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What to expect in the snow?

itzed

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itzed Community Regular

itzed

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I was wondering what to expect from my Legacy in the snow this year? I just hydro-planed yesterday for the first time, and it got me to thinking. Obviously the AWD is great, but what about these Yokohama Advants? I'd hate to think that with the AWD the tires would ruin it.

 

Ed

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whitetiger Grand Master

whitetiger

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and how. I made everyone on my block angry since they all had to shovel their cars out while i was sliding around corners having loads of fun. I made this one guy just give up and throw his shovel street as he stormed back in to his house full of frustration. I had the biggest grin on my face.
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zmarko Veteran

zmarko

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In case this is your first AWD car, don't expect to be invincible in the snow or rain. A lot of people make this mistake. They don't know how to drive in inclement weather, and then they buy a car/SUV with AWD and they think that'll keep them safe. While it will keep them safer and give them more control than a car with 2wd, it's still very dangerous and you need to alter your driving style to your conditions. Meaning slow down, use light brake inputs, and don't make sudden movements.

 

Anyway, you can also have fun with an AWD car in the snow.....just gotta do it in the right place. ;)

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rjundi Proficient

rjundi

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You cannot correlate anything related to hydroplaning to a tires winter ability. I have had incredible winter tires in snow/ice that hydroplaned easier than summer tires I owned. Wait and see. Lastly also AWD does nothing to help hydroplaning, its a function of your tire being able disappate the water on a road surface which correlates directly to your vehicle speed and depth of water.
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matt Rising Star

matt

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I'd hate to think that with the AWD the tires would ruin it.

Yes, summer tires will ruin it. AWD won't help if none of the wheels has grip. And of course no matter how much or how little grip you have AWD only helps acceleration. Get snow-oriented all seasons (Nokian WR or similar) or performance winter tires (Dunlop 3D or similar) for snow traction. Also don't bother throwing the stock all seasons back on, they're worthless in the snow. Or at least they are with 17k+ miles on'em (what my car had when I bought it).

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SubLo Veteran

SubLo

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and how. I made everyone on my block angry since they all had to shovel their cars out while i was sliding around corners having loads of fun. I made this one guy just give up and throw his shovel street as he stormed back in to his house full of frustration. I had the biggest grin on my face.

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

I love this story! This is my experience every single winter with my '97 Chevy Suburban (yes I know, it's a guzzler). I've had it for years - when gas was $1.50. It's got push-button 4Wd, a locking rear diff and 285/60/18 Nitto Terra Grapplers. I park in the street (my LGT is garaged). I absolutely LOVE when the forecasters/weather-idiots predict and devote an entire day to "blizzards" (read: a few inches of snow that piss most people off).

 

The plows come and pile 2 or 3 feet of icey dirty crap on the side of my truck. The idiots left, right, behind, and in front of me spend an hour or two shoveling snow on my truck. I laugh! Well, I kind of feel bad for them because after shoveling out their spots and going grocery shopping, they come back and have no more spot!!! Buahaahha!!! Anyway, I bust out my remote starter from my comfy apartment, warm her up, do a minimal glass cleaning, absolutely NO SHOVELING, put her in 4wd, and drive away over mounds of snow with ZERO effort!!! Ahhh.... what a great feeling!!!! Also, tooling around in snow covered NYC streets, getting sideways around corners (no worries - lots of experience with this and nobody around), watching helpless fart-can strewn Civics spinning their wheels, is just oh so much joy!

 

I don't plan on taking out the LGT that often in that kind of weather but I'm also curious was to what it might be like. Granted, I'm not expecting the umph of the 'Burb, especially because of lack of ground clearence and my summer Spec.B tires, but I imagine I won't be getting stuck on snow covered streets (avoiding drifts).

 

:icon_mrgr

________________________________________________ [URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=1980"]'05 BSM OBXT Row-your-own, W.I.P. :rolleyes:[/URL] [URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=1242"]'06 Shrek B # 64 - The car the wife loved to hate :( Sold...[/URL]
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TSiWRX Grand Master

TSiWRX

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In case this is your first AWD car, don't expect to be invincible in the snow or rain. A lot of people make this mistake. They don't know how to drive in inclement weather, and then they buy a car/SUV with AWD and they think that'll keep them safe. While it will keep them safer and give them more control than a car with 2wd, it's still very dangerous and you need to alter your driving style to your conditions. Meaning slow down, use light brake inputs, and don't make sudden movements.

 

+1

 

best thing you can do is find a empty snow covered parking lot with no light poles and just play around, learn what your car/tires can and can't do in the the snow.

 

+1

 

--------

 

Your tires are a big determining factor, as well as proper inflation pressures for said tires.

 

And, of course, as cited above, keep in mind that yes, you'll have greater control and greater ability to not only stay "going," but also "get going," with the AWD, but you're still going to need to come to a stop at some point, and while good tires that are properly inflated will help in this respect, you should remember that it'll still take a bit longer to stop, and alter your driving practices to show extra care.

 

Finally, as brother Keefe likes to say, AWD is half RWD. She can, and will, come around to bite you in the ass if you're not careful! ;)

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Impulse Experienced

Impulse

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so for the winter/snow, is it recommended that i revert back to my stock RSB from my current 20mm whiteline? of course i will be running winter tires, probably the WRs cause where i live now averages ~100 inches a year. but its not too bad because its usually too cold for snow to melt and form ice most of the time.

yay for lake effect

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RockyMtnGT Proficient

RockyMtnGT

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Throw some snows on it and you will pretty much blast through anything...

 

Here is my buddy trying to "lose me" after talking crap about how good his jeep is in the snow...whatever!

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1640/dscf01211yt.jpg

 

Here is my other friend wishing she bought a LGT instead of her FWD Passat...I blasted around in this stuff while she tried to dig herself out....hehe

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/302/518259720jaivllfs7sc.jpg

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laramieskibum Enthusiast

laramieskibum

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Throw some snows on it and you will pretty much blast through anything...

 

Here is my buddy trying to "lose me" after talking crap about how good his jeep is in the snow...whatever!

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1640/dscf01211yt.jpg

 

 

 

That jeep is a death trap in the snow and ice, no joke, and is the reason I bought a 'roo. I love my TJ, but short wheel base and high COG is a deadly combo and I've had many close calls with it.

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itzed Community Regular

itzed

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In case this is your first AWD car, don't expect to be invincible in the snow or rain. A lot of people make this mistake. They don't know how to drive in inclement weather, and then they buy a car/SUV with AWD and they think that'll keep them safe. While it will keep them safer and give them more control than a car with 2wd, it's still very dangerous and you need to alter your driving style to your conditions. Meaning slow down, use light brake inputs, and don't make sudden movements.

 

Anyway, you can also have fun with an AWD car in the snow.....just gotta do it in the right place. ;)

 

Good advice - thanks. I come to my new Legacy from an Audi A6, so I'm familiar with AWD. However I'm sure there are differences between AWD cars as well. I remember in the A6 how it was very easy to get over confident because you could go like hell, but then you have to turn! I'm really curious about these tires, since they are the lowest profile tires I've ever owned, and the tread pattern doesn't look all that aggressive for snow. I like my stock wheels pretty well, so if I need to get winter tires I don't want to spend a ton of money on new tires and wheels too. I'd be more likely to get a new set of all season tires that are good in the snow, but right now these tires only have 6K on them. I guess as others have said, it's wait and see, and then go play in a parking lot (if I can get out of my driveway).

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Paul G. Collaborator

Paul G.

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Look, just don't be stupid, all of Newton's laws still apply.

 

The AWD will keep you from getting stuck, unless you get nuts. Even then some good technique can get you free.

 

It will allow you to start from a dead stop on an icy or snowy hill.

 

It will probably keep you from fishtailing on deceleration, especially on downhills.

 

AWD is not superglue, and your car weighs 3500 or so, so enjoy the confidence and don't blame the car if you screw up.

 

P.

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TimGinCentralNJ Rising Star

TimGinCentralNJ

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I was wondering what to expect from my Legacy in the snow this year? I just hydro-planed yesterday for the first time, and it got me to thinking. Obviously the AWD is great, but what about these Yokohama Advants? I'd hate to think that with the AWD the tires would ruin it.

 

Ed

 

Ed-

 

Get some dedicated winter treads. AWD is an incredible thing in slippery weather, but as others here have said--it doesn't mean diddley if your tires are poor in and/or not intended for snow.

 

Below is my '05 XT with my studded M+S tires on steel rims...this was my first snow fall in my Subie. Having only driven trucks and jeeps in the snow before, Subaru's AWD exceeded my expectations, for sure! The rear limited-slip is key!!

 

Cheers,

Tim

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~timo1745/_images/subie_images/subie_first_snow/subie_snow%20001.jpg

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MikeyXX Apprentice

MikeyXX

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I've pulled up behind people on hills and watch them sway back and forth in their FWD cars. I back up a bit, then drive slowly around them and say HI. Then I continue on (If I'm in a hurry, if they are stuck, I pull them out with a tow strap).

 

I've pulled more people who were stuck on a snowbank made by the snowplows than I can count. It's part of winter and AWD helps, but if you moved fast enough to hang yourself up, AWD does nothing when there isn't any weight on your tires. I've only been in that situation in mud.

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