Weight in the trunk for winter driving

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by drewbot

If you lived near snow "y'all" would know that every car manufacturer offers this in their winter tire package

Not living near snow, a "winter tire package" was not even an option. I just looked at the Subaru "Build Your Own" tool, and there is no manufacturer's winter tire package listed.

It makes sense that the dealers would offer such a thing in horrific* winter climates. It's just sad that what they offer is so ugly.





*Horrific is defined as more than 1/2" of snow per year.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

*Horrific is defined as more than 1/2" of snow per year.

pu55y

[Sarlacc]

Originally Posted by aghuman

Just wondering how many people put weight in the trunk for winter driving or just leave it normal? ... yada yada yada ... Any particular cons about it? ...

I'm flabbergasted this question keeps popping up! Get a grip!

Weight in the trunk is only (slightly) helpful when trying to climb a hill and failing due to spinning wheels on low traction surface.
If you only need a little extra grip, some heavy weight may help. Only on RWD cars, of course. To feel some real difference you'll need upwards of 100kg.
Driving all winter with something heavy in the trunk is just silly, since it throws the weight distribution off balance and impairs steering.

To anyone having frequent problems climbing steep hills under slippery conditions, I would suggest taking these 4 steps BEFORE resorting to putting heavy stuff in the trunk:
1. Learn to drive
2. Get good, spiked winter tires
3. Get a 4WD with good, spiked winter tires
4. Reroute

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Not living near snow, a "winter tire package" was not even an option. I just looked at the Subaru "Build Your Own" tool, and there is no manufacturer's winter tire package listed.

It makes sense that the dealers would offer such a thing in horrific* winter climates. It's just sad that what they offer is so ugly.





*Horrific is defined as more than 1/2" of snow per year.

There were many other options for rims I just choose the steels for ease of maintenance.
The dealer package does not show on the sites as it is an independent sale. They did not even offer steels at my dealer.
If 1/2 an inch a year is "horrific" what does this, in two hours, classify as?

[sluflyer06]

Originally Posted by ninedice

I tried using the stock "all-season" tires last year. I won't make that mistake again. This year I have Blizzacks and 150 pounds of junk in my trunk.

The stock tires are not all season, they are summers.

[KNS]

Can one get by without weight in the trunk? Sure. But extra weight over the wheels will help quite a bit, especially up hills as mentioned above.

One of the reasons Porsche 911s (and old air-cooled beetles) have such amazing winter performance is due to a few hundred pounds of engine weight sitting right over the drive wheels. Very noticeable difference!!

Where I live and work we get winter snow in northern (mountainous) Arizona but just rainy, wet roads in southern Arizona. Commuting between the north and south would ruin winter tires pretty quick so you're forced to get by with all-seasons.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by KNS

Can one get by without weight in the trunk? Sure. But extra weight over the wheels will help quite a bit, especially up hills as mentioned above.

One of the reasons Porsche 911s (and old air-cooled beetles) have such amazing winter performance is due to a few hundred pounds of engine weight sitting right over the drive wheels. Very noticeable difference!!

But...they are also lighter in the front so it is an overall balance thing not simply weight over the drive wheels.
Of course it doesn't hurt but isn't a must do.
I prefer to stick with the balance the car was built with as they actually did a really good job keeping it reasonably even.

[KNS]

Well, I wouldn't exactly call a 911 balanced, far from it (the older ones, anyway...).

[ninedice]

Originally Posted by sluflyer06

The stock tires are not all season, they are summers.

They offered two choices when I bought mine. It was the Primacy tires or the all-season Turanzas. Since it was snowing when I bought mine, I opted for the all-season package.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by KNS

Can one get by without weight in the trunk? Sure. But extra weight over the wheels will help quite a bit, especially up hills as mentioned above.

One of the reasons Porsche 911s (and old air-cooled beetles) have such amazing winter performance is due to a few hundred pounds of engine weight sitting right over the drive wheels. Very noticeable difference!!

Where I live and work we get winter snow in northern (mountainous) Arizona but just rainy, wet roads in southern Arizona. Commuting between the north and south would ruin winter tires pretty quick so you're forced to get by with all-seasons.

No on many points.

Beetles suck in the snow. period. total urban legend.

My best car ever in the snow was my 240Z.

My worst car ever in the snow was my last car, a base model 91 eclipse.

Let me say before other, less savory, immature troll-people turn this thread into a pissing contest, this has nothing to do with fwd-vs-rwd.

given an otherwise well behaved vehicle in the dry, snow-worthiness is controlled mostly by choices in suspension geometry and wheels/tires.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

No on many points.

Beetles suck in the snow. period. total urban legend.

My best car ever in the snow was my 240Z.

My worst car ever in the snow was my last car, a base model 91 eclipse.

Let me say before the inevitable pissing match, this has nothing to do with fwd-vs-rwd.

given an otherwise well behaved vehicle in the dry, snow-worthiness is controlled mostly by choices in suspension geometry and wheels/tires.

I don't recall saying anything about fwd vs rwd..? The old air-cooled beetles with the engine in the rear and the standard tall, narrow tires did pretty well in the snow. Of course the heating/defrost system in the winter left something to be desired...

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by KNS

I don't recall saying anything about fwd vs rwd..

I quoted you but am including the audience at large.

Originally Posted by KNS

The old air-cooled beetles with the engine in the rear and the standard tall, narrow tires did pretty well in the snow.

Passable at best until they broke loose even a little. Same issue with a 911.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Let me say before other, less savory, immature troll-people turn this thread into a pissing contest, this has nothing to do with fwd-vs-rwd.

fify

[GreenMonster]

Originally Posted by ninedice

They offered two choices when I bought mine. It was the Primacy tires or the all-season Turanzas. Since it was snowing when I bought mine, I opted for the all-season package.

Yeah, it's weird that Scion offers the choice between the summer and all-seasons, but subaru (who sell a lot of vehicles in the snow belt) does not...