Driving in the snow?
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iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 109
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From: Kansas City, MO
Driving in the snow? Not exactly my forum here, but I figured you guys would know best.
I'm in Kansas City, and we have hot summers and cold, snowy winters. I'd like to know if it's actually possible to drive an FBody in the winter... I've got z06 wheels (275-40-17) but I doubt these'll get me anywhere. My normal commute should just be a normally 5 minutes drive both ways.
So what do you all do in the snow? Can any of you actually get your cars anywhere?
By the way, my car is stock height. However, there is some intercooler piping sitting about 4 inches off the ground.
I'm in Kansas City, and we have hot summers and cold, snowy winters. I'd like to know if it's actually possible to drive an FBody in the winter... I've got z06 wheels (275-40-17) but I doubt these'll get me anywhere. My normal commute should just be a normally 5 minutes drive both ways.
So what do you all do in the snow? Can any of you actually get your cars anywhere?
By the way, my car is stock height. However, there is some intercooler piping sitting about 4 inches off the ground.
i used to drive my 88 in the snow, it was a death trap if there was anything more than a dusting. The 88 only had 225's for tires, so i can only imagine how bad 275's will be. (in snow, narrow is better for cutting down to the pavement)
I got myself a cheap old Jeep for a beater in preparation for getting my Firehawk. I refuse to let the new car be my only car since road salt, and mall parking lots are out to destroy my baby
it will stay pure and virginal forever 
i only paid $3200 for the jeep and the insurance for it is cheap, so i think its a worthwile investment to protect your real investment. you could find a beater for cheaper if you look... but of course you get what you pay for
I got myself a cheap old Jeep for a beater in preparation for getting my Firehawk. I refuse to let the new car be my only car since road salt, and mall parking lots are out to destroy my baby
it will stay pure and virginal forever i only paid $3200 for the jeep and the insurance for it is cheap, so i think its a worthwile investment to protect your real investment. you could find a beater for cheaper if you look... but of course you get what you pay for
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 465
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From: Edgewood, MD
The WS6 and the Firehawk have both been driven in the snow on stock size tires. (They're both daily driver cars.) Just take it easy...don't be stupid about what you're doing with it and if the snow is too deep, don't bother trying.
i live on top of a hill so that was my only problem in the winter. sometimes i made it, sometimes i didnt. i even made it up one time and passed a mitsubishi that got stuck. i would slide around and pass stop signs but i never hit anything thank God. i now have a winter beater though. i kinda needed it though for towing trailers and work, but it was my best move. insurance is cheap on it too. its a 95 isuzu rodeo by the way.
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Launching!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 289
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From: Wallingford, CT
The answer is tires, tires, and tires.
With all season tires or snows people have been driving rwd cars for years. With summer only tires, my 4wd Eagle (best snow car I ever drove) Talon was a death trap. With 4 season tires, it inspires stupid confidence.
400, 500 hp cars are driven in the snow, its just the tires.
That's it, that's the story.
The end
With all season tires or snows people have been driving rwd cars for years. With summer only tires, my 4wd Eagle (best snow car I ever drove) Talon was a death trap. With 4 season tires, it inspires stupid confidence.
400, 500 hp cars are driven in the snow, its just the tires.
That's it, that's the story.
The end
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Here is how I get around in the winter, it's a 96 chevy blazer. It's perfect, I picked it up for only $4k and I couldn't care less if it gets salt on it. I can dent it, crash it and beat it to death, thats what a beater is for. And this thing is very cheap to maintain, insure and fix when you do break it. For a couple grand you can save yourself a lot of trouble. I tried driving my first T/A in the winter, and I'll never do it again.
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
I drive my f-body every winter here in MA with a set of Blizzak WS-50 Winter Tires on a set of 16" steel wheels. I bought it as a set mounted, balanced, and shipped to my door from TireRack.
Last edited by VIP1; Jul 8, 2005 at 10:50 PM.
i drive my WS6 in the winters and i only had 1 problem this year but i ran bald 315s and only had a hard time one timebut i still got home it just took along time
with good tread and some patience you can drive your f body no problem
with good tread and some patience you can drive your f body no problem
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
The only downside to the blizzaks is that they only last 2 or 3 winter seasons. Mine are 3 winters old (I only use them in the winter) and they are past the "winter" wear bars. One tire is also into the "normal" wear bar. They are soft tires. I intend to get new ones for next winter, these are done. Then again I was putting 15k+ miles a year on my car so after 3 winter searsons thats about 15-20K miles on these tires. That sounds short, but that is because they are soft. They even stay soft in really cold weather. Their soft compound and great tread pattern make them great tires in the snow. I get better traction and confidence in the snow with these than FWD cars with all-searson tires.
The ones I have are Blizzak WS-50.
They are a "Studdless Ice and Snow" tire.
There is another model with a longer tread life and higher speed rating, but that is at the expense of some snow/ice traction. In the snow/ice, I care more about traction and confidence than speed ratings and long tread life. That is why I have the WS-50 and intend to get them again.
The ones I have are Blizzak WS-50.
They are a "Studdless Ice and Snow" tire.
There is another model with a longer tread life and higher speed rating, but that is at the expense of some snow/ice traction. In the snow/ice, I care more about traction and confidence than speed ratings and long tread life. That is why I have the WS-50 and intend to get them again.
Last edited by VIP1; Jul 9, 2005 at 11:40 PM.