Winter Driving 2014

[Blastersix]

Got so lucky with my timing. Ordered my Continentals from Tire Rack on Monday and had them mounted on the stock rims this morning along with getting my 7500 mile service complete, and by 3 pm it was snowing steadily. Made my 15 mile drive home from a home remodel amazeballs.

[Stang70Fastback]

Seriously. I only got my tires from TireRack this week, and mounted them day before yesterday, and tonight it was all:

[Scenic Driver]

Originally Posted by Kliph

The car felt as if I was riding on pillows!!

You basically are. Push on the tread blocks with your finger, they will compress as easily as a sponge.

[srizzors25]

Picked these up the other night, Sport Edition wheels (16x7.5) with Pirelli Sottozero 3's, 215/55/16. Normally I don't go for Pirelli but the whole set was really cheap and lightly used. Fits nicely even with the 2" drop, seems like it'll do the trick no problem in the snow!



Drove back and forth every weekend through the winter to Boulder/Grand Junction 2 winters ago in a e46 zhp that was quite low as well, never had any problems but I had blizzaks which are fantastic even in 18's, fairly low profile.



Chose really good winter cars what can I say... (with the exception of the one in my sig. STI on blizzaks = endless fun)

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by Scenic Driver

You basically are. Push on the tread blocks with your finger, they will compress as easily as a sponge.

Indeed. The Blizzaks are so soft it feels like you can peel off chunks of the tread block if you try hard enough, lol. They are basically one step up from goop.

[Mikko]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

Yeah winter tires will always be a lot quieter because of how much softer the rubber compound is. It's great until you switch back to summer tires and suddenly your car sounds like a freight train, lol.

True if you don't have studded winter tires. These are making quite a noise when driving dry asphalt..

[Scenic Driver]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

Indeed. The Blizzaks are so soft it feels like you can peel off chunks of the tread block if you try hard enough, lol. They are basically one step up from goop.

They can be scary if you're not used to them too with how much they deflect before you actually turn, it's like the tires are thinking about it for a second lol.

[Stang70Fastback]

Yup. And then every time I switch back to summer tires, the first time I go to change lanes on the highway I always almost end up swerving off the road entirely because of how much more responsive the summers are, lol.

[bayank]

I ordered the basic 16in steel wheels and Continental Extreme winter contacts last tuesday, they arrived on friday mounted and balanced ready to be slapped on.

My only concern now is the the rear axle nuts are exposed. Should I be worried about salt/dirt getting in there? They are so clean right now and I wouldn't want to contaminate them. Are there caps that I can get to cover the axle nuts? I didn't like the look of the tirerack hubcaps that cover the whole wheel.

[HunterGreene]

Running my second winter on Hankook I*cepts, and I love them.

Question for those of you using steelies, I noticed a little bit of rust right around the center hub, any suggestions for when I take these off in the spring as far as rust removal and care?

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by bayank

My only concern now is the the rear axle nuts are exposed. Should I be worried about salt/dirt getting in there? They are so clean right now and I wouldn't want to contaminate them. Are there caps that I can get to cover the axle nuts? I didn't like the look of the tirerack hubcaps that cover the whole wheel.

This is the first time I've used steelies as well (previous winters were mounted on real rims) and this bothers me too. I did some quick Googling and everyone said the same thing: "Fuck it." I suppose they have a point. I'm OCD, so it annoys me, but what they say is true - the only important thing that's going to develop some surface rust is the axle nut/threads, which is one of the highest-torqued nuts on the entire vehicle. Anyone looking to take it off is GOING to be either using an impact gun or a VERY long breaker bar, so rust really isn't going to get in the way regardless. It's not like some small bolt that's going to be a REAL PITA if it rusts over.

I'm going to do what some people recommended and just soak it with some oil or something to help give it SOME protection from the elements. All I have is WD-40 right now but I'll probably find something a bit thicker at an auto parts store one of these days. If you do find a cap that fits, though, let me know!

[ShawnsRedBRZ]

Originally Posted by markw

I'm running Dunlop Direzza ZII's for my winter tires. Should be ok all things considered.

I drove a miata through a snowstorm on ZIIs last winter. That was a lot of fun I don't want to have again. I quickly put some Blizzak WS-70s on it afterward.

I just ordered steelies with Dunlop Winter Maxx from Tire Rack. I hope it doesn't snow too much between now and Saturday.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by srizzors25

Picked these up the other night, Sport Edition wheels (16x7.5) with Pirelli Sottozero 3's, 215/55/16. Normally I don't go for Pirelli but the whole set was really cheap and lightly used. Fits nicely even with the 2" drop, seems like it'll do the trick no problem in the snow!






Chose really good winter cars what can I say... (with the exception of the one in my sig. STI on blizzaks = endless fun)

srizzors,

What is the model and offset of those 16" Sport Edition wheels, they look good!

Nice ZHP, by the way...

[oldlostcory]

Stupid question for you guys with Rally Armor mud flaps, can you just remove them in the spring? Just put the screws back in or something? I really don't want to have them on my car year around.