I'm interested in more of a snow tire versus ice, I'd also like to hear anyone opinion on the best snow/slush tire. I'm thinking M3's I was going to go with the blizzack revo's but they sound like they are a little lacking for deep snow and slush. I'll be on the lakes ice fishing, really snow/slush is more of a problem the ice will be for ice fishing. I know everyone is going to jump in a say Nokians but can I drive anywhere and get them installed, they seem like a pita to get, and they are considerably mroe expensive than others like $30+ a tire, and I'm not sure they are worth the extra money and hassle.
well i know first hand that the revo 1s totally dominate on the ice. i have heard they are no good on pavement though. i dont know much about the blizzacks or dunlops. I am personaly going to be running nokains this winter. you just missed out on the group buy for the nokains. Mike Wray is ordering a whole bunch of these are bargain prices and will be mounting/balancing them at his shop. http://www.mnsubaru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12803 if you hurry you might be able to squeek in, he isnt placing the order till after he gets back from LSPR.
I have a set of M3s and they kick butt in deep snow just as long as you don't completly stop, or sit on top of it. If that happens, I don't think any tire would help. The M3s do lack a little bit on the ice but are very exceptional for slush and heavy rain. I believe it has to do with the way the M3 channels water and slush compared to other winter tires that are more focused on ice grip. I am amazed that the M3s don't handle like a snow tire, but more like decent set of summer tires on dry pavement. The side walls are a little soft, but hey they aren't ment to be stiff. I paid about $400 for the set and i'm very happy with the performance and comfort of these.
Yeah I seen it, but $100 extra to run the just seems like a lot more, assuming I ran the stock size. m3's which people seem to like are 110 or so a tire, compared to the nokains, I'm not sure it's really worth the extra money, not sure I'll be able to find anyone who has tried the two back to back.
Blizzak Revo 1 all the way. I've driven on Blizzak WS 50s, rode (and competed against) Hakkapelitas and Dunlop M3s and I drove 2 winters on Dunlop Winter Sport M2s; the Revos are better than anything I've ever experienced in winter. They are also the best winter tires the Tire Rack has ever tested. They are comparable in the dry to the M2s, which are speed rated, Porshe Approved winter tires, and provide TONS more grip in the snow and ice. On a snow packed road the traction I get is similar to driving on summer tires in a gravel road; the car will get down and accelerate while everyone else spins tires. I came 1st in a rallycross with them, and I didn't get stuck one single time all winter last year. I wouldn't consider driving on anything else.
I second the revo 1's. I got mine last year when they were new so there weren't a whole bunch of reviews on them. They're only ok on pavement, certainly not close to a summer tire, but that's to be expected. On snow and ice they absoutely dominate. I don't think I'll ever buy another snow tire and I have driven most types (WS blizzaks and Hakkas) here is some really good information: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=65
So you guys really think the revos are better on snow than the dunlop m3? I know for a fact they are the best on ice, but I need to be able to get myslef through deep snow without getting stuck.
well, i didnt go snow rallying every day in them, but never once worried about snow getting me stuck when I was driving around either.
I *KNOW* the revos are better on snow than the Dunlop M3s because the Dunlop M3 is a speed rated snow tire; it compromises snow and ice traction in order to improve road handling when its dry.
Well the revo's are on order, I hope to have them buy tuesday sometime, pretty sweet deal, discount tire matched tirerack's price so they are something like $116 a tire. Saved myself $60
I did pretty good with my BALD all-seasons at the lake while ice fishing. I know that any tire with thread is better than a bald one. When I am looking for tires, I pay attention to the tread pattern. I believe the BLOCKY style is right for me, IMO. Look at rally tires and you'll understand. BUT FOR STREET, they make the tread pattern to suit the street roads. This is why some snow tires do better in some situations than others. I've only been toying with all-season tires so far. I've had a chance to test out some summer tires, but that's about it.
Well I got the tires put on today, a bit earlier than I'd really want to for snow tires, but I needed to replace the passenger front tire, so I didn't have much choice. first overall impression, yup these are snow tires, and I'm not drinking anything before I drive, the car seems to really want to wander around in the lane now, tires are squishy, high speed cornerning I swear is cartoon like, tires flexing way out to the side, but they really seem to hold the road. They take a considerablly more attention to drive, from everything I've read this is normal for snow tires. I'm sure pressure has some part to do with it, discount tire only put 32#'s in them, I'm going up to 40#'s today. Bring on the snow
Driving with snow tires on dry roads... Alignment plays a big part. Snow tires grip and shed snow by utilizing very soft rubber, so there is no way around the "lose" feeling on the road; the thread blocks will always flex and squirm and make the car feel slightly wobbly and disconnected. The only way around that would be to purchase tires that are more focused on dry road driving, and thus give up ultimate snow an ice traction. That said, you can maximise your snow traction and help dry cornering by playing with the alignment a bit. With summer tires the grip available causes the car to roll, forcing the tire to ride on its outside edge. To counter that cars come from the factory aligned with negative camber, and competitive drivers will add even more negative camber in order to improve cornering. In winter it is not possible to grip the road as hard, thus your car won't roll as much (the traction just isn't there), so you can maintain a larger tire contact patch on the road by utilizing less negative cambr. I run -1.5 degrees in front, -1 degree in summer and -1 degree all around in winter. It works wonderfully. I also set my Whiteline 18 - 22mm rear adjustable swaybar to its softest setting, giving the car mild understeer characteristics that are easily over ridden with the slight application of throttle. This winter I intend on running -0.75 degrees all around.
