NewbZILLLA

Hello

So I've done some searching and some members say to get the best results of course you need 4 dedicated snow tires.

However, is anyone running just rear winters?

I Live up In the northeast, I don't really drive my 8 much in the winter, however i would like to know that if need be it could get the job done in a few inches of snow.

Money is pretty tight, so my choice is really only two rear winter tires on the original rims.

The question is,, Is it even worth it? Currently I'm on 4 kumho ecsta spt. Those are just terrible, even the little amount of sand/salt fills the tred pretty good.

So any of you guys doing this? I drive literally like 10x in the snow, and only a few inches at most. So is 2 Better than None? The difference needs to be more than marginal.

Thanks

invasion08

iTrader: (7)

IMO i would never just use 2 snow tires. Plus winter tires perform better when the temps are below 45, they are just not for snow.

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...jsp?techid=123

CRO8TIA

I fitted blizzaks to the rear only for cost cutting, first time out massive understeer ,next day had them on the front as well ,They make a heck of a difference.They are 235/50/18 and fill the guards out so it doesnt look like a fourby, now I can get the floor jack under the 8 without having to run it onto ramps first.

MilesJ

2 rear snows with 2 summer tires in the winter is worse than 4 summer tires. For one, 4 summer tires will grip the road evenly, as in, not at all. They will quickly show you that you should not be driving this car with these tires in these conditions what so ever. This is because summer tires (like the kumho spt's) are not intended to be used in any amount of snow or in temps below 45F and are thus not designed to be used in this manner.

However, it is true that pairing 2 front spt's with 2 snow out back would be a worse combo.

In cold weather with dry or wet or snow conditions the car will have terminal understeer, horrible braking, but it will accelerate to an unsafe speed very quickly due to the rear tires having a much greater ability to grip the road. This is totally unsafe.

In warm weather, (above 45F), with dry or wet conditions, the car will exhibit unpredictable oversteer not just under acceleration but also in braking and cornering due to the grip level of your front tires far exceeding your rear tires. Also very unsafe.

While you may not notice these tendencies in very cautious driving any emergency situation will certainly show these problems with ease.

NotAPreppie

If you only want to go strait, this is a good plan.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

I actually encourage you to do this. Stupidity always makes for great discussion on the internet.

If you honestly think it would be a good idea to put snow tires on the back only, then you go ahead and do it. I'm in the northeast too, so I'll keep a lookout for you. You'll be the guy driving into a tree that was in front of the turn you COULD have made had you ponied up for snows on all wheels.

Idiot.

Pico

iTrader: (2)

^ +1
Harsh but true.

Chad D.

iTrader: (19)

advise, buy some used ones from craigslist. 4 of them.

CRO8TIA

Man,some guys can be real ***'s, the guy was asking a legit question and you rip him a new one.This was my 1st time ever ,in 34 years of driving I have driven on snow or ice,and here ,drivers of FWD vehicles only fit winter tyres to the drive wheels,so I can see why newbZILLA "asked" the question if he wasn't familiar with winter conditions.Most of us were taught "if you don't know,ask" .I profusely apologize for not being as smart as Mugatu.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

so it never occurred to you that with a FWD car the drive wheels are also the steering wheels? logic would dictate that, hmm, since they drive wheels in a RWD car are in the back, my steering wheels still need some traction.

you will never be as smart as me.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Actually, 2 winters on the front and 2 summers on the rear for a FWD is worse than 2 summers on the front and 2 winters on the rear for a RWD.

Sure, with the FWD you gain braking traction, acceleration, turning, but you have absolutely -zero- control over the rear end, making what's on the front pointless.



That being said, I did a few weeks of 2 winter rear 2 summer front driving, some in the snow, when I was dealing with rim damage and my summer set was my only other option to have wheels under my 8. If you try to drive like you would normally without regard for how the dynamics changed, you will crash.

I 100% understood that I had no directional control over 25mph in the snow, I understood that I had no ability to stop using the front wheels, and I understood that I was going to have to go slower in the dry to guard against oversteer.

I got by 'fine' relying heavily on engine braking and the e-brake with large distances between me and the car ahead...like 1/8th of a mile +, never got above 25mph in the snow. In the dry, I stayed under 50 and made turns like I was in a dump truck.

If you must do it, then you have to recognize and understand the drastic change in vehicle dynamics.

I won't do it again.

NewbZILLLA

Oh wow,,, Mugatu I bet your a very enjoyable person to be around in life.. Does it make you feel good inside to try and put others down in the form of text on an online discussion board?

Can someone get anymore insecure?

To everyone else thanks for the responses.

Seeing as I am originally from Dubai and this is my 1st winter with snow, I am not very in tune with driving in it or really even seeing it...

nate340

why do you put winter tires on a car? for better traction.

don't you think its more important to stop and turn which is primarily done with the front wheels something like 70% of braking is done with the front wheels.

if you only have 2 winter tires put them on the front not back.

i had a friend that bought a mustang v6 used with snows on the rears only he wrote it off pretty quick flying tail end first into some trees.

tmak26b

It's never going to snow again dude, I just bought a snowblower.....

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

Yes. Have a great day.




















Let it snow.

Chad D.

iTrader: (19)

Get snow tires for sure, and do some practicing in a big parking lot. I brought my neighbor from Iraq to practice in the snow. Turning hard, braking, turning and giving gas..... He really appreciated the fact that he now knows the "physics" of the snow and he is absolutely a better driver now.
Please get familiar with winter driving before you have to do it with low visability, fogged up windows, iced up windows, blowing snow and no painted lines on the road for direction. You really want to concentrate on driving rather than concentrate on everything else, that's when accidents happen.

Mugatu, don't be a terd.

Vyndictive

iTrader: (28)

Rear = Drive Tires
Front = Steering Tires

You need both....

End of discussion.

Even in a front wheel drive car you need 4 snow tires to prevent the rear end from letting loose everytime you try to stop.


If you don't drive your 8 much in the winter, it sounds like you have another car. So just never drive your 8 in the winter and you'll be fine.

Don't cut corners... tires are as much a part of safety as brakes... you wouldn't drive only with rear brake pads, right?