Snow/winter tires & driving (long, sorry)

[sad_rocc at yahoo.com (Dan Smith)]

Speaking of that, what's the narrowest I can go on a set of 13" tarantulas? There's someone in town here selling a set of 4 very good snow tires for like $100 but they're 165/70/13. I checked my collection of 13" rims and I have 185 and 175 width tires, but no 165.
 
Dan

ATS - Patrick Bureau <txrocco@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
remember one important thing..

summer tire you want wide tires... (more rubber on the asphalt = better
traction
winter time you want thinner tires..( more rubber = less traction in snow,
thinner tires track better on snow)

I am sure someone will disagree here. but this is from 32 years of Candian
winters (ie: average snowfall of over 18 feet/8 months)


ATS - Patrick Bureau - txrocco@sbcglobal.net
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=>-----Original Message-----
=>From: scirocco-l-bounces@scirocco.org
=>[mailto:scirocco-l-bounces@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Kent McLean
=>Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 5:54 AM
=>To: T. Reed; scirocco-l@scirocco.org
=>Subject: Re: Snow/winter tires & driving (long, sorry)
=>
=>
=>T. Reed went on and on about snow tires:
=>> So, I'm thinking about buying a set of snow tires and I would
=>appreciate
=>> some advice from those with experience (both using snow tires and
=>driving
=>> in the snow)
=>
=>For occasional snow, you probably don't need real snow
=>tires. All-season tires should suffice. Just make sure they
=>have lots of tread left. If they're worn down to the warning
=>bars, they will be useless in snow.
=>
=>> What's the deal with studs?
=>
=>Good on ice, but not really necessary if you slow down
=>and drive with care.
=>
=>> Thinner tires do better in snow, right? But of course have worse
=>traction
=>> when dry..
=>
=>Correct. But not really a factor if you stick to standard
=>sizes on your rims.
=>
=>> I've been drifting around some crushed-gravel roads (don't worry, I'm
=>> being extra careful not to harm my 'baby') at high speeds trying to
=>get a
=>> feel for controlling the car with less than perfect traction.
=>
=>That's the best thing -- experience. Wait until it snows.
=>Then find an empty, unplowed parking lot and drive
=>around it. Feel how much traction you have taking
=>off from a stop (spin those wheels!). Start off in 2nd
=>and feel the difference; you'll probably be less likely
=>to spin your wheels. Get up to speed (which on snow
=>may be just 10-20 mph) and slam on your brakes;
=>you'll skid. Do it again but gently apply your brakes;
=>get a feel for when you skid and when you don't.
=>Get up to speed again and make a 90 degree turn.
=>Did you plow straight when you turned the wheel?
=>You carried too much speed into the turn (that is,
=>you didn't have enough traction). Try again, but
=>make the turn more gentle. Try again, but give it gas
=>when you turn. Try again, but give it some brakes
=>when you turn. For some real fun, try again but
=>pull up on the hand brake (keep the release button
=>pressed in) while turning. The rear end should kick
=>out and help you complete the turn. Keep playing
=>in the snow until you get comfortable with it. Then
=>your fears will disappear. The only thing I fear in
=>snow is the other idiots on the road.
=>
=>If you are really paranoid about snow, sell the
=>Scirocco and look for an Audi quattro. You should
=>be able to pick up a mid-80s 4000 with quattro for
=>under $1000. You can window shop here:
=>http://www.audifans.com/marketplace/view.php?table=cars&type=true
=>And being from the VW family, the mechanicals
=>should look familiar, especially the 4-cylinder engine.
=>
=>Kent
=>35 years of driving in snow, with front-engine-rear-drive
=>(Austin-Healeys, MGs, Miata), rear-engine-rear-drive
=>(air-cooled VW Beetle), front-engine-front-drive (Hondas,
=>Fords), and the best for snow, front-engine-all-wheel-drive
=>(Audi 200).
=>
=>
=>
=>_______________________________________________
=>Scirocco-l mailing list
=>Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
=>http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l


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