Rear tires different than fronts OK?

[swenpro]

I had my first experience Thursday in 3+ inches of snow with my new 66 replicas and 17" Cooper Zeon 2XS summer tires... not an encouraging experience to say the least (yes, Discount Tire salesman led me to believe they were all-season... doh!). So I figure I have a few options:

1) Get my current tires siped for $7.50 a tire right now at Discount (I've read some about siping, seems like it could be beneficial. Anyone have results with siping? If you've never heard of it, this http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tireSiping.dos (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tireSiping.dos) or this http://sipers.com/sipers/index_large.asp is helpful. I would, of course, be washing the rims 1-2 x's weekly to keep salt corrosion at bay.

2) Put all 4 old rims back on: 2 of the wheels have newer Yokohama all-season tires, the other 2 need replacing. Would it work to mount the newish Yokohamas on the front and just replace the 2 that need replacing (~$250) with winter tires and mount those on the rear?

3) Splurge another $500 on winter tires for all 4 stock rims. I'd rather not have to do this, but give me your honest opinion considering that I do not have $$ in excess.

4) Do nothing. Make an amusement park ride out of winter driving and let the salt reign supreme on my new wheels... On second thought, this is not a poll option... ;-)

Opinions from experienced winter drivers only please! Thanks for the help :)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/swenpro/CIMG1278.jpg


VS

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/swenpro/CIMG1385.jpg

[632 Regal]

do a google of semperit snows, I have the sport grips, actually quieter than the Falkens and much better than them in snow (concidering I needed a push to make it up a 2" incline to the barn in snow). I think they are good enough for ocassional deep snow days, they also offer a winter grip tire more aggressinve. The sports were $60 each and Id try them again...then again on dedicated snow days I might like to score on "another" set of basketweaves for winter grips. Ah hell for the few days I have to churn snow the sports are happening.

sports
https://www.tiresavings.com/tires/sport.jpg
winter
https://www.tiresavings.com/tires/wint.jpg

[DrewZ]

Check ebay, the Roundel, and your local CCA Chapter websites to find a decently-priced, lightly-used set of E34 winter wheels/tires. Then you can sell your stock wheel/tire set to recoup some or even all of the cost of the winter setup. But what do I know (http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=76003#poststop) about wheels anyway?
Imelda
6-speed Touring
http://members.aol.com/apzjd/16RKsummersmall.jpg (http://www.bmwe34.net/ASP/DURegistry/RegDetail.asp?id=100)

I had my first experience Thursday in 3+ inches of snow with my new 66 replicas and 17" Cooper Zeon 2XS summer tires... not an encouraging experience to say the least (yes, Discount Tire salesman led me to believe they were all-season... doh!). So I figure I have a few options:

1) Get my current tires siped for $7.50 a tire right now at Discount (I've read some about siping, seems like it could be beneficial. Anyone have results with siping? If you've never heard of it, this http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tireSiping.dos (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tireSiping.dos) or this http://sipers.com/sipers/index_large.asp is helpful. I would, of course, be washing the rims 1-2 x's weekly to keep salt corrosion at bay.

2) Put all 4 old rims back on: 2 of the wheels have newer Yokohama all-season tires, the other 2 need replacing. Would it work to mount the newish Yokohamas on the front and just replace the 2 that need replacing (~$250) with winter tires and mount those on the rear?

3) Splurge another $500 on winter tires for all 4 stock rims. I'd rather not have to do this, but give me your honest opinion considering that I do not have $$ in excess.

4) Do nothing. Make an amusement park ride out of winter driving and let the salt reign supreme on my new wheels... On second thought, this is not a poll option... ;-)

Opinions from experienced winter drivers only please! Thanks for the help :)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/swenpro/CIMG1278.jpg


VS

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/swenpro/CIMG1385.jpg

[Scott H]

Check your e-mail.


Check ebay, the Roundel, and your local CCA Chapter websites to find a decently-priced, lightly-used set of E34 winter wheels/tires. Then you can sell your stock wheel/tire set to recoup some or even all of the cost of the winter setup.

[DueyT]

You really should run winter tires (not just all-season, even if M+S rated) on any car that you will be driving you and your significant other, family, friends, etc... in. Some guys try to only use one set, but once you have a dedicated set of winter tires and drive in the white crap, you'd wonder what you were ever thinking before. I know that many insurance companies in Canada will actually void their coverage if a car gets into an accident in designated snow regions and only had all seasons tires mounted.

I have Hankook H-rated 215/65-HR15 W401s on steel OEM rims...rides great in the slush and crap!

Cheers,
Duey

[632 Regal]

[QUOTE=DrewZ]Check ebay, the Roundel, and your local CCA Chapter websites to find a decently-priced, lightly-used set of E34 winter wheels/tires.[\QUOTE]

Lightly used means not good anymore, once the first 1/8th inch is worn your through the soft rubber and syphing and its time for new treads. Under the soft stuff id a harder cmpound that doesnt stick to the snow.

[Jay 535i]

We've had about 5" over the last couple of days. Just after the snow fell, I swapped my set of 17" Falken ZE512 for a set of Nokian RSi sport winter tires.

It's like night and day.

Before, I could keep the car on the road, but not without affecting my blood pressure. Driving over ridges of slush between lanes was a leap of faith.

Now I feel like I can drive through anything. I still have to drive with care, but now I feel like the car can handle it. Last night I got into and out of a parallel parking spot that would have been impossible without snows. No problems.

Yeah, the car doesn't look as good or handle as well, but if it means I still have a car come spring, it's worth it. Without them, I'd give myself a 50:50 shot at doing some damage, given that I sometimes have no choice but to drive in poor weather.

The fact that my Style 5 rims are being spared the salt is just a bonus!

Oh, and IMHO, you have to get a set of four. Snows on the rear only will help you keep the rear planted, but you want to be able to steer, don't you?

All the way to the tire place, I had the same debate with myself that you're having. On the way home, I knew I'd done the right thing.

That siping stuff probably does help a bit, but some of the claims they make re: longer tire life and better heat dissipation are specious to say the least, IMHO.

Lastly, winter tires are FREE! Really, they are. In fact, buying new winter tires will save you money! Here's how:

If you're like me, your summer tires in 17" cost ~$200 each. Good winters in 15" cost about half that or less. Every mile you put on the winters extends the life of your summers by one mile. Since the summers cost more, you are saving money with every mile you put on the winters. Every mile will make your expensive tires last longer.

So to spend $500 on winter tires today is really an investment that will save you money in the long term. And this is even before factoring in rim and bodywork repair when you prang your baby while driving on summer rubber in the snow.

Just my two cents. :)

[DrewZ]

Lightly used means not good anymore, once the first 1/8th inch is worn your through the soft rubber and syphing and its time for new treads. Under the soft stuff id a harder cmpound that doesnt stick to the snow.


Depends on the brand/model of tire. Some winter tires have the same compound all the way through. Others (e.g. Blizzaks) have a different rubber compound on the outside, and a less-snow-happy rubber compound on the inside. Even a set of Blizzaks worn past the snow-happy-outer-compound would be better than a nearly-new Z-rated tire or a worn-out all-season.

If money is no object, get a brandy-damn-new set of steelies with fresh winter tires from Tire Rack or Discount Tire Direct.
If you care about value, your best VALUE will be a set of used wheels. You should be able to find a good-tread, low-mileage used set for 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of new.

[632 Regal]

perfect!

We've had about 5" over the last couple of days. Just after the snow fell, I swapped my set of 17" Falken ZE512 for a set of Nokian RSi sport winter tires.

It's like night and day.

Before, I could keep the car on the road, but not without affecting my blood pressure. Driving over ridges of slush between lanes was a leap of faith.

Now I feel like I can drive through anything. I still have to drive with care, but now I feel like the car can handle it. Last night I got into and out of a parallel parking spot that would have been impossible without snows. No problems.

Yeah, the car doesn't look as good or handle as well, but if it means I still have a car come spring, it's worth it. Without them, I'd give myself a 50:50 shot at doing some damage, given that I sometimes have no choice but to drive in poor weather.

The fact that my Style 5 rims are being spared the salt is just a bonus!

Oh, and IMHO, you have to get a set of four. Snows on the rear only will help you keep the rear planted, but you want to be able to steer, don't you?

All the way to the tire place, I had the same debate with myself that you're having. On the way home, I knew I'd done the right thing.

That siping stuff probably does help a bit, but some of the claims they make re: longer tire life and better heat dissipation are specious to say the least, IMHO.

Lastly, winter tires are FREE! Really, they are. In fact, buying new winter tires will save you money! Here's how:

If you're like me, your summer tires in 17" cost ~$200 each. Good winters in 15" cost about half that or less. Every mile you put on the winters extends the life of your summers by one mile. Since the summers cost more, you are saving money with every mile you put on the winters. Every mile will make your expensive tires last longer.

So to spend $500 on winter tires today is really an investment that will save you money in the long term. And this is even before factoring in rim and bodywork repair when you prang your baby while driving on summer rubber in the snow.

Just my two cents. :)

[Cactuar]

I've just had my first experience in snow with my new 95 525i tonight and it was slightly frightening... I have 4 season tires and I need to change my tires ASAP, there's no way I'm going to risk crashing the car or injuring my family over 500$. This thread has been a lot of help, thanks :)

[swenpro]

This thread has been especially helpful to me also... thanks to all for the input!

Some of you may find this interesting like I did, as this confirms what I thought about winter tire installation on FWD versus RWD (obviously the second one applies to us): about Winter Tire Installation from Discount Tire (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.do?rcz=60527&rc=ILCINT)

Viewing the poll results, it does look like you all want to spend my money :D The fact is, I don't have any wife/kids to haul around safe and sound, so I think my best value would be to mount the old 15" stock rims with 2 new winter tires in the rear and use the 2 slightly-used all-seasons in the front.

The next question is, if I have 225/60-15 tires in the front, do I still mount the "winter-sized" 205/65-15 tires in the rear? Hmm, wider tires in the FRONT, what a concept, haha...

[Qsilver7]

...if I have 225/60-15 tires in the front, do I still mount the "winter-sized" 205/65-15 tires in the rear? Hmm, wider tires in the FRONT, what a concept, haha...
...soooo, let me get this straight...you're gonna mount a "reverse" staggered set up with wider wheels in the front, narrower wheels in the rear (would love to be there to see your reaction when you experience how this set up affects over & under steer response!) :D ... then you're gonna toss in tires that have different tread patterns and tread composition...plus different handling response due to the difference in rubber compound that dedicated snow tires are made of compared to all-seasons.

Oh, this is gonna be good. Just remember, if this set up is somewhat dangerous or doesn't respond like you thought it would...don't blame your winter driving experince on the "stupid" snow tires...then again...we could all be over-reacting and/or wrong! :p

[Scott H]

I have 4 Michelin Arctic Alpins in the right size that you can buy for cheaps. They were used for two winters. I will be in your area next weekend. If you want value, this is it!



Viewing the poll results, it does look like you all want to spend my money :D The fact is, I don't have any wife/kids to haul around safe and sound, so I think my best value would be to mount the old 15" stock rims with 2 new winter tires in the rear and use the 2 slightly-used all-seasons in the front.

[rreimund]

Good stuff.. I must agree here.. I've got an appointment for Thursday to get a new set of RSi's installed on my basketweaves...


We've had about 5" over the last couple of days. Just after the snow fell, I swapped my set of 17" Falken ZE512 for a set of Nokian RSi sport winter tires.

It's like night and day.

Before, I could keep the car on the road, but not without affecting my blood pressure. Driving over ridges of slush between lanes was a leap of faith.

Now I feel like I can drive through anything. I still have to drive with care, but now I feel like the car can handle it. Last night I got into and out of a parallel parking spot that would have been impossible without snows. No problems.

Yeah, the car doesn't look as good or handle as well, but if it means I still have a car come spring, it's worth it. Without them, I'd give myself a 50:50 shot at doing some damage, given that I sometimes have no choice but to drive in poor weather.

The fact that my Style 5 rims are being spared the salt is just a bonus!

Oh, and IMHO, you have to get a set of four. Snows on the rear only will help you keep the rear planted, but you want to be able to steer, don't you?

All the way to the tire place, I had the same debate with myself that you're having. On the way home, I knew I'd done the right thing.

That siping stuff probably does help a bit, but some of the claims they make re: longer tire life and better heat dissipation are specious to say the least, IMHO.

Lastly, winter tires are FREE! Really, they are. In fact, buying new winter tires will save you money! Here's how:

If you're like me, your summer tires in 17" cost ~$200 each. Good winters in 15" cost about half that or less. Every mile you put on the winters extends the life of your summers by one mile. Since the summers cost more, you are saving money with every mile you put on the winters. Every mile will make your expensive tires last longer.

So to spend $500 on winter tires today is really an investment that will save you money in the long term. And this is even before factoring in rim and bodywork repair when you prang your baby while driving on summer rubber in the snow.

Just my two cents. :)

[granit_silber]

This thread has been especially helpful to me also... thanks to all for the input!

Some of you may find this interesting like I did, as this confirms what I thought about winter tire installation on FWD versus RWD (obviously the second one applies to us): about Winter Tire Installation from Discount Tire (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.do?rcz=60527&rc=ILCINT)

Viewing the poll results, it does look like you all want to spend my money :D The fact is, I don't have any wife/kids to haul around safe and sound, so I think my best value would be to mount the old 15" stock rims with 2 new winter tires in the rear and use the 2 slightly-used all-seasons in the front.

The next question is, if I have 225/60-15 tires in the front, do I still mount the "winter-sized" 205/65-15 tires in the rear? Hmm, wider tires in the FRONT, what a concept, haha...


Please don't do this! How much are you worth to you? How much are the lives of others on the roadway worth to you (if you're negligent and hurt someone you'll get that number real fast) I don't mean to sound melodramatic here, but we're talking $500 vs. you wrecking the car (or worse). I don't care how good your skills are, if you live in a place that makes snow tires a good idea, PLEASE use them! I don't have $500 sitting around either, but my life and well-being are worth the investment.

As to tire size, for snow you want a narrower footprint that will dig deep into the snow vs. a wide footprint that will float on top. Putting the wide tires up front will make steering your car very interesting in the least and down right scary at the worst.

Just remember that there are somethings in this world that are more important than money and your life and the lives of others make that list. Who knows, the snows that you put on your car, could make the difference for someone else's life.
-ashley

[swenpro]

lol, this thread is getting better every minute!

First off, you all are obviously kind and caring people to be so "concerned" about what tires I put on my car. But this is also another example of how threads are sometimes supported too much by "talk" and emotions and not enough by concrete facts and knowledge.

So again, I will bring more research to the table. The question at hand is are "rear tires different than fronts OK?" I think the first thing to address is, are different types of tires OK...

As I posted in the link above, Discount Tire, a reputable tire garage found across the nation, says, "For rear wheel drive vehicles it is acceptable to mount 2 winter tires on the rear axle only" (link (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.do?rcz=60527&rc=ILCINT)).

Interestingly enough, I've found today that Discount Tire Direct, which should be the online version of the same company, says on their website with almost the identical page, "For rear wheel drive vehicles it is recommended for the best traction and handling to use winter tires on all four positions" (link (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoWinterTireMounting.jsp)).

So I think we can agree that the same kind of tire on all 4 wheels is the BEST solution, but are tires of different tread on 2 of the wheels ACCEPTABLE? I believe the answer is yes. After all, since the 1950s people have been getting out their winter tires for the snowy season, and yes, just the back two only, for their rear-wheel drive vehicles. If we start talking about front-wheel drive, it's a whole new game: same tires on all 4 are a must.

Canada's Safety Council (yes, a land that gets more snow that I do), has information about Winter Tires: "...the traditional wisdom from the days when almost all vehicles were rear wheel drive (RWD), was to mount two snow tires for winter driving on the drive wheels. The rationale was that this would provide the best forward traction.

However, the driving dynamics of FWD vehicles in conditions of poor traction are very different from those of RWD vehicles. Vehicles equipped with FWD need both linear (forward) traction, and lateral traction, particularly on the rear wheels, to prevent spin-out and loss of control.

For safe operation in snow, FWD vehicles should be equipped with four good snow tires — two on the front for linear traction, and two on the rear for lateral traction to control skid and spin-out" (link (http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/snowtires.html)).

Then again, a company like TireRack.com that SELLS tires doesn't even distinguish between the obvious differences in the physics of a FWD car vs. RWD car: "Every one of our tire manufacturers and 7 out of 10 vehicle manufacturers recommend four winter tires be used on rear wheel, front wheel or four wheel drive vehicles. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you'll have a vehicle that has a "split" personality..." (link (http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=120#y4)).

I am not ruling out the possiblity of a split-personality occuring, but so many cars are front-wheel drive today that I believe all vehicles are getting lumped in the same pile. Putting aside the possibility of getting used tires for cheaper for a moment, one is certainly getting the most value and adequate safety from mounting new winter tires on the rear only. Traction is by far the most important factor, hence the snow tires in the rear. But as some have pointed out, you also must steer--thus, considering city streets are usually plowed, the all-seasons in front are acceptable for the relatively small number of times I drive on actual snow/ice.


Concerning different tire [I]sizes[I], I did mention the idea of doing, as Qsilver7 said, a "'reverse' staggered set up," as opposed to mounting regular-sized 225-60-15 winter tires in the rear so front and back would be the same size. This is not ideal, but is what my situation would be if I were to install thinner snow tires (known for better snow/ice traction). Again, consider physics: the rears are merely propelling you forward, while the front wheels are steering. So in effect, steering should feel just the same with wider tires in front only than wide tires all the way around.

Finally, please don't think I'm stuck in rut or that I don't care about myself/others on the road. I'm presenting an argument for truth's sake. Who knows, maybe I'll just get 2, maybe I'll end up getting all 4. It's a matter of what is ACCEPTABLE over what is BEST.

(P.S. Scott - check your e-mail; I'll let you know soon)

[632 Regal]

hey Lowell you still having that party this weekend> I'm all packed and have the 3 keggers in the back for traction, let me know if you need anything else before I head over with the 2 short busses and stuff k?

[Scott H]

First, let me make a couple of blanket statements. 1) Tire rubber compound is equally important as tread is as far as winter tires go and all-seasons don't have the goods. 2) Your analysis of vehicle functions seem to be limited to acceleration and steering but you leave out BRAKING which is arguably the most important. 3) The majority of the braking on all cars is born by the front brakes

As far as having two different types of tires on the front and rear axle, why would you bother? Yeah you will gain traction by putting them on the rear (satisfying 1 function) but you will deprive yourself of the best braking and steering abilities (FAILS to satisfy 2 functions). I'm really not interested in accelerating too fast when it's shitty out....I want to BRAKE and STEER in case of emergency. If you leave wider all seasons on the front, your lateral grip will suffer. I choose 4 snows on the car no doubt.

Your claim that same tires on all 4 wheels for front wheel drive cars is a must is also not quite right. The front wheels do ALL THREE functions, drive, steer, and brake. If I have two winter tires, they'd be going on the front for sure!!! I agree that lateral grip is as important for the rear. For this reason I would be putting 4 snows on a FWD car....but FWD or not, your lateral grip is still an issue....again....4 snows on the car.

Narrower tires are able to CUT through the tall snow and snow pack better than a wide tire. Think of trying to walk on snow without a snow shoe....your foot sinks....if you widen the area covered by using a snow shoe, you walk on top of the snow. When you are driving your car in winter conditions, you don't want it to be skating on top of all the slush....you want to cut through as much as possible. Your impression that steering would be the same is backwards. For lack of a better term, your car with wider tires on the front will have a better chance of hydroplaning on the snowpack than it will steering/cutting through it.

There is simply no substitute for 4 winter tires....no matter what conjecture you find.


lol, this thread is getting better every minute!

First off, you all are obviously kind and caring people to be so "concerned" about what tires I put on my car. But this is also another example of how threads are sometimes supported too much by "talk" and emotions and not enough by concrete facts and knowledge.

So again, I will bring more research to the table. The question at hand is are "rear tires different than fronts OK?" I think the first thing to address is, are different types of tires OK...

As I posted in the link above, Discount Tire, a reputable tire garage found across the nation, says, "For rear wheel drive vehicles it is acceptable to mount 2 winter tires on the rear axle only" (link (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.do?rcz=60527&rc=ILCINT)).

Interestingly enough, I've found today that Discount Tire Direct, which should be the online version of the same company, says on their website with almost the identical page, "For rear wheel drive vehicles it is recommended for the best traction and handling to use winter tires on all four positions" (link (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoWinterTireMounting.jsp)).

So I think we can agree that the same kind of tire on all 4 wheels is the BEST solution, but are tires of different tread on 2 of the wheels ACCEPTABLE? I believe the answer is yes. After all, since the 1950s people have been getting out their winter tires for the snowy season, and yes, just the back two only, for their rear-wheel drive vehicles. If we start talking about front-wheel drive, it's a whole new game: same tires on all 4 are a must.

Canada's Safety Council (yes, a land that gets more snow that I do), has information about Winter Tires: "...the traditional wisdom from the days when almost all vehicles were rear wheel drive (RWD), was to mount two snow tires for winter driving on the drive wheels. The rationale was that this would provide the best forward traction.

However, the driving dynamics of FWD vehicles in conditions of poor traction are very different from those of RWD vehicles. Vehicles equipped with FWD need both linear (forward) traction, and lateral traction, particularly on the rear wheels, to prevent spin-out and loss of control.

For safe operation in snow, FWD vehicles should be equipped with four good snow tires — two on the front for linear traction, and two on the rear for lateral traction to control skid and spin-out" (link (http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/snowtires.html)).

Then again, a company like TireRack.com that SELLS tires doesn't even distinguish between the obvious differences in the physics of a FWD car vs. RWD car: "Every one of our tire manufacturers and 7 out of 10 vehicle manufacturers recommend four winter tires be used on rear wheel, front wheel or four wheel drive vehicles. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you'll have a vehicle that has a "split" personality..." (link (http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=120#y4)).

Concerning different tire [I]sizes[I], I did mention the idea of doing, as Qsilver7 said, a "'reverse' staggered set up," as opposed to mounting regular-sized 225-60-15 winter tires in the rear so front and back would be the same size. This is not ideal, but is what my situation would be if I were to install thinner snow tires (known for better snow/ice traction). Again, consider physics: the rears are merely propelling you forward, while the front wheels are steering. So in effect, steering should feel just the same with wider tires in front only than wide tires all the way around.

[Brandon J]

Okay, I am sorry but swenpro where are you going. It is obvious that 4 matching tires is always the best option, no other alternative unless it is an emergency situation or absolutely zero funds. Even staggered set-ups should use the same type tires all around. Now, if you are talking about snow tires as you were leading this thread, then get all four. It's not just about moving, the tires affect the handling, turning, and braking. Lets see, everyone here says get 4 snow tires and all of us with first hand experience over years and years....hmm get it. It noy only saves tread life on your other tires, it also will save you money by helping avoid accidents. I use 4 225/55 16s Dunlop M2s and they are great as well as very very sporty. I also place a sandbag in the trunk. I don't think this type of thread needs a poll next time. Good luck with the 5in of snow coming. It is night and day when installing 4 snow tires. You could always go your own way and just use 2.

[swenpro]

"Lets see, everyone here says get 4 snow tires and all of us with first hand experience over years and years....hmm get it." Well, my dad would have called that mouthing off, but I get the point... I believe it's rather obvious that everyone here is in favor of the 4 winter tire setup, hence one of the reasons why I'm playing devil's advocate to really understand why I need to get 4 snow tires and not just 2. Thank you those of you who actually laid out reasons why 4 is important over 2 due to the laws of physics, not "it's not safe and your gonna kill some people!" This kind of more technical discussion helps me make a better decision on installing winter tires. Scott, I especially appreciated your response talking about 1, 2, and 3 functions. Here's some more literature I found today that seems to back up what you've said to a tee:

"Rear Wheel Drive Vehicles Many people think that winter tires on the rear will solve the acceleration problem in ice and snow and that's good enough. But getting your vehicle to accelerate is just half the battle; you still need to stop! The majority of braking is done with the front brakes, and failing to put the proper traction on the front of the vehicle can have disastrous consequences. Also keep in mind that steering is the sole function of the front tires, with insufficient traction it's like not being able to firmly grasp the steering wheel.

How confident would you feel, now that you know this, if you were equipped with only rear winter tires, driving on snow or ice at 45 mph and you suddenly had to brake and swerve to avoid trouble? Chances are you could not stop and turn in time" (source (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterFAQ.dos)).

While I still maintain that mounting 2 winter tires on the rear only for a RWD car is acceptable and has been done for decades (again, see this (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.dos)), I do see the merit in opting for the BEST solution, which we all agree is identical winter tires on all 4 wheels. In this case I would definitely go for the 205mm width that cuts the snow/ice better than a stock 225mm width.

I'll let you all know what I decide soon. Thanks for your inputs, as I've learned a lot from researching/hearing your opinions.


btw Brandon, I don't know what you mean by "I don't think this type of thread needs a poll next time", as that has been one of the best indicators to me of what the general opinion is. I am, however, interested in how well that sandbag helps for traction? thanks

[632 Regal]

Hey Ed, can I call anyone a retard or is that bad too?

[dacoyote]

Hey Ed, can I call anyone a retard or is that bad too?

I will do it...

swenpro,
While I am glad that you don't live in the same city as I do, there are some cool people up in the windy city.

Your BMW has a good enough 50/50 unlike a pos american car that you don't need it. Your staggered tire setup is going to create you a collection of issues.

I wish you the best of luck... but it doesn't change the fact that you are being a retard over something that will save you a **** load of money when it keeps you outa the wall... or another car....

[swenpro]

... and here I thought we were having a decent discussion about something I'm quite sure not everyone has considered. On the other hand, some of you people are unbelievable. If you bothered to read my last post you would have seen what I will post again:

"While I still maintain that mounting 2 winter tires on the rear only for a RWD car is acceptable and has been done for decades (again, see this (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/winterTireInstallation.dos)), I do see the merit in opting for the BEST solution, which we all agree is identical winter tires on all 4 wheels. In this case I would definitely go for the 205mm width that cuts the snow/ice better than a stock 225mm width.

I'll let you all know what I decide soon. Thanks for your inputs, as I've learned a lot from researching/hearing your opinions."

As you see above I am probably NOT going to do a reverse staggered setup (merely a thought I had tossed into the wind) nor will I be mounting only 2 winter tires. Now after re-reading this more carefully, I hope you'll reconsider your rash statements. I am having a legitimate discussion--if that makes me an uncool person in the windy city, so it be.