dunlop and Goodyear use it, I think the Blizzaks may even also.
I run the Goodyear Eagle ultra Grip GW3's in the winter. Last year they were awesom, this year it hasnt snowed yet!
I run the Goodyear Eagle ultra Grip GW3's in the winter. Last year they were awesom, this year it hasnt snowed yet!
01-11-2007, 09:37 PM
#17
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 146
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
I too am seriously contemplating snow tires and have been searching this site over and over because I have a bunch of questions.
1) First, and most importantly,I only need to do the two rear tires, right? I've been scanning some websites and they're all recommending 4 snow tires -does that depend which brand/type you buy?
2) I'm having a hard time finding any in my size. My car came with 18" polished aluminum rims and 235/50/ZR18 BF Goodrich tires, so should I downsize and get steel rims? - I kinda hate that thought of how that will look, or just go with what they have around my size (more money & harder to find)and switch them on and off the rims each season?
3) I'm finding very few tiresin my size - everything is special order. So far I've found Michelin X-Ice at $197.99 a piece, Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3s at $308.99 each. Also I found Blizzak LM-25 BL XL95s but only in size 235/40/R18 at the place I checked. If I go with the smaller depth, would that interfere with any of my cars functions i.e., the TPMS or the speedometer? Anyone have any thoughts on which may be better or if there's another brand or type I should be looking for (studded tires are illegal in my state)?
4) Lastly, I haven't had to drive in snow yet, luckily, but do you think I could get by withoutsnow tiresand driving really slow, using my gears, hand break if needed? I have a stick which I'm hearing is good, but I also have 3.55 ratio limited slip axle, which I've heard is not good. I live in the Northeast and when it snows everyone really takes it easy and drives slow.
Thanks sooo much in advance for your thoughts on any of these questions.
1) First, and most importantly,I only need to do the two rear tires, right? I've been scanning some websites and they're all recommending 4 snow tires -does that depend which brand/type you buy?
2) I'm having a hard time finding any in my size. My car came with 18" polished aluminum rims and 235/50/ZR18 BF Goodrich tires, so should I downsize and get steel rims? - I kinda hate that thought of how that will look, or just go with what they have around my size (more money & harder to find)and switch them on and off the rims each season?
3) I'm finding very few tiresin my size - everything is special order. So far I've found Michelin X-Ice at $197.99 a piece, Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3s at $308.99 each. Also I found Blizzak LM-25 BL XL95s but only in size 235/40/R18 at the place I checked. If I go with the smaller depth, would that interfere with any of my cars functions i.e., the TPMS or the speedometer? Anyone have any thoughts on which may be better or if there's another brand or type I should be looking for (studded tires are illegal in my state)?
4) Lastly, I haven't had to drive in snow yet, luckily, but do you think I could get by withoutsnow tiresand driving really slow, using my gears, hand break if needed? I have a stick which I'm hearing is good, but I also have 3.55 ratio limited slip axle, which I've heard is not good. I live in the Northeast and when it snows everyone really takes it easy and drives slow.
Thanks sooo much in advance for your thoughts on any of these questions.
01-11-2007, 10:00 PM
#18
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 267
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
I've got the base v6 tires (215 wide) and I recently got to test how badly I thought they would do and to my suprise the car did a lot better than I thought. I was driving on I40 through New Mexico when a snow storm blew in pretty quickly and soon enough I didn't want to risk going off an off ramp as there were a few inches of snow on the ground. After folliwing some trucks and only a few slips, I finally made it through the storm and was pleasantly suprised at how the car handlded.
The paint on my front bumper, however, did not fair very well after following the trucks.
The paint on my front bumper, however, did not fair very well after following the trucks.
01-11-2007, 10:08 PM
#19
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: S.burbs Chicago
Posts: 4,793
RE: Okay I learned my lesson, I understand I need snow tires now.
Ive said this plenty of times.
Get a set of 17" takeoffs.
Makes the price of tires cheaper
Availabilty more
Changeovers pretty much free, and no damaging wheels from dismounting twice a year
and a narrower tire = better snow traction.
4 tires is a must. Some places wont sell you 2.
Get a set of 17" takeoffs.
Makes the price of tires cheaper
Availabilty more
Changeovers pretty much free, and no damaging wheels from dismounting twice a year
and a narrower tire = better snow traction.
4 tires is a must. Some places wont sell you 2.
