Friendly reminder about tires

[Tank]

As ambient temps are dropping, those out there still running summer/performance tires should start to notice they have wildly varying levels of grip. One morning you could zip around your favorite turn at 35mph, then the next morning that same turn at the same speed will put you off into a ditch. I've noticed over the past month that my rear tires (which are a different compound than the front) will want to let go very easily at times, then have lots of grip at others.

As ambient temperatures get colder, typically in the 40-45° Fahrenheit range, summer performance tires lose a noticeable percentage of traction as their tread compound rubber properties change from a pliable elastic to inflexible plastic. The tire industry uses the term "glass transition" to describe the temperature where a summer performance tire's grip/slip performance changes dramatically. This means the summer performance tires that provide predictable traction in warm to hot conditions will be found to be very challenging to drive in cold to freezing temperatures.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=273

[yanfoo]

Originally Posted by Tank

As ambient temps are dropping, those out there still running summer/performance tires should start to notice they have wildly varying levels of grip. One morning you could zip around your favorite turn at 35mph, then the next morning that same turn at the same speed will put you off into a ditch. I've noticed over the past month that my rear tires (which are a different compound than the front) will want to let go very easily at times, then have lots of grip at others.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=273

My best advice to YOU my dear friend would be to get SAME tires front and rear.

That would be a good start...

Not saying what you are describing ain't true (I know I live in Canada) but gush help yourself (and your car) a little!

[Rifle]

Growing up outside of Philadelphia's suburbs, I'm no stranger to the snow. However, I've never purchased actual snow tires. My last two cars were 4th Gen F-Body Camaro/Firebirds, both being RWD + both making 100+ more horsepower than this car. I've always used All-Seasons. I had Cooper Cobras' on the Camaro, and Kuhmo something on the Firebird. I've never had any issues with either tire.


But the decision was easy for me for my FR-S. I'm not planning to race the car, I might track it, but for fun, not for competition. An all-season will suit me well for the winters here in Baltimore, considering I only commute ~10 minutes to work, after 12PM (yay plows!). So I decided to pick up a set of 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS06s, 255/40/17s on 17x9 wheels. Should work nicely for the snow, and well for the rest of the days.

[Special_K]

Originally Posted by Rifle

Growing up outside of Philadelphia's suburbs, I'm no stranger to the snow. However, I've never purchased actual snow tires. My last two cars were 4th Gen F-Body Camaro/Firebirds, both being RWD + both making 100+ more horsepower than this car. I've always used All-Seasons. I had Cooper Cobras' on the Camaro, and Kuhmo something on the Firebird. I've never had any issues with either tire.


But the decision was easy for me for my FR-S. I'm not planning to race the car, I might track it, but for fun, not for competition. An all-season will suit me well for the winters here in Baltimore, considering I only commute ~10 minutes to work, after 12PM (yay plows!). So I decided to pick up a set of 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS06s, 255/40/17s on 17x9 wheels. Should work nicely for the snow, and well for the rest of the days.

If you're running all-seasons, wouldn't you at least want something much skinnier for the snow? I feel like 255 all-seasons would just glide on top of the snow instead of cutting through it.

[yanfoo]

Originally Posted by Special_K

If you're running all-seasons, wouldn't you at least want something much skinnier for the snow? I feel like 255 all-seasons would just glide on top of the snow instead of cutting through it.

Right on. I run 205 on 16 inches steelies in the winter.

This is the time of year my butt doesn't hurt from the thick sidewall from performance summer tires...

Happy happy joy joy.


Also, the larger your tires, the more you will skid. Smaller tires will cut through snow like said.

[jawn]

Originally Posted by Special_K

If you're running all-seasons, wouldn't you at least want something much skinnier for the snow? I feel like 255 all-seasons would just glide on top of the snow instead of cutting through it.

Yeah... think ice skates, not snowshoes.

[Rifle]

Originally Posted by Special_K

If you're running all-seasons, wouldn't you at least want something much skinnier for the snow? I feel like 255 all-seasons would just glide on top of the snow instead of cutting through it.

Technically, yes. However, I've always run 245s on 16s in the previous cars, without any sort of issues / scare. I'm going 255s because I don't want a stretched tire on my 17x9. These are not just snow tires, they're all-season. I'm only buying one set of tires lol.

[Tank]

Originally Posted by yanfoo

My best advice to YOU my dear friend would be to get SAME tires front and rear.

That would be a good start...

Not saying what you are describing ain't true (I know I live in Canada) but gush help yourself (and your car) a little!

I've got no real retort for you there, my setup will be bad when it's cold. I plan to change it, but I haven't decided if I'm going to get a matching rear set of all season pilot sports to match the front set, or put the stock wheels back on.

[BirdTRD]

Originally Posted by Tank

I've got no real retort for you there, my setup will be bad when it's cold. I plan to change it, but I haven't decided if I'm going to get a matching rear set of all season pilot sports to match the front set, or put the stock wheels back on.

Being from Baltimore, I would suggest going with summers on 1 set and winters (not all seasons) on the other. I made the mistake of going with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 thinking it would be good all year round...wrong. First year with brand new tread, they worked OK in the snow, but the next year, after 10k miles worth of wear, they suck ass!
I now have a snow tire set up and will be replacing the PS A/S 3's in the spring with real Summer tires. FWIW.

[Jaylyons1]

Originally Posted by BirdTRD

Being from Baltimore, I would suggest going with summers on 1 set and winters (not all seasons) on the other. I made the mistake of going with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 thinking it would be good all year round...wrong. First year with brand new tread, they worked OK in the snow, but the next year, after 10k miles worth of wear, they suck ass!
I now have a snow tire set up and will be replacing the PS A/S 3's in the spring with real Summer tires. FWIW.

I'm also currently reside Baltimore and I'd have to disagree. It hasn't snowed enough in my 5 years living there to merit anything other than all seasons. I have had Continental DWS's on my stock set for the winter for the past 3 winters and was able to get around perfectly fine (even when some trucks were getting stuck; silly RWD trucks...) I'm not saying winter tires won't get you around better in the snow, but with how little snow we get, the tires can get worn down awfully fast.

What will really be interesting is coming back from my 6 week TDY in Florida in December on ZII's. Reaallly hoping for a dry road day for that one so I can get my other tires on!

[BirdTRD]

Originally Posted by Jaylyons1

I'm also currently reside Baltimore and I'd have to disagree. It hasn't snowed enough in my 5 years living there to merit anything other than all seasons. I have had Continental DWS's on my stock set for the winter for the past 3 winters and was able to get around perfectly fine (even when some trucks were getting stuck; silly RWD trucks...) I'm not saying winter tires won't get you around better in the snow, but with how little snow we get, the tires can get worn down awfully fast.

What will really be interesting is coming back from my 6 week TDY in Florida in December on ZII's. Reaallly hoping for a dry road day for that one so I can get my other tires on!

The problem here is not so much the snow (although some years are worse that others) but it's the cold temperatures. Speaking from the past 2 years of daily driving experience in Maryland on Michelin PS A/S3's, once the temp gets in the 40's or below, they break traction...a lot. Maybe the Continentals are better than the Michelins?

I know that winter compounds will offer your best traction in cold and snow while summer tires will perform best in warmer weather. 2 years ago, when I thought All Seasons would be a great "best of both worlds" option for daily driving, they ended up being more of a compromise in All Seasons, especially on our light weight, rear wheel drive rocket! After this winter on my Dunlop Winter Sport 3D's, I'll let you know if they were worth it or not!

[White64Goat]

And as a rule of thumb....for every 10 degrees of temperature drop, your tires will register about 1 lb. lower in pressure. Went to work yesterday around 5:30 and came out at 10 ish and the tire pressure warning light was illuminated. So as the colder weather arrives, don't forget to check those tire pressures.

[why?]

yea they are not snow tires any more, but winter tires. Temps here have not gone below 50 degrees consistently yet, but I have a set of winter tires I will put on when they do. For a car like this, all seasons really seem to be no seasons.