The All-Season Tire Myth

[kach22i]

The CBC TV program "Marketplace" did a good segment this Sunday on winter snow tires. There are some good videos and informative articles on their website worth viewing.

I've never had snow tires on my cars, just too cheap I guess, but now that I understand the physical properties of the rubber used I'm certainly reconsidering.

I also think I know how one Pelican member recently lost control of his 964, just no grip with regular rubber compounds at about 5 degrees celsius. It's not the tread design, it's the rubber compound that makes winter tires work so much better, at least 30% better. In fact in Quebec you have to have winter tires on your car by law.

What to remember about winter tires
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/

“all season” tires stiffen up considerably at low temperatures

[Tobra]

Studded snows and all wheel drive baby, well maybe not the studs so much in the US.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Studded snows and all wheel drive baby, well maybe not the studs so much in the US.

The one place in the world which goes through more "freeze-thaw" cycles is Michigan, I think it's the effect of the Great lakes. We live in slush more than snow. Dry roads one day, a foot of snow the next, a week of slush and then rain to wash it all away, back to dray roads. All very confusing for both man and machine.

However now that I know it's temperature which is the most important factor, a few degrees above freezing - I know what I'm really dealing with now.

[red-beard]

I lived in New England and communted an hour to upstate NY each way. Snow tires make a huge difference in snow. They also suck on dry roads. I carried 2 snow tires in my trunk and a hydraulic jack. If it looked like snow, I'd take 10 minutes and change them on my front wheel drive Accord.

If you are dealing with serious snow conditions a lot, you take the good with the bad and run them 50% of the time. You buy a second set of wheels and change all 4.

I always hated the first snow of the year. Way too many accidents. People forgot how to drive in the snow, and they all had summer tires on.

There is a lot more to the tires than just the compound. Sipes are very very small channels which wick moisture and give you more grip on wet or icy roads. Tire built for snow purposely clog the tread with snow. This snow tread grips the snow. The worst driving conditions are wet ice (black ice) and slush.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Studded snows and all wheel drive baby, well maybe not the studs so much in the US.

That's my rough plan IF I decide to buy a wrangler...have two sets of tires/wheels. One set would be studded snow tires.

[motion]

I put new Bridgestone Blizzaks on my truck to get through my first Montana winter. They've done a great job. I drove it on mostly dry roads 3100 miles roundtrip to SoCal and back and besides a little noise, I honestly couldn't tell I was driving on snow tires. No big deal at all. I'm sure they wear a lot faster than all-seasons, so I wouldn't recommend keeping them on all year.

[CurtEgerer]

The technology has advanced rapidly over the past 5 years or so. There are winter tires and studless winter tires, which are more aggressive. Tire Rack did some tests claiming that the studless winters are actually better than the old style studded tires.

[turbocarrera]

You need two sets of tires - Hakkapeliittas for the winter and MPSC's for the summer and you're set.

[lendaddy]

I have both the Envoy and my Tundra on "Winterforce" snows. They make a HUGE difference and ride quiet and smooth.

They are very cheap too. I've also run Blizzaks and I can't justify them at the price difference now.

[tcar]

Blizzaks. My Turbo Quattro Coupe on Blizzaks was a thing of beauty... just fantastic in the mountains. Miss it every winter.

Summer too.

[imcarthur]

Our light winters over the last decade have convinced the great unwashed that all-seasons are enough. They aren't & never were.

My 3.0L A4 Quattro with snows is very stable & has been very useful this winter . . .

Ian

[hytem]

The rubber in "summer" tires has no traction below 40 F. That's why you need all-season tires, where the rubber retains its grip at lower temps and in lite snowy conditions. In the mid Altantic states, that's quite adequate, as long as you don't have to drive in an infrequent snowstorm. And you can easily drive on all-season tires year around.
The mid- or rear engine in a Boxster or 911 helps traction as well, compared to a front engine, rear drive car.

In farther north climates, you need snow tires in the winter. Like the Bridgestone Blizzards. So you need two sets of tires.

It's all about tires for traction. Avoid summer tires in the winter at temps below 40F.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by turbocarrera

You need two sets of tires - Hakkapeliittas for the winter and MPSC's for the summer and you're set.

I wanted those for my Accord, but I couldn't find the right fittment. I ended up with Blizzaks, which were great.

[CurtEgerer]

[red-beard]

[Dave L]

I put walmart branded snowtires on an e30 BMW one year. The difference even with those was astounding. Once you go to snowtires its tough to go back to no seasons.

[RWebb]

Look for a snowflake symbol on the tire - that means it is in the best class for snow/ice/winter.

The new electronic traction control systems are amazing in the snow & in mud also - best by far that I've ever seen.

MB had these starting in '99 and the Honda Pilots had them by '03 at least, so it does have to be a fairly new car to have this.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Look for a snowflake symbol on the tire - that means it is in the best class for snow/ice/winter.

Snowflake in a mountain.

[NICKG]

i use snows too...i can get pretty much anywher i need to in the winter

[djmcmath]

The running joke I've always heard about all season tires is that they're "equally bad in all seasons." Nice to see that the science supports what my parents have been telling me for years.

Dan