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YACT: Can I mix winter tires with all season tires?

Freejack2

Freejack2

Diamond Member
I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE950's on my car right now. Great tire but it's snow traction rating is only 6.1 on tirerack and it does seem to show that on the road. I'd rather not spend $550 on 4 tires if I can help it.

Can I get away with just putting Blizzak WS-50's on the front 2 tires?
If so how much traction do I lose? Car is a subcompact fwd.
Thanks.
 
Tire salesmen usually don't recommend that. But that's probably just because they want to sell you 4 tires as opposed to 2. I've had friends put on only 2 tires and I don't think they had any problems.
 
Originally posted by: Freejack2
I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE950's on my car right now. Great tire but it's snow traction rating is only 6.1 on tirerack and it does seem to show that on the road. I'd rather not spend $550 on 4 tires if I can help it.

Can I get away with just putting Blizzak WS-50's on the front 2 tires?
If so how much traction do I lose? Car is a subcompact fwd.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't put ONLY two snow tires on the front.

Think about what happens when you accelerate. Weight gets sfhited to teh back right? But since there's not much traction back there...the car will fishtail.

You lose a lot of stability when you only put two snows in the front and all seasons in the back.

Either use 4 all seasons or 4 snows.
 
RE950s on a subcompact? You have way too much tire for the car unless it's been modified for handling.

I run RE950s on my 924S and they are just fine in the snow. The TireRack rating is complete bull. The RE950s pulled me right through the 16 inches of snow that shut down my university last year without a problem.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: mAdD INDIAN
Originally posted by: Freejack2
I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE950's on my car right now. Great tire but it's snow traction rating is only 6.1 on tirerack and it does seem to show that on the road. I'd rather not spend $550 on 4 tires if I can help it.

Can I get away with just putting Blizzak WS-50's on the front 2 tires?
If so how much traction do I lose? Car is a subcompact fwd.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't put ONLY two snow tires on the front.

Think about what happens when you accelerate. Weight gets sfhited to teh back right? But since there's not much traction back there...the car will fishtail.

You lose a lot of stability when you only put two snows in the front and all seasons in the back.

Either use 4 all seasons or 4 snows.
Click to expand...
Then again, he's probably running FWD. In any event, how much better are snow tires at lateral grip than all-seasons, in the snow? The treads don't really get to bite into the snow...
 
I've read that all one or all the other is the way to go. I generally just run all-seasons for, um, all seasons 😕 🙂

Are you in Minnesota or something and expecting mucho snow, or just trying for better traction
 
Yep, the car is FWD. The car has traction control and ABS. So basically I shouldn't mix snows with my RE950's?
 
Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: mAdD INDIAN
Originally posted by: Freejack2
I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE950's on my car right now. Great tire but it's snow traction rating is only 6.1 on tirerack and it does seem to show that on the road. I'd rather not spend $550 on 4 tires if I can help it.

Can I get away with just putting Blizzak WS-50's on the front 2 tires?
If so how much traction do I lose? Car is a subcompact fwd.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't put ONLY two snow tires on the front.

Think about what happens when you accelerate. Weight gets sfhited to teh back right? But since there's not much traction back there...the car will fishtail.

You lose a lot of stability when you only put two snows in the front and all seasons in the back.

Either use 4 all seasons or 4 snows.
Click to expand...
Then again, he's probably running FWD. In any event, how much better are snow tires at lateral grip than all-seasons, in the snow? The treads don't really get to bite into the snow...
Click to expand...

It does't matter if its only FWD, you should never only have snows on the front. Think about when you brake, wegiht gets shifted forward right? Now if there's no traction in the rear, the rear end may rotate since its hot holding down. Its hard to explain, but you have to try it. Same whe you aceerate, weight gets shifted back, but there's no traction.

Snow tires have CRAZY lateral grip in the snow. Atleast the Hakka1s I have. The car will awlays track a straight line..even in the snow ruts. Hell, it made the 240SX track straight.

THat's what sold me on snows...the way it transformed the 240sx into a winter beast. Did the same to teh Maxima too. I dont even bother showvelling the driveway sometimes (well now I have to since Camry is on all seasons)..but otherwise..when we only had hte Max..I just let it be. Its awesome on ice too.
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
RE950s on a subcompact? You have way too much tire for the car unless it's been modified for handling.

I run RE950s on my 924S and they are just fine in the snow. The TireRack rating is complete bull. The RE950s pulled me right through the 16 inches of snow that shut down my university last year without a problem.

ZV
Click to expand...

Your 924S has an LSD, correct? That is why you got through.
 
Originally posted by: gogeeta13
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
RE950s on a subcompact? You have way too much tire for the car unless it's been modified for handling.

I run RE950s on my 924S and they are just fine in the snow. The TireRack rating is complete bull. The RE950s pulled me right through the 16 inches of snow that shut down my university last year without a problem.

ZV
Click to expand...

Your 924S has an LSD, correct? That is why you got through.
Click to expand...


Well sometimes LSD can cause more harm than good, especially in the snow. Say one wheel is slipping so power is sent to toher wheel. Well that mwheel may get traction just as it hits a snow rut, causing it to move laterally. This may cause the car to suddenly fishtail.

But generally, its ok.

Also the car's setup is much more important. A Miata or a 240SX is much more netural and balanced, then say, a MR2.
 
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