Making 92 more snow ready?
- Thread starter slambson
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
It rains some here in the winter and the Yokohama Geolander IT ice radials worked fine. I noticed no difference. My wife says her Blizzaks work fine as well.
Cheers,
Sean
Cheers,
Sean
After a bonus check a few years ago, I purchased a set of Michelin Artic Alpine tires for my Passat Wagon. Holy sheit - we get 40+ days on the mountain sking in the winter, and these tires were awesome. I've been an advocate for dedicated winter tires ever since.
Now that the Passat died a traumatic death due to piston/valve interference (slipped timing belt tensioner - not covered under warrenty - no I'm not bitter, please feel free to pass this along to everyone you know...) we're a cruiser only family.
If you drive in "winter" conditions, get winter tires. Other than paying for the extra set of wheels, it really doesn't cost that much more. I live in Seattle, and my experience is only with the Michelin Artic Alpins...they are awesome in snow/ice of course, but also in rain (which we have once in awhile...).
One of the reasons that snow/ice tires work so well is a softer rubber compound. This means that you've got to run them only during the seasons when you'll need them. They stick like crazy to dry pavement - In my experience this means less miles per tire, but you get better traction for the fewer miles.
Estimating roughly, here's how the math works out:
A/T tire - 40,000 miles @ $150/tireX4 tires = 1.5 cents per mile.
Winter tire - 20,000 miles @ $150/tirex4 tires = 3 cents per mile.
If you drive 20,000 mile per year (higher than average) then using winter tires for 1/3 of the season costs and extra $100 per year. How much is the safety of your family worth?
Case closed!
Now that the Passat died a traumatic death due to piston/valve interference (slipped timing belt tensioner - not covered under warrenty - no I'm not bitter, please feel free to pass this along to everyone you know...) we're a cruiser only family.
If you drive in "winter" conditions, get winter tires. Other than paying for the extra set of wheels, it really doesn't cost that much more. I live in Seattle, and my experience is only with the Michelin Artic Alpins...they are awesome in snow/ice of course, but also in rain (which we have once in awhile...).
One of the reasons that snow/ice tires work so well is a softer rubber compound. This means that you've got to run them only during the seasons when you'll need them. They stick like crazy to dry pavement - In my experience this means less miles per tire, but you get better traction for the fewer miles.
Estimating roughly, here's how the math works out:
A/T tire - 40,000 miles @ $150/tireX4 tires = 1.5 cents per mile.
Winter tire - 20,000 miles @ $150/tirex4 tires = 3 cents per mile.
If you drive 20,000 mile per year (higher than average) then using winter tires for 1/3 of the season costs and extra $100 per year. How much is the safety of your family worth?
Case closed!
Yep, that's how I feel about it as well. And actually they don't really wear that much faster if you're adept at only putting them on when winter actually sets in. With separate wheels, I just toss them on when it finally snows around town, or if I'm taking off through snow country. When it's cold they wear more in the range of normal. I suspect a lot of people have a shop put them on and take them off, so they install them when there is still a lot of high wear warm temps and reluctantly take them off as well.
My analysis also included the much higher probability of a fender bender due to being unable to get out of someone else's way, or an ice patch on my part. One fender bender from not having dedicated snows costs WAY more than the incremental cost of the tires and cheap steel rims when you add increased insurance premiums and the deductible together.
I have the basic Alpins on the Subaru, but feel the Pilot model is a better tread by far due to its better evacuation capability for slush. My version, while astonishing on glare ice, shows a weakness in deep slush and that mashed potato snow that's been thrashed by a lot of traffic before the plows get it. Pilot not available in my rim size, though. The 4X4 Alpin on the Cruiser is excellent, however. Wearing quite well so far after two winters. I'd guess I'll get another 3 winters out of them at this rate before I leave them on for a summer to wear them out.
DougM
My analysis also included the much higher probability of a fender bender due to being unable to get out of someone else's way, or an ice patch on my part. One fender bender from not having dedicated snows costs WAY more than the incremental cost of the tires and cheap steel rims when you add increased insurance premiums and the deductible together.
I have the basic Alpins on the Subaru, but feel the Pilot model is a better tread by far due to its better evacuation capability for slush. My version, while astonishing on glare ice, shows a weakness in deep slush and that mashed potato snow that's been thrashed by a lot of traffic before the plows get it. Pilot not available in my rim size, though. The 4X4 Alpin on the Cruiser is excellent, however. Wearing quite well so far after two winters. I'd guess I'll get another 3 winters out of them at this rate before I leave them on for a summer to wear them out.
DougM
Maybe I just have a heavy foot! These are new Blizzaks from last year (2nd set) and winter tires are the only ones I have ever skidded with (excluding snow and ice). I can't find similar stats for the Blizzaks, but here is the rating for the Mich Arctic Alpin 5/10 on wet traction and 10/10 on snow http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/tires/MichelinArcticAlpin.html?tiretype=1&tire=4 YMMV!
Doug - what rims are you using for the winter tires on the truck?
Cheers, Hugh
Doug - what rims are you using for the winter tires on the truck?
Cheers, Hugh
Wow, that's a pretty low rating. Do they have a rating for the SUV version as well? I'd be curious as the basic Alpins would not be a repurchase item for me, but the SUV model would.
I'm using Toyota Sequoia steel rims. They're common around here at tire shops as so many remove them for aftermarket rims. I think they sold them to me for $80 or so and they were virtually new. The track is narrower by an inch or so with these on. I've noted no instability in terms of following ruts in the road, or other handling changes. I think they're a 7" rim vs the 80 alloy 8" rims.
I'm using Toyota Sequoia steel rims. They're common around here at tire shops as so many remove them for aftermarket rims. I think they sold them to me for $80 or so and they were virtually new. The track is narrower by an inch or so with these on. I've noted no instability in terms of following ruts in the road, or other handling changes. I think they're a 7" rim vs the 80 alloy 8" rims.
Doug,
You should slap leather for a set of OEM steelies......42601-60361. EXACTLY the same offset and width. In addition they do not look STOOPID on an 80 like the skinny positive offset wheels do....
Funny, but I prefer the "look" of the steel wheels to the alloys. I do not know exactly why. It may be because they are rare or perhaps because of the "dish" They look wider than the alloys even though they are not.
You should slap leather for a set of OEM steelies......42601-60361. EXACTLY the same offset and width. In addition they do not look STOOPID on an 80 like the skinny positive offset wheels do....
Funny, but I prefer the "look" of the steel wheels to the alloys. I do not know exactly why. It may be because they are rare or perhaps because of the "dish" They look wider than the alloys even though they are not.
cruiserdan said:
I remember seeing a pic of Dan's steelies and thought I'd want to paint mine black
The pics don't do them justice, I too like the look of my steels over the alloy. Right now I'm back running the LTX and alloys for some highway summer vacation driving (no wheeling) but looking forward to putting the MTRs and steels on and do some fun wheeling.
Riley - also interested in yours (steel) - did you get them from CDan or a CDN dealer?
