Winter Driving
12-16-2004, 01:52 PM
#26
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Location: Middletown CT
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Our first 1/8" snowfall (mid-November) caught me by surprise. I skidded helplessly through one intersection at 10mph with the ABS pumping madly - and uselessly. If there's a snowflake within 5 miles the stock tires curl up in a little, fetal ball screaming, "NO! NO! NO!" 
Our second snowfall (last week) caught me by surprise again. (Okay, okay, I'm a schmuck!) The 1.5 hour drive home was terrifying. The stock tires are even worse than useless, by far the worst I've experienced on any vehicle in 34 years of driving. DSC? Hah! When there's zero traction it doesn't matter how well your drivetrain is regulated.
Benedick's "low torque/higher gear" tip was spot on. If I didn't already know that from years of RX-7's my 8 would have been crushed. Climbing gradual hills with an inch of snow was impossible if engine revs got above 2500. I drove for over an hour with the tach between 1500 and 2500. Any higher and the rear end instantly decided it was going to lead the way.
Do NOT drive on snow with the stock tires, ever. (So says the schmuck!) If I didn't have alot of experience driving in bad conditions I would have ditched the car or smashed into someone at the first spin. One second I was travelling up a slight incline on a straight road. Next second the car was beyond 45 degrees, no warning, faster than you can blink. Since I'm naturally slow (have I mentioned I'm a schmuck?) I didn't over-react. Calm countersteering and very delicate throttle modulation is the only reason my car's still in one piece.
She's staying in the garage on all but sunny days. That's why I kept my 12 year old Cherokee. He's actually fun on snow days.
Jeep + Blizzaks = Zoom-Zoom on snow!
Our second snowfall (last week) caught me by surprise again. (Okay, okay, I'm a schmuck!) The 1.5 hour drive home was terrifying. The stock tires are even worse than useless, by far the worst I've experienced on any vehicle in 34 years of driving. DSC? Hah! When there's zero traction it doesn't matter how well your drivetrain is regulated.
Benedick's "low torque/higher gear" tip was spot on. If I didn't already know that from years of RX-7's my 8 would have been crushed. Climbing gradual hills with an inch of snow was impossible if engine revs got above 2500. I drove for over an hour with the tach between 1500 and 2500. Any higher and the rear end instantly decided it was going to lead the way.
Do NOT drive on snow with the stock tires, ever. (So says the schmuck!) If I didn't have alot of experience driving in bad conditions I would have ditched the car or smashed into someone at the first spin. One second I was travelling up a slight incline on a straight road. Next second the car was beyond 45 degrees, no warning, faster than you can blink. Since I'm naturally slow (have I mentioned I'm a schmuck?) I didn't over-react. Calm countersteering and very delicate throttle modulation is the only reason my car's still in one piece.
She's staying in the garage on all but sunny days. That's why I kept my 12 year old Cherokee. He's actually fun on snow days.
Jeep + Blizzaks = Zoom-Zoom on snow!
12-22-2004, 09:44 PM
#27
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thanks for all of the recommendations. I recently ordered Michelin Pilot Alpine PA2 17" tires and ASA JS! rims from Tirerack. So far they're carving right through the 4 " of snow that just fell here! Not only that but I think that the rims might actually look better than the stock rims.
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