The Winter's Coming Winter Tires Thread - Page 50 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Chill Cosby · 10-27-2014, 04:50 PM

Interesting. Thanks for the responses.

I was on the track of downsizing myself, but I also wanted some decent rims (not the basic steel ones) because I'm fancy like that. The guy at Kal-Tire (I've just got to have Nokians) suggested that I'd be better off just grabbing a set of winter tires for my current stock rims and investing a little more in the summer for rims to go with my current set of tires.

That all made sense to me if I wasn't going to be downsizing, which he said didn't impact the performance of the tire.

Is this a matter of optimal tweaking and slight differences? Or is a 235/40 18" going to significantly under-perform against a 215/50 17" or 215/55 16"?

Madman · 10-28-2014, 07:31 AM

If you downsize, make sure your brake calipers will still fit the new diameter wheels.

darklord700 · 10-28-2014, 09:55 AM

I'm planning a road trip to Vancover and ultimately to San Francisco around Xmas. My car already has winter tires on but would you take off the winters and put back the all season for this road trip?

ken0042 · 10-28-2014, 09:59 AM

[Edit- I missed going to Van first.]
How long are you going to be in San Fran, and what route are you taking? Also check out the weather forecast.

If it's going to be no higher than 15 and going for less than 2 weeks, leave winters on.
If it's going to be no higher than 20 and going for less than 1 week, leave winters on.
If going through BC, leave winters on.

darklord700 · 10-28-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

[Edit- I missed going to Van first.]

If it's going to be no higher than 20 and going for less than 1 week, leave winters on.
If going through BC, leave winters on.

Will stay in SF for less than a week and will go through BC, so I better leave the winters on. Thanks.

burn_this_city · 10-28-2014, 12:23 PM

You'll need the winters to legally drive the highways in BC.

BlackArcher101 · 10-28-2014, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklord700

I'm planning a road trip to Vancover and ultimately to San Francisco around Xmas. My car already has winter tires on but would you take off the winters and put back the all season for this road trip?

Nope, wouldn't even think twice about not driving without winters in BC. Actually, one certain routes, it's mandatory after October 1 I believe.

I drive winter tires throughout the summer and the wear rate is actually not much worse than winter.

Jimmy Stang · 10-29-2014, 11:05 AM

I believe that you need to have winter tires OR carry chains (and presumably use them when conditions require) to comply with the law in BC. That being said, I can't imagine how chains would be better than proper winter tires anyway, but maybe I don't understand them as I've never owned any.

Calgary14 · 10-29-2014, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklord700

I'm planning a road trip to Vancover and ultimately to San Francisco around Xmas. My car already has winter tires on but would you take off the winters and put back the all season for this road trip?

I drove through BC during the winter and was surprised by how much snow there was. It's the mountain passes where you climb in elevation that make it sketchy. Especially the Hope-Princeton pass. I definitely wouldn't do that drive without winter tires. If you were to head south and go through Washington that may be a different story.

Wormius · 10-29-2014, 09:20 PM

One of the times I truly feared for my life was as a passenger going over the Coquihalla in winter at night. Just brutal conditions sometimes.

darklord700 · 10-29-2014, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wormius

One of the times I truly feared for my life was as a passenger going over the Coquihalla in winter at night. Just brutal conditions sometimes.

Won't dare driving the Cog in winter time cause I've been watching too much Highway thru hell.

Vulcan · 10-30-2014, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklord700

Won't dare driving the Cog in winter time cause I've been watching too much Highway thru hell.

Well you can always take the Fraser Canyon route where you don't need to put up with the mountains but watch out for the black ice on the twisties.

WhiteTiger · 10-30-2014, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklord700

Won't dare driving the Cog in winter time cause I've been watching too much Highway thru hell.

I'm with you on that. I laughed out loud the other day when I was watching and they announced a contest to "Drive the Coq!" and I was thinking "Do you really think I want to be anywhere NEAR the Coq after watching this show?"

Regulator75 · 11-01-2014, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklord700

Won't dare driving the Cog in winter time cause I've been watching too much Highway thru hell.

transplant99 · 11-01-2014, 01:17 PM

Some large snowflakes now appearing in Sundance.

shane_c · 11-02-2014, 02:56 AM

I swapped my rims/tires yesterday. I could swap them anytime since they're mounted on rims but wanted to get it done before it got too cold out. I'm running Dunlop Graspic DS3. I got them at Walmart last year. No complaints with them on snow or ice, they did very well for me last year. I'm sure the Subaru AWD helps too.

PsYcNeT · 11-02-2014, 05:44 AM

First slush report:

Cooper Weathermaster WSCs are the dopest tires I have ever driven in. Like the wet and slush isn't even there.

psyang · 11-02-2014, 09:55 AM

Not related to winter tires specifically, but I changed to my winters yesterday then went to the local gas station to fill them up. Three of the tires filled nicely, but the fourth would not accept any air. When I put the air pump nozzle on the tire valve, air would escape from the tire, but no air would go in. After trying several times, the tire was getting dangerously close to being fully flat.

Googled like crazy, then I went to Canadian Tire and picked up a set of valve cores and a valve core removal tool for about $10. Never knew, but you can remove the inner part of a tire valve (the metal bit you normally push to let air escape) - it just twists out.

Replaced the valve and was able to fill the tire properly again. This was completely new to me, and I was pretty befuddled, so hopefully it will help someone else. Where would we be without Google?

burn_this_city · 11-02-2014, 10:08 AM

I managed to hold out and run my Michelin PSS until Halloween. Switched over to my Continental Extreme Wintercontacts. RWD with open diff and the car feels perfect, I don't notice any difference between rain on PSS and snow with these Continentals.

Chill Cosby · 11-02-2014, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I managed to hold out and run my Michelin PSS until Halloween. Switched over to my Continental Extreme Wintercontacts. RWD with open diff and the car feels perfect, I don't notice any difference between rain on PSS and snow with these Continentals.

I bought HakkR2's, and while I'm waiting for my appointment I'm stuck on PSS for another week and a bit.

Yesterday evening was just f'n awful on those.