Snow/Ice winter tires

708 messages, Last post on Nov 10, 2009 at 12:57 PM

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#272 of 708 snow tire advice by rexthrasher Aug 29, 2003 (6:07 am)
Get seperate rims for your snows. You need four snows, their relatively softer rubber compound and more flexible sidewalls have much more "squirm" than summer tires and mixing types will cause uneven dry road handling. At $15 each tire for remounting and balancing twice a year you pay for the rims in savings and convenience, plus you can keep track of each tires orientation for rotating them and they don't get damaged by all that stretching. Dunlop makes great snows at a good price. Dunlops in general are my favorite. Their old graspics really pulled in snow and handled nice at high speeds but their new "multicell" rubber or whatever the snow/ice tires are called compund may be squirmier. You probably wouldn't notice the squirm in a Camry's soft suspension but if you have a sporty car w/ gas shocks and bigger stabilizer bars go for the highest available speed rating, it's the stiffer sidewall you need. The original Blizzaks were much too squirmy, they offer more choices now. Michelin artic alpins are good, and they look sharp on big cars, they have a flat square edged shape like a slick. Dunlop and Pirelli make H-speed snows for BMW's. If you want to go best in deep snow get a narrower tread witdth, one step down from your summer tire size like a 185 instead of a 195. Generally, the smallest rim diameter that will clear your brake calipers and highest sidewall profile provides better snow handling, forget those 17 rims you see on Civics.
#273 of 708 reply rexthrasher by pluto5 Aug 29, 2003 (11:18 am)
Don't forget Kumho, they got one of the best ratings in CR for winter tires and their quality is equal to the majors. As far as putting them on rims, they are rather heavy and it may be more convenient for some people to store them unmounted. Wal-Mart and Costco both mount carry in tires, and Wal-Mart offers inexpensive mounting and lifetime balancing on carry-in tires.
#274 of 708 snow tire advice... by geoffdgti Sep 27, 2003 (6:24 am)
rexthrasher writes: Generally, the smallest rim diameter that will clear your brake calipers and highest sidewall profile provides better snow handling, forget those 17 rims you see on Civics. Not really. The reason you run small rims in the winter is to limit your exposure to rim damage from pot holes and curbs. It's difficult to engineer a high traction winter tire that also handles well. To get traction in cold weather, you need to use a very soft rubber compound. To get good handling, you need a stiff sidewall. Hard to get both in the same tire. I'm perfectly happy to drive around all winter with tires that feel like I have four gum erasers.
#275 of 708 rubber compounds by hpulley4 Sep 27, 2003 (9:34 am)
Why do the sidewalls need to be of the same compound as the tread? Sidewall stiffness and tread softness are quite separate IMO. There are other reasons why the best snow tires handle poorly, tread squirm with the deep tread blocks and sipes for instance. I use runflat winter tires and the tread compound is soft but the sidewalls will support the weight of the vehicle. You don't need to sacrifice handling for grip.
#276 of 708 by steve_ HOST Sep 29, 2003 (11:50 am)
Good tire article posted elsewhere today: jimsxn "I don't like SUVs, why do you?" Sep 28, 2003 10:57pm Steve, Host
#277 of 708 Snows for Volvo XC-90 by londonfin Oct 29, 2003 (5:41 pm)
Hi- I'm looking for good snows for my 2004 XC-90 with 18" wheels. Any thoughts or recommendations? Thanks, Jack
#278 of 708 lindonfin by JBaumgart Oct 29, 2003 (6:33 pm)
I would look into the Nokian "Hakkapeliitta SUV" tire - looks like it comes in your size: 235/60-18. I am not sure what they cost but I do know that just about everyone who springs for the newer Nokian's say they are excellent.
#279 of 708 Lindonfin by sequoiasoon Oct 30, 2003 (6:12 am)
Second on the Nokians. Check Nokiantires.com or e-tires. STS tire now carries them also. The Hak SUV's are AWESOME, if you want studded check also the hak 2 (don't know where you live, only recommend for a lot of hard packed snow or ice). Best price I found was from Rouse Tire in VT. 802-388-4053
#280 of 708 Thanks for the help by londonfin Oct 30, 2003 (6:54 pm)
Thanks. I'll check out the Nokians. The only other one I could find was the Dunlop Grandtrek WT M2's. Do you know anything about them? -Jack
#281 of 708 londonfin by sequoiasoon Oct 30, 2003 (7:28 pm)
Sorry no experience with that model, I had tried the Dunlop Graspic which wasn't bad. I've tried many different snows over the years and am hooked on the Nokians now. Good advertising maybe, but what sold me was the fact that at the shop I bought them at originally every employee had them on their cars for winter. 20+ guy's worked there, they stocked and sold snows from Bridgestone, Dunlop, Michelin, Firestone, Gislaved, Nokian, Cooper, Pirelli, Hankook and a couple others (it was a 10 bay shop that did nothing but tires!) These guys had their choice of tires to review and use and all chose Nokian models, some studded, some not. To me that said a lot about the quality/performance. You can also check nokian.com as well as nokiantires.com. The nokian.com is the international site that also shows where and how they test tires (arctic circle, frozen lakes etc) and company history etc.