Snow Tires?

[Chris]

I need to get new tires for :princess: Accord, any suggestions?

We've always run "all season" tires but her Accord handles like crap in the snow. Since the tires are bald now anything will be better but I'm curious how many people have dedicated summer & winter tires.

TIA!

[A-TRAC]

I've never had snow tires, but my sister had a pair of Bridgestone Blizzaks with steelies for her Camry. She used them on the front since the Camry is a front wheel drive vehicle and they worked pretty good in the snow.

[Metalhed]

I've never had snow tires, but my sister had a pair of Bridgestone Blizzaks with steelies for her Camry. She used them on the front since the Camry is a front wheel drive vehicle and they worked pretty good in the snow.


Studded Firestone Winterforce
got 4 for sale

[RockyMtnHigh]

If I could afford dedicated winter/summer tires I would do it, studded winter and my BFGs in the summer. (afford equates to me spending $$$ on other stuff and not thinking that far ahead)

[BlackRubi]

I'm not sure which tires they are, but you can get some with removable studs. That way, during the summer, if you're willing to deal with whatever tire wear takes place with your summer driving, you won't have to buy new tires that are dedicated solely for a season. I'm looking for some for Ashley's Infiniti, too.

[DKDunn04]

I had blizzaks on my car and loved them. Went out Berthod Pass during a snowstorm, no problem.

[Patrolman]

We have dedicated studded tires for each vehicle that sees snow. Basically, everything but the Miata's. I like the Hankooks personally. That is the brand we have used most.

BTW, if you go to get a "pair" they will insist that they be mounted on the back. Some stupid idiotic reason that the car will spin 180 if you put them on the front. I always put them on the front of a FWD. Wouldn't you rather have the studs on the tires that control your steering and direction?!?

[gm4x4lover]

I've never had snow tires, but my sister had a pair of Bridgestone Blizzaks with steelies for her Camry. She used them on the front since the Camry is a front wheel drive vehicle and they worked pretty good in the snow.

Look at toyo observe's. They are the best traction longest lasting snow tires i have sold. They use ground up bits of walnut shells for extra traction.

http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/observe-g-02-plus

Also look to the Dunlap graspics, the blizzaks (all though they are the fastest wearing snows on the market), Michelin X-ice 2, and there is a new one by Nitto (made by Toyo) which i also really like. I think it is called the NTSN2.


Studded Firestone Winterforce
got 4 for sale

:thunb: All so a great choice. Any studded winter tire works great. All brands are about the same.


I'm not sure which tires they are, but you can get some with removable studs. That way, during the summer, if you're willing to deal with whatever tire wear takes place with your summer driving, you won't have to buy new tires that are dedicated solely for a season. I'm looking for some for Ashley's Infiniti, too.

Not to my knowledge, if you have seen the method to put the studs in the tire you would understand why this is impossible.

It is dangerous to run only 2 front snow tires. Putting 2 snows on the rear is exceptable expect on a front wheel drive car it makes not sense. On a FWD car the rear of the car only follows the front. The rear of the car also carries the momentum of the car. A FWD car that only has snow tires on the front will stop and start great but wont corner well. When the car goes into a corner the rear tires follow. But when the car comes out of the corner the rear will carry the momentum of the corner. On a normal surface its not a very big deal. The rear will track slightly out side the path of the front tires. But on a wet or icy road it will carry the ass end of the car around. Another problem associated with running snows on the front and A/S tires on the rear is the difference in the way the 2 sets of tires will perceive the road. Fwd cars are all ready at a disadvantage in the handling department as they under steer. When you put a very soft snow tire on the front and maintain the all seasons on the rear what do you think that does to the handling? Also on most modern cars they have speed rated tires of 130 mph or higher. What do you think snow tires are rated at? When you purchase regular all season tires you cannot mix speed ratings as it makes that car handle unsafe. So what happens when you put on a pair of lower speed rated super soft snow tires?

[Chris]

Interesting stuff there Nick. We're going to keep this car for only another year and a half so 2 sets doesn't make sense. Any all season that's decent in the snow?

[gm4x4lover]

How many miles in that year and a half?

[Chris]

Good question, I'd say 18K - 24K. Probably mostly highway, we have a cross-country road trip or two in that time.

[Patrolman]

It is dangerous to run only 2 front snow tires. Putting 2 snows on the rear is exceptable expect on a front wheel drive car it makes not sense.

I have always run a pair of studs on the front of my FWD cars. I don't drive like a complete idiot though either. On my RWD cars I either ran all 4 or just parked it. My 4wd and AWD's obviously get 4.


Almost forgot to mention that we don't own any cars that get "speed rated" tires. Nothing new/fancy enough. Even if they were, none of them are fast enough. 22re does not = speed. ;)

[gragravar]

I run snows in the winter on all our cars. on the audi and the bmw we run dunlop wintersport M3's they provide great traction in the snow and really good handling in the dry too. I have also run Hankook Icebears on the audi too. they were 85% as good as the M3's for 50% of the price. so if price is a bigger concern than handling, go with those.

on the disco I have a set of studded Nokian Hakkapelita's, all I can say is WOW. they are amazing in the snow the disco with those can pretty well go anywhere and stop anywhere in the snow. in the dry - well, thats not the strong point when going with a studded snow tire. You can get those non-studded too and they would likely be better in the dry.

[Haku]

I've heard good things about the Nokian studless snows, but they are pretty spendy. Gotta love a winter tire designed in Scandinavia, pretty notoriously long and cold winters there.

I've ran two sets of Blizzaks LM25 (the more high performance but not quite as grippy version) on my Subaru and have nothing but good things to say about them. The run great on normal dry roads (handle better then the stock tires that came with my car actually) and are super stable and reliable on snow and ice. For the Front Range, I'd say either a more aggresive all weather, or something studless is better, since we only get a few decent storms a year here. In the mountains, I'd probably find something studded though. Hankook seems to make good "bad weather" tires for very decent prices, so I would definitely look at their all weather line.

What size are you looking for anyways?

JH

[Chris]

I don't have any idea what size they are :doh:

We need something other than studded or those noisy Blizzacks. I don't mind paying for good tires but hate paying for something that will be annoyingly noisy. We really don't have much snow as a rule and we're used to driving in snow. I'd say we've been running on some pretty low tread for a while because I don't recall this car stopping poorly in past winters.

[Haku]

My Blizzaks aren't any noisier then other tires I have used. If anything they are quieter then the Max Performance summer tires I ran for a while. I also ran them all this summer, and they are holding up pretty well. Worth looking at, but not necessarily the right fit.

JH

[gm4x4lover]

The modern day studless snows are no different than all seasons on dry pavement. They handle, sound and feel very much the same.

Personally Chris i would run a set (4) basic studable snows all year round. They should be good for 35-40k and would have plenty of tread left when you sold the car. They also are less than a descent set of all seasons.

[Chris]

The modern day studless snows are no different than all seasons on dry pavement. They handle, sound and feel very much the same.

I guess I've been out of the loop on snow tires for a long time, that's good to know Nick. Any brand you favor?

[Haku]

Oh yeah, and at least as far as I know, Colorado is one of the few states where studded tires are legal to use year round. Definitely annoying as hell on paved roads, but cheaper then buying two sets of tires.

Here are the Hankook Tires I was talking about....

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tires/hankook/vehicle/viewProductDetail.do?v=007998|2003&pc=11244 (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tires/hankook/vehicle/viewProductDetail.do?v=007998%7C2003&pc=11244)

$300 for a set of tires that will do very well in the snow but still be driveable on the roads ain't bad at all. They sell the same tire with studs for $89 a tire I think.

JH

[gragravar]

I don't have any idea what size they are :doh:

We need something other than studded or those noisy Blizzacks. I don't mind paying for good tires but hate paying for something that will be annoyingly noisy. We really don't have much snow as a rule and we're used to driving in snow. I'd say we've been running on some pretty low tread for a while because I don't recall this car stopping poorly in past winters.

if you dont want too much noise, and are going to spend lots of time in the dry, I would look at the Nokian WR series instead. it is marketed as Nokians all season, but that said, it is actually a winter rated tire and apparently does very well in the snow.

if not that then my recommendation of the Dunlop M3's or Hankook Icebears still stands.

[Hypoid]

The rear of the car also carries the momentum of the car.
I learned that lesson with my first front wheel drive car, driving over Berthoud Pass, watching the road through the driver's side window.:eek:

Besides, if you put the worst tires up front, it's harder to out-drive the back tires. If you can't corner or stop, maybe you shouldn't be moving at all.

Our last FWD had A/S tires with a good directional tread and plenty of siping. It handled snow and ice well. If it did slide, it went straight. It was not a Honda.

[ShutUpHippie]

Oh yeah, and at least as far as I know, Colorado is one of the few states where studded tires are legal to use year round. Definitely annoying as hell on paved roads, but cheaper then buying two sets of tires.

In the short run anyway... hello taxes for road maintenance! :thunb:

[Pathrat]

I have the MT's for the summer and ATs in the winter, both Firestone Destination. I am still looking for THE set of great tires.

From Petersons Dec 2009 issue
"Bridgestone has introduced a tire to its line of Blizzack winter rubbers. The DM-V1 (which replaces the DM-Z3) is made with Bridgestone's Nano Pro-tech rubber compound..." etc

My MTs come with pre-drilled stud holes but I am not going to stud them. This is probably a stupid question but that hasn't stopped me before:

Can you stud your basic AT tire? I have that set because my MTs suck on ice and on packed/shallow snow, but I didn't want to go to a total highway tire for winter. Thoughts?
thanks

[gm4x4lover]

This is probably a stupid question but that hasn't stopped me before:

Can you stud your basic AT tire? I have that set because my MTs suck on ice and on packed/shallow snow, but I didn't want to go to a total highway tire for winter. Thoughts?
thanks


No tires have to be pinned (drilled) for studs. All though if you were good with a drill and new were to and how much to drill i suppose you could make it work.

[Funrover]

Nokians, Blizzacks (which you don't like the noise??) and Toyo are the top 3 IMO.

[Chris]

Thanks everyone, as usual plenty of good info. Maybe too much!