pepe Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 it's here already .......just put the snows on and have fun.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendite Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I think the Yokohamas are actually pretty nice in the snow but they are not snow tires. They are waaaay better than the Bridgestones subaru has been using. Studded tires are better than non-studded tires on everything except packed snow...then they are probably =. I bought the worst snow tires ever a couple years ago from Les Schwab. Studded and really not that great for traction. I think the rubber was too hard in the cold temps. Here is a pic of the tread pattern for those who are shopping. I am sure these are sold in many places. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b179/aboone1970/snowtire.jpg Nokian and Gislaved are tops IMO but Blizzaks are pretty nice as well. I drive way too much for those spendy tires so I found these to be great for traction, better on the wear, and a little less expensive....Firestone Winterforce Studded http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b179/aboone1970/winterforce.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowImg Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Just to throw in my $0.02 I'm a novice driver compared to most here, but on the question of max performance summers in the winter -- Don't even attempt it (SpecB stock tires) I got caught with a freak freezing night in late September here a couple years back with the S03s still on, and let me tell you the warnings to not drive on them under 40'F are very, very founded. It's downright scary how hard the compound becomes, and how slippery they become even in dry conditions. I can't imagine what they would be like in snow, but the stock RE050 and RE070 summers on the STi/SpecB are very similar to this. My friend with a 2004 STi was out with me that night, and had almost the same experience as I did. For those bashing the RE92s, I've done 4 winters of snow/ice/slush on the stock 205/55R16 RE92s in my 2.5RS -- all based on some simple advice my parents gave me when driving in snow for the first time ever. "Pretend like there's an egg under both the accelerator and the brake pedals." I agree with everyone that all season tires are the worst of both worlds, but I won't go as far as to say they're unsafe. The driver makes them unsafe, as they're perfectly capable of tackling just about any weather if you're careful. S03s and other max performance in the cold? I don't think being a WRC driver would help you, there's just next to no grip to be had from the super hard compound you get at low temperatures from them. As far as studded vs non-studded. I don't see why anyone would even question the viability of it. I think basic physics tells you that of course having a very hard very sharp spike piercing into ice will help with grip as compared to not having them. As far as necessity, that will all come down to your specific area's conditions and your driving techniques. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubLo Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Well, I had to find out for myself (like an idiot) after our first snow of the season (and since I got my car last May) just how awful these Spec.B Summer tires could be. All the warnings are indeed correct. This thing is downright suicide in the snow - stopping in particular!!! Traction getting out of 5 - 7 inch drifts is pretty bad but I didn't get stuck. Granted, it was pretty powdery. I imagine it would be horrific in icy packable snow. I guess if you keep it under 15MPH or so you may be able to limp around. But, I easily locked up the wheels trying to stop from low speeds several times. Luckily, I was testing in pretty deserted areas and intersections. Guess I'll be tooling around only in the Suburban until I can get spare rims and all-seasons. ________________________________________________ [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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTS Jeff Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Well, I had to find out for myself (like an idiot) after our first snow of the season (and since I got my car last May) just how awful these Spec.B Summer tires could be. All the warnings are indeed correct. This thing is downright suicide in the snow - stopping in particular!!! Traction getting out of 5 - 7 inch drifts is pretty bad but I didn't get stuck. Granted, it was pretty powdery. I imagine it would be horrific in icy packable snow. I guess if you keep it under 15MPH or so you may be able to limp around. But, I easily locked up the wheels trying to stop from low speeds several times. Luckily, I was testing in pretty deserted areas and intersections. Guess I'll be tooling around only in the Suburban until I can get spare rims and all-seasons. If you're going to buy dedicated tires for snow, why not buy snow tires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubLo Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 If you're going to buy dedicated tires for snow, why not buy snow tires? Several reasons. I live in NYC! I rent a private secure parking spot behind a building. I have no garage. I have no storage to put an extra set of rims/tires until I sell this God-forsaken coop apartment and buy a house. I don't plan on driving around very much at all in the Leggie in the snow here because of (1) the ridiculous amount of Japanese metal-eating salt they throw around courtesy of the NYC Dept. of Sanitation and (2) I have a 4wd truck with Nitto Terra Grapplers that can plow through 2 or 3 feet of icy snow without shoveling or otherwise ever getting stuck. I'm not going to destroy the Leggie's front end, underside, bumpers, etc. attempting such nastiness. The truck is perfectly cut out for that and fun to boot. When I do get the house (soon) and get another set of rims, I prefer all-seasons as opposed to snow tires for many of the reasons stated above. The LGT is my pseudo "sports" car and the truck, my "utility" mobile. ________________________________________________ [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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkirby Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I will tell you the Blizzak LM-22 are awesome ... worth every penny! I bought mine at TireRack (2005 legacy 2.5 GT) My story on these are they have saved my ass twice. I'm a ski instructor in Colorado so I can hit some nasty weather. The first ass saver was when I was going up Red Mt Pass ("the" most dangerous road in winter in Colorado) when I came around a corner and there was a van sideways in the road. I stopped (under control) without hitting the van (or going off a cliff). The second was two weeks ago in a white-out on I-70 when the car in front of me decided to STOP! I went down into the medium. I was able to travel X-country along the medium until I built a ramp to launch my baru out onto the highway. The snow was to the top of the wheel well! Only damage was a rear toe-in adjustment. So for me it's summer tires in Summer and snow tires in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 ^ Obviously, thire choice depends upon the conditions encountered where the car will be operated. If you're a ski instructor in the mountains, true snows are the only way to go. If you live on the Canadian praires where the temps can be low for long periods but roads stay mostly dry, then a winter performance tire would fill the bill nicely. Here in Chicago where temps aren't super cold for long and roads mainly dry with only some slop and wet and occaisional snow, I choose an A/S with a snow bias (ContiExtremes) as my winter set up and they have worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTS Jeff Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Several reasons. I live in NYC! I rent a private secure parking spot behind a building. I have no garage. I have no storage to put an extra set of rims/tires until I sell this God-forsaken coop apartment and buy a house. I don't plan on driving around very much at all in the Leggie in the snow here because of (1) the ridiculous amount of Japanese metal-eating salt they throw around courtesy of the NYC Dept. of Sanitation and (2) I have a 4wd truck with Nitto Terra Grapplers that can plow through 2 or 3 feet of icy snow without shoveling or otherwise ever getting stuck. I'm not going to destroy the Leggie's front end, underside, bumpers, etc. attempting such nastiness. The truck is perfectly cut out for that and fun to boot. When I do get the house (soon) and get another set of rims, I prefer all-seasons as opposed to snow tires for many of the reasons stated above. The LGT is my pseudo "sports" car and the truck, my "utility" mobile. I guess you'll have to find out for yourself again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erito Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Not to add 1000 $ for a set of good winter tyres is just stupid when you put up 30.000 $ for a car.... IF you live where the roads get icy/snowy. snowing here again right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjundi Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Not to add 1000 $ for a set of good winter tyres is just stupid when you put up 30.000 $ for a car.... IF you live where the roads get icy/snowy. snowing here again right now It really depends on the frequency of major winter events and your need to get out/about in the inclement weather. Where I live average day is about 8 days of that weather so not really worth it. This winter has been 2 days total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prod Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I have Dunlop Graspics which were only $109/tire from tirerack. They're very good in the snow. They aren't studded, and I have yet to test them on ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 I have. (I have had the graspics on since november.) Not bad at all. the car will slide a bit, due to physics, but it will accelerate or stop as well as tires on ice can expect to. I have Bridgestone Dueler AT Revos on my 4x4 truck, which are good tires, too. But between the tires, and especially Subaru's AWD... NO CONTEST. Subaru wins, hands down. The only issue is ground clearance on my lowered Legacy. An outback, or even a standard legacy would not even have that minor caveat. The graspics are great in the snow. They are a bit too soft in the dry with the Legacy GT's power... At least with my stage 2 car. I tend to over-drive them a bit in the dry... but they hold up. Wintersport M3 would probably do better in the dry, and nearly as well in the snow... tradeoffs. I haven't been stuck yet this winter, with several snow events of various depths. Today I was driving on roads that went from dry to wet to blown packed snow powder and back in the matter of feet. Fantastic. Everyone else was crawling. The legacy cruised, about 40-45 mph, but well faster than all the lesser cars on the road. With a bit of prudence in maneuvering and moderating speed, and traffic planning, this car with snow tires is a winter weapon. Fantastic. If there is a downfall, it has to be a bit of overconfidence. Don't let it fool you, or the laws of physics will exact their strict punishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLegacy99 Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Well its snowing here again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy2.5R Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 anyone have any experience with full sway set or just the rear rsb in teh snow? i want to know how much oversteer basically i have just the rear sway. lots and lots of oversteer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I have tried alot of different tires. Studded and not. Right now i am happy with the by far best winter tires i've ever tried. Nokian Hakkapelitta 4 studded........... Aren't you bothered by the noise studded tires make? I have never tried studded tires, but I think the noise would be tiresome during a 1 hour trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeTrout Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Aren't you bothered by the noise studded tires make? I have never tried studded tires, but I think the noise would be tiresome during a 1 hour trip. At speed, the studs make no noise inside the cabin. The snow tire tread makes way more noise at speed. Heck, RE92s make more noise at speed. You'll only ever notice the studs at parking lot speeds and from outside the car. Ich bin echt viel netter, wenn ich nuechtern bin. Echt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erito Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Aren't you bothered by the noise studded tires make? I have never tried studded tires, but I think the noise would be tiresome during a 1 hour trip. No. And i drive +3hour drives with them during this period. They sound less than the stock Geolandar summertires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 ^ Are your studs are going to lose their edge with long dry pavement trips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iyalla Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 ^ Are your studs are going to lose their edge with long dry pavement trips? Good question. I would say yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeTrout Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 ^ Are your studs are going to lose their edge with long dry pavement trips? Good question. We've got over 10k mi. on the OBXT studs and they're still looking pretty good. The majority of those miles are on wet pavement, but there's also dry cold pavement and about 2000 miles or so on snow/ice. They look like 1/4" track spikes, for fellow runners. Ich bin echt viel netter, wenn ich nuechtern bin. Echt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iyalla Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Some info you might be interested in.... http://www.tirerack.com/testDisplay-1/94.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeTrout Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 So they compared uber-cheap studded tires to $200+ studless M&S tires...did I miss something? Decent studded tires might compete or perform better than the Wintersports they tested. Jeez. Ich bin echt viel netter, wenn ich nuechtern bin. Echt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hadvw Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 So they compared uber-cheap studded tires to $200+ studless M&S tires...did I miss something? Decent studded tires might compete or perform better than the Wintersports they tested. Jeez. True, but.. I like this aspect of their test: they showed that studded isn't ALWAYS better than studless. Or, said another way: unless you get really good studded tires, studless probably aren't much worse. HV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimy101 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 If one were always on ice covered or snow packed highways then studded tires would be a consideration. Otherwise, meh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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