Driving techniques w snow tires to save tread?

jaywbigred · Dec 15, 2010

Ok, tonight my mechanic is mounting & balancing my new snow tires on the extra wheels I bought on Craigslist, and putting them on the Pathfinder.

I have never driven with snow tires before. Is there anything I need to know? Is there anything special I should avoid doing to preserve tread? Does it matter, tread wise, that the Pathfinder is generally in rear wheel drive when the conditions are dry?

drjeff · Dec 15, 2010

You'll be filling the pathfinder up more often, that's for sure

Geoff · Dec 15, 2010

The more mellow you can drive, the longer your tires will last. If you do a lot of highway driving, off ramps will cause most of your tread wear if you tend to go into them hot.

mondeo · Dec 15, 2010

When it's snowing, while approaching a turn, gently steer away from the turn, immediately followed by steering into the turn while lifting off the gas and braking slightly. Once the car breaks loose, apply a dab of oppo while controling turn radius with the throttle. Towards corner exit, the car should be going in about the correct direction, straighten up the steering and ease of the throttle.

This method has given me the longest life with snows.

billski · Dec 15, 2010

I try to take them off as soon as is reasonable in the spring to save them, improve mileage and reduce noise.

One thing my wife always forgets, is that because of the softer rubber, they sometimes will squeal on tight turns, such as in a parking garage.

Hawkshot99 · Dec 15, 2010

Big smokey burnouts make them last forever!

mondeo · Dec 15, 2010

billski said:
I try to take them off as soon as is reasonable in the spring to save them, improve mileage and reduce noise.

One thing my wife always forgets, is that because of the softer rubber, they sometimes will squeal on tight turns, such as in a parking garage.

Not the rubber's fault, it's the sipes. Less tread stability=more squeeling.

bigbog · Dec 15, 2010

Try braking gradually(as said) before you turn the steering wheel...once the turn has been started ease off the brake pedal....as much a glide as reasonably possible. Think mondeo was eluding to this...

wa-loaf · Dec 15, 2010

bigbog said:
Think mondeo was eluding to this...

Actually I think he was giving instructions on how to power slide through a turn ...

from_the_NEK · Dec 15, 2010

mondeo said:
When it's snowing, while approaching a turn, gently steer away from the turn, immediately followed by steering into the turn while lifting off the gas and braking slightly. Once the car breaks loose, apply a dab of oppo while controling turn radius with the throttle. Towards corner exit, the car should be going in about the correct direction, straighten up the steering and ease of the throttle.

This method has given me the longest life with snows.

Kind of like this...

mondeo · Dec 15, 2010

wa-loaf said:
Actually I think he was giving instructions on how to power slide through a turn ...

It's called a Scandanvian Flick. Or Finnish Flick for those in an alliterative mood.

from_the_NEK · Dec 15, 2010

I prefer the "Swedish Swerve". :spin:

darent · Dec 15, 2010

emergency avoidence procedure in snow or ice-- lock up wheels,turn steering wheel in direction you want to go, take foot off brake, this move is done in a rapid sequence as many times as needed, works on black ice. it is a procedure that will work with antilock brakes also. take care in deeper snow, one time maybe enough to jump front of car to direction desired. this is best practiced in a snowy parking lot to get the feel of this procedure

smitty77 · Dec 15, 2010

mondeo said:
It's called a Scandanvian Flick. Or Finnish Flick for those in an alliterative mood.

As taught by Mika Hakkinen to James May of Top Gear:

If you're a Finn, driving sideways is in your blood.

Geoff · Dec 15, 2010

mondeo said:
It's called a Scandanvian Flick. Or Finnish Flick for those in an alliterative mood.

I recommend using that technique at the 90 degree turn at the Mobil station in Woodstock.

mondeo · Dec 15, 2010

Geoff said:
I recommend using that technique at the 90 degree turn at the Mobil station in Woodstock.

Worst I have to worry about is Plymouth. There aren't sharp enough turns in that town.

riverc0il · Dec 15, 2010

I find snow tires tend to feel a little "softer" when cornering hard. So I just go slower into corners that I might normally be accelerating into. I guess they can feel a little bit more "floaty" in the wheel for lack of better wording? The softer material is definitely much less precise, I guess you could say.

mondeo · Dec 15, 2010

riverc0il said:
I find snow tires tend to feel a little "softer" when cornering hard. So I just go slower into corners that I might normally be accelerating into. I guess they can feel a little bit more "floaty" in the wheel for lack of better wording? The softer material is definitely much less precise, I guess you could say.

Sipes, sipes, sipes. It's not the rubber, it's that the tread design itself is less stiff. Which makes it squirm.

A bald winter tire won't feel that much different than a bald summer tire; if anything, it'll have better grip when bald.

bvibert · Dec 16, 2010

mondeo said:
Sipes, sipes, sipes. It's not the rubber, it's that the tread design itself is less stiff. Which makes it squirm.

A bald winter tire won't feel that much different than a bald summer tire; if anything, it'll have better grip when bald.

Why are you so insistent that snow tires couldn't possibly have different rubber compounds? Are you saying that all tires are made up of exactly the same kind rubber and that only the tread design differs??

billski · Dec 16, 2010

bvibert said:
Why are you so insistent that snow tires couldn't possibly have different rubber compounds? Are you saying that all tires are made up of exactly the same kind rubber and that only the tread design differs??

This wiki article asserts winter tires use a softer rubber compound.

Driving techniques w snow tires to save tread?

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