Finns, Swedes, Norse and Canadian opinions needed

[Ross]

What do the experts of winter driving use for tire pressures in snow?

[BMWDriver]

As spec, meaning what shows in the door sills. I just have excellent tires, slow it down, brake ahead of usual, and shift gears earlier when it snows alot. When it spins alot on start, starting in second is even better, and ease up on the throttle to lessen the spin and to regain better grip. Otherwise the snow melts under the tire and the spinning only gets worse, or goes on longer than necessary.

Getting out of a parking snowed mess requires going forward and backwards subsequently and keeping the car going making it rock forwards and back, then sensibly step on it until cleared. The technique is to make a path that will let you gain enough momentum to get out.

I have a lot of fun with these situations !

[timandbim]

this is my first winter with it but after a few setups i'm using 35psi all round on skinny 205/65/15 Nokkians and have i think 20kg in the trunk. very very happy with my traction and steering - i plan on experimenting more. no expert here but i've driven through a lot of snow... definitely subscribing to this thread!

[Jehu]

Hey,here in New Hampshire we've had snow on the ground steady for over a month. Historic snow fall this year. I have all weather tires and spec pressure but of course am not foolish enough to go where I'm not sure I can pass. I won't go down a steep hill I know i'd have to go up again if its packed with snow but driving over mostly flat roads even packed with snow has been OK.

[repenttokyo]

Normal driving on roads, I use spec, 31-33 psi. I find the limited slip is really good in my car and I rarely if ever get stuck. Even ice racing, or winter rallying, I leave things at stock pressure to make sure I have the contact patch on the snow as it was designed to be. If you are in deeper snow consistently, you might want to try thinner tires, as they cut through the snow a bit better than an ultra wide tire.

[Espen]

I drive on snow about 4-5months a year.

Never really thought much about tire pressure.. somewhere between 28-32psi I guess.. I dont think it really matters that much. Whats more important is that the tires rubber is not gone hard, it needs to be elastic.

If you are using winter tires with "nails" it is not _that_ important as the nails are doing the job, not the rubber.

We often have races on icecovered lakes.
http://bilder.driftfun.com/albums/Hebbes-2006-03-05_tgr/IMG_3594.sized.jpg

Some are using the Rallye tires wich looks like this:
http://bilder.driftfun.com/albums/Hebbes-2006-03-05_tgr/IMG_3254.sized.jpg

Here it is important to have much air in the tire, so that you dont ruin the nails.

(sorry for spamming with pics)

[Ross]

That looks like a blast. I love driving in low grip conditions. Putting my good car in one of those races would be a hard thing to do.
One time I drove on frozen lake and was spinning and tossing my passengers all over the car. It was great fun until a bunch of ice fishermen got upset with me.

[repenttokyo]

It is a lot of fun - we race on the Lachine Canal, the only thing that makes it risky are the white frozen Buoys, those can quickly ruin your day :o

[Mr._Graybeard]

That looks like a blast. I love driving in low grip conditions. Putting my good car in one of those races would be a hard thing to do.
One time I drove on frozen lake and was spinning and tossing my passengers all over the car. It was great fun until a bunch of ice fishermen got upset with me.

Since you're in Chicago, maybe you'd like to participate in the ice trials these guys put on : http://www.w-a-g.org/ They tentatively had a trial set up for Sunday, weather permitting (conditions look pretty good to me).

When I was driving an Audi a few years ago, I was out there for most of the trials. I'm not going to make it this weekend but hope to do so once or twice next month.

[timandbim]

It is a lot of fun - we race on the Lachine Canal, the only thing that makes it risky are the white frozen Buoys, those can quickly ruin your day :o

I totally want to see that!

[Ross]

Closer than Road America even! Can any bonehead(me)participate?

[Mr._Graybeard]

Closer than Road America even! Can any bonehead(me)participate?


Yep, it's open to all comers, although they have put a limit on registration some weekends when advance signup suggests turnout could get too big to handle. They try to ensure that everybody gets a decent number of runs -- I don't recall ever getting less than five, plus a couple practice turns. You can sign up online in advance to ensure you have a number when you get there. And don't forget to bring your helmet!

[Claude]

What do the experts of winter driving use for tire pressures in snow?

- Important to keep them at recommanded pressure (the ones near the door step) what ever the season (winter or summer), as temp. may change a lot within winter season that have an impact of a couple of psi on the tires pressure, so you must check and readjust it from time to time. The idea of less pressure on winter tires to have better traction is wrong.

- Important to have good real winter tires on 4 wheels, all season one's not good enough. If you are in real bad winter conditions (ice, heavy slush...) most of the time then studded tires will be the best.

- the way to drive is also very important, as some one mentioned previously, go easy on the gas, try to evoid wheels spinning if you don't want to stay where you are !

[Ross]

Thanks for the responses. Standard pressures it is and has been for the past36 Chicago winters. I was just wondering because I had heard some discussion were it was suggested to lower pressures. Didn't seem like a good idea.

[fin]

As 'Fin' and of Nordic lineage, I am an expert, whatever my answer is!!!!

One thing that I've found annoying is the ASC system. It will keep you going in a straight line once at speed. But if you are going slow and uphill or trying to 'rock' your way out of even the slightest depression, your RPM's will limit out at around one grand. In other words, you can't move or make progress because your car doesn't want you to have your rear wheels going faster than the fronts.

So turn off your ASC and enjoy sliding around and 'rocking' out. Turn it back on when you are playing with others in traffic.

Or put in a LSD and neuter the ASC.

Skoal!
('May you drink from the skull of your enemies' for you non-Nordic's)

Fin

[ringle]

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?rn=222561&cl=6020826&ch=222562

[Bo525i]

What do the experts of winter driving use for tire pressures in snow?

2.3 front 2.6 rear..
Mind you that it has´nt really been snowing here in southern sweden but the winterwheels are on.. just in case :)

[tim eh?]

this thread needs a seasonal bump imo

i still say 35psi all-round, i find it is the best.... certainly do not underinflate or you will wipe out big-time!

[Bo525i]

Door sill spec!

[ryan roopnarine]

you decrease to between 13-16 psi to get unstuck from swamp mud or flooded out lawns:D

[Jehu]

When you hold the ASC button down till the light goes out doesn't it change to only the braking function of the system leaving the engine RPM as if ASC=Off so you get all the normal engine power available?

[bubba966]

When you hold the ASC button down till the light goes out doesn't it change to only the braking function of the system leaving the engine RPM as if ASC=Off so you get all the normal engine power available?

Yes. Holding the ASC button down until the light turns off (8-10 seconds or so) it disables the throttle control portion of the ASC, but leaves the braking function of the ASC intact (meaning it still applies the brake slightly to the wheel that's got less traction and is spinning).

You know you have it in this mode as pushing the ASC button no longer lights the ASC light in the dash, nor does it turn the modified ASC mode off.

Only way you can turn if off once in this mode is to shut the car off, and restart it. Then it goes back to normal.

I must say that the "snow" mode for the ASC works well. Nice to have it not cut the throttle. I use it whenever it's raining, or during this last week when we've had ice or snow/ice on all of the roads around here.