newbie winter tires question

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

seeing that we'll be gettin some crazy winter this season, wondering what the deal is with having just 2 winter tires in the front for my FWD?.. i've seen cars have it set up like that but i'm not sure if that's something acceptable or not at all.. i figure it's ok since it's FWD but u guys are knowledgeable so i ask here 

tia
mark

[Richard Steger]

Bad idea.  Picture this... you get on some slimy lower mainland slush or barely freezing snow, you're leaving the freeway slowing down on the cloverleaf off ramp, your winter fronts are gripping just fine but... your rear summers are losing grip and the cornering force as low as it may be starts swinging your rear around.  The only way to counter this in a fwd is to apply throttle but you want to slow down for the decreasing radius off ramp... get the picture    Even if the wear isn't identical, at least get all four the same type of tire, preferrably brand too.  I'd rather have 4 all seasons than 2 winters and 2 summers because that traction differential will give you fits.  My $.02 worth.

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

well i have 4 all seasons so it would be 2 winters and 2 all seasons... if that makes any diff..?

[Mike Hewitt]

As far as I know, it is illegal for a shop to put 2 winter only on the front of a FWD vehicle for the exact reason Richard stated. What you do on your own for now can't be stopped.

I would much rather just suck it up and get 4 winter tires. Or you can go for the "4 Season" tires. They are winter rated so if the law of HAVING to have winter tires ever comes in you're safe. They are supposed to wear great in the summer,but still be soft enough for winter. I put a set of the Hankook Optimo 4S tires on last year, and have no complaints about them!

[CamWeiss]

All-seasons are no-seasons.
They do poorly at everything. Especially snow.

This especially applies if you have 'performance' all seasons. For the past couple winters (I realise that this past one wasn't bad at all) I've been on a set of Falken Ziex 912's. More of a dry performance all season, and in a wider than stock size as well. They were horrific in the snow.

I typically use summer tires for most of the summer and for autocross, the all seasons for the rest of the year. I recently, however, picked up a used set of Nokian WR's that I'll likely leave on from mid November until March. Then back to all seasons for the spring, and summers for their intended purpose.

Granted, few people want or need three sets of wheels and tires kicking around but I would recommend going out and buying four snow tires if you're going to buy any, and using all seasons for the spring/summer/fall. In addition, get them as narrow as possible. OEM sizing would be appropriate, or even narrower. It looks silly, but works. Having the same weight on a smaller footprint will give better performance on snow and ice.

[John Hartman]

+1 on Cams post, and for the most part, the others as well.

If you are really really broke and absolutely have to drive, and you have 2 good snowies, well,put em on, but know that your braking will be effected, and if you get loose going around a corner(hit the brakes mid corner, take the corner too fast, have to correct your line mid corner etc) you will spin out and probably hit something.

Look online for used snowies and just inspect them well before buying.  I have a set of great snowies on the Galant.  They will go anywhere, they are lasting really well, and they fit perfect.  I have had them for 2 years, and will get at least 2 more years out of them.  They cost me $100 for all 4.

I mounted them on the stock wheels and now, I can put them on and take them off whenever I need to, and not have to mount and balance each time.

[Graeme H Burvill]

Just to reiterate what has been said, my automotive instructor doesn't understand why all seasons even exist, as they perform poorly under most circumstances. He also stated that putting only two winter tires on is a big nono for the same reasons that have been stated. If you absolutely have to than yes you can put on whatever tires you like, however you will be at great risk.

[Kyle Kemp]

PM'd about oem 16" wheels with brand new winter rubber

[Ryan Singh]

I must say, I beg to differ regarding Cam's post.

I've used all seasons on mine since 2001 and I've never got stuck in the snow, never had a problem climbing a hill in the snow. I'm sure that awd has something to do with it...but I'm just saying.

[John Hartman]

Ryan, try a season on winter tires.  Its a HUGE difference.

In my whole life, I never had snow tires because I could never afford them.  Even at home, my family never had them either and I grew up in the interior(Clearwater) and in northern Alberta.

So a couple of years ago, I got actual snow tires.  HOLY CRAP, is all I can say.  The difference is night and day for sure.  They make a 2wd car drivable and an all wheel drive car invincable(nearly)

its like other special purpose tires.  You could run an autox season on good all season tires too,but you would be giving up seconds per lap to the correctly shod cars, even if everything else was set up well and you were a national champion caliber driver.

[kevin derhouson]

picked up some 17" dunlop winter sport m2 for my oem rims, bring on the snow

[Ryan Singh]

Hey John, I did go a whole winter on Pirelli Winter 210's. I'm not saying that winter tires are bad at all...I'm just saying that all season ones are good enough for the week or two of snow that we actually do get here.

One thing I'd like to stress tho...is the compound the tire is made of makes a huge difference as well. The one's I have now are probably the worst in the winter that I've ever had; and I've been through about 7 brand new sets of premium brand ones over the past 10 years or so(that includes summer/winter/all-season). They're made of a super hard compound and the tread pattern tends to want to follow the grooves on repaired roads.

The softer ones I've had like Falken Zeix and Toyo Proxies were great in the snow! My only complaint with the Falkens were that they wore out too fast. But the Proxies? I'd get those again in a heartbeat.

[Richard Steger]

I ran a Prince George winter on my Laser awd with Toyo Proxes 4 tires and they performed satisfactory, especially for a high performance all season.  Wouldn't want to do it without awd though.  The braking and cornering wasn't as sticky and confidence inspiring as my Nokian Hakkapallita RSI's on my Mazda are .  But for a greater Vancouver winter, you could get by with awd and all seasons though.  It's all about compromise, price, performance, safety, room to store extra wheels/tires...

[John Hartman]

its funny that people mention the Toyo Proxes 4 and snow tires on an awd car, because thats what I have    My Galant is awd, and its summer tires are Proxes 4 on Compomotives, and it has a seperate set of snow tires(just cheapies) on the stock alloys, for easy swaps.

It definately is driveable in light to moderate snow with the Proxes 4 tires.  But in anything more than that its sketchy.  And braking/handling are greatly reduced in snow.  Whereas with the snow tires the handling and braking are much closer to wet pavement.

Also for heavy snow and piles of it, the snow tires easily handle it.  A couple of years ago, the city plowed my driveway in.  And I am talking a 2-3 foot snowbank.  And not just soft snow either, the street snow, consisting of chunks of ice, slush etc.  I didn't have time to plow that out of my way on the way to work, so I gambled and gave-er!  I drove right thru that pile and out onto the street in one go!!  No forward and back, no rocking, no stopping even, I just drove thru it.  And on the way home, it had snowed more and the city reinforced thier wall again!  I figured wth, I made it this morning, lets try again.  Same result.  I just drove into my driveway, no issues.

[Graeme H Burvill]

Im in prince george on used nexans that I left on all summer, they have shifted belts in at least one tyre, and its rear wheel drive.

i will say this, a good set of tyres will only get you so far, learning how to drive on ice is the best way to ensure your safety.