Real snow tires versus all-season

[Boondox]

Hazmat's right. I can't think of a single tire shop in my area that will mix snows and regulars on the same vehicle.

Pete

 

[Egon]

Trev:
Remember asking about some different tires for your tractor. One of the fellow posters has a picture of what you were looking for.

Egon

 

[Rowski]

Bob

What is the tire size you are looking for? Nokian Tyre (from Finland) make a really nice tire that is "all-season" but performs very well in snow (asymetric->diretional tread) they claim they will go 50K before tread wear out. Asymetric tires give you the best traction more so during braking and streering. The advice given about using 4 snows and mounting on rims is the way to go. Saves you a ton of money in the long run.

Let me know what tire size you have. I'll see if Nokian makes something for your car.

Link Nokian Tyre

 

[rationalizer]

The best approach is always to use snow tires on all corners. This results in braking and cornering capability being matched at both ends of the vehicle.

With a RWD vehicle it is possible to just use snows on the rear. The benefit of this is cost (obviously) and it will result in a vehicle that is stable in braking and that will understeer in a corner (plow at the front end vs. losing the rear axle first) This is what our parents did back before everybody bought FWD cars.

With a FWD car you start by putting snows on the front for traction etc. However - this means that your rear axle has less grip than your front axle. Brake in a corner and the rear tires will lock/lose grip first and you'll lose the rear end. Not good. The phenomenon is similar to what happens when you "ground loop" a "taildragger" airplane.

Bill.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Trev,
I used to run a rough tread on my rear wheel drive,it was not an all season but the older style rough treads,I would put a couple hundred pounds in the trunk,which would put extra weight on the rear end,it helped me immensely.

 

[Trev]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bob

What is the tire size you are looking for?)</font>

The tires are 225/60-15. I think that's a pretty common size, isn't it? Thanks!

TireRack recommended Bridgestone Turanza LS-H, but the dealer said I should really go with genuine snow tires. Hmm...

 

[Trev]

Egon,

Thanks for the pic! To bad, though, I was hoping to patent the idea... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Trev]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Trev,
I used to run a rough tread on my rear wheel drive,it was not an all season but the older style rough treads,I would put a couple hundred pounds in the trunk,which would put extra weight on the rear end,it helped me immensely. )</font>

Yeah, I remember when everyone ran snows on just the rear.. but I think this was before radials became popular?

BTW, a guy I used to know would buy old cop cars, and he claimed they ran a certain type of snow tire all year round. I don't know if he was right or not? Any State Police battle cruiser drivers here? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Rowski]

They make your size in this model. This tire can handle a trip to Florida.

This the agressive tire Nokian Hakkapaliita 1

I use this one on my plow truck 8 ply tire with studds <font color="red"> Awsome!!!!!!!! </font>

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( when everyone ran snows on just the rear.. but I think this was before radials became popular? )</font>

We don't have "snow" tires in my part of the country, but some folks do run "mud grip" tires. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif When I was sent to Northwestern University for the '71-'72 school year, someone told me I would need snow tires. At that time, my wife was driving a '68 Plymouth Roadrunner (bias ply tires) and it was about time for a new set of tires anyway, so I bought a new set of Mohawk tires in Dallas; regular tires on the front and mud/snow tires on the rear. And they were still on the car when I sold it two years later.

The last time I went to Alaska (in March '91), I put a complete set of BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires on my one ton dually pickup before I left Dallas; partially because I like those tires and partially because my brothers in Anchorage were BF Goodrich dealers. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif