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Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2022 7:31 pm
by kevink
What more can you really do besides snow tires and weight in the trunk? You can't expect miracles. Limited slip actually helps traction in the snow since you don't just sit there spinning the one wheel that's on snow or ice.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 8:35 pm
by CapriceX2
jj55chevy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:43 am I do have winter tires on it now but the guy at Discount Tire said that what I have on there is the best I can get so in a nutshell these cars are pretty worthless in the winter.....mines going up for sale, I might as well have bought a Camaro
What do you have on it?
The change from the Goodyear ultragrips (which claim to be a snow tire) to the Michelin x-ice was drastic. My wife came home from town the other day and forgot that the snowstorm would leave the hill…difficult. Then she also forgot to get a run at it until she was almost on it. She said it got squirrelly when she first hit it but made it the rest of the way without spinning. She was very surprised how much difference GOOD snow tires can make.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:10 am
by lastcall190
I realize it had less power, but I went all in with my Crown Vic. Snow tires with studs, that car handled everything thrown at it. Yes the studs are loud but I never got stuck nor had any concerns about what was facing me that morning. As stated, snow tires and weight, that's about it. Had General Altimax Arctic tires, and have had them on all my cars that are driven in winter.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:38 am
by CapriceX2
I always wanted to try studded tires, but they are illegal here except for emergency vehicles, mail delivery, and out of state plates.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:57 am
by lastcall190
Yeah I was reticent and man are they loud but they proved themselves valuable time and time again. When I first drove off I realized that THIS was the sound the mail trucks always used to make.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:58 pm
by jj55chevy
kevink wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 7:31 pm What more can you really do besides snow tires and weight in the trunk? You can't expect miracles. Limited slip actually helps traction in the snow since you don't just sit there spinning the one wheel that's on snow or ice.
actually the limited slip hurts with the winter driving in the fact that it lets the car slide sideways....I have lived/driven in Minnesota all my life and have always preferred a typical non posi in the winter just to keep the ass end from swinging out. granted there are times when a posi is nice but if you have to depend on it you should have driven your truck.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 6:05 pm
by jj55chevy
CapriceX2 wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 8:35 pm
jj55chevy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:43 am I do have winter tires on it now but the guy at Discount Tire said that what I have on there is the best I can get so in a nutshell these cars are pretty worthless in the winter.....mines going up for sale, I might as well have bought a Camaro
What do you have on it?
The change from the Goodyear ultragrips (which claim to be a snow tire) to the Michelin x-ice was drastic. My wife came home from town the other day and forgot that the snowstorm would leave the hill…difficult. Then she also forgot to get a run at it until she was almost on it. She said it got squirrelly when she first hit it but made it the rest of the way without spinning. She was very surprised how much difference GOOD snow tires can make.
The tires I have are called Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 7:26 pm
by CapriceX2
Those are horrible in the snow. No wonder you aren’t happy.
Every one of my vehicles has limited slip or a locker. If they weren’t built with it, I added it myself. The difference in traction on some surfaces is extreme. Can it get tail happy? Sure. But an open diff can do that. I don’t see that as any kind of problem.

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 4:10 pm
by jj55chevy
CapriceX2 wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 7:26 pm Those are horrible in the snow. No wonder you aren’t happy.
Every one of my vehicles has limited slip or a locker. If they weren’t built with it, I added it myself. The difference in traction on some surfaces is extreme. Can it get tail happy? Sure. But an open diff can do that. I don’t see that as any kind of problem.
I am willing to bet that a posi is going to get a lot more "tail happy" than a non posi on a cloverleaf

Re: Winter handling/traction

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:54 am
by Pursuit
I grew up in the hills and bluffs of the Missouri River near Omaha, NE. Always had rear wheal drive vehicles. With good snow tires and some weight in the trunk, very seldom got stuck. Never stranded. I actually just purchased my first 4X4 after 45 years of driving. Only because it was rust free and low miles. It is parked for the winter. ;) Gentle rocking and easy throttle application always got me out of struck situations. I always liked having a posi out back. I did find that under acceleration around a corner, a posi would cause the steering tires to "push" on snow covered roads.

Maurice