Snow tire testing time?

[Dean]

After some shoveling...

[sti deede]

Yay for snow. It's so pretty outside. Dean's right we should go out and test our tires. I've not had a chance to drive in the snow with them yet. Then maybe we should go sledding.

[khail19]

Mine did great this morning. W300s + AWD rule! I drove about 5 miles to work this morning, no problem. I was doing around 30-35 with no sliding and no ABS kicking in. A lot of people were having trouble moving after coming to a stop, but I had no trouble. Best $400 I've spent (wheels + tires)

[tysonK]

my garage is suppose to be fixed for good today.

[MattR]

This is awesome...hahaha. Glad I don't have to travel over the pass today...what a mess that'll be.

[Dean]

OK, 2 1/2 hours later, this is the first time in over 10 years in Reno I think I needed a snow blower... There have been times I have een lazy and let it build up more than it should and regretted it, but this is the first time an overnight fall kicked my ass.

I don't want to here it from the Tahoe/Truckee guys, I assume you are equipped.

I think I moved over 10 inches total this morning whicjh if yu know my driveway is quite a bit of snow...

The stuff falling now is pretty wet, and I was soaked to the skin through my jacket, etc.

After I get warmed up, it is off to the post office...

That should be fun...

Probably a good day to shop if you want since most will stay home...

[Dean]

Damn, I went out to take some more pictures, and there is almost another 1/2 an inch, and it doesn't look like I did anything... Sort of...

You can see from the pile on top of the Stealth just how much fell in the sheltered portion near my garage...

I am also including a picture of "The Tool" which is the tailgate portion of an old plastic pickup truck bedliner drywall screwed to some 2x4s... when it is shallow enough, it lets you clear about 4 feet per pass. in this stufff, I had to take much smaller bites...

[MattR]

Hahaha! I like the tool ...nice idea.. (I thought for sure the tool would be a picture of someone in the club )... ANyway...I just measured the snow out front, it's at about 6.5 inches right now...(Northwest Reno up in da hills)

Deede stopped by, she was out testing her M3's, they work... I just finished putting my M2's on about 20 minutes ago...They Work...

[MattR]

More

[MattR]

Deede Drifting around my street..

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by MattR

This is awesome...hahaha. Glad I don't have to travel over the pass today...what a mess that'll be.

I just went outside ... I-80 West is at a standstill

[tysonK]

yah this is whoop ass little snow fall we got here.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by MikeK

I just went outside ... I-80 West is at a standstill

Good thing I'm headed east... sometime after midnight.

[Dean]

OK, things I learned in the snow today.

1. Front undercarriage cover + > 6" snow = floating front wheels, AKA no turny well.

2. Big straight exhaust hanging down in > 6" snow = resistance + acts like a keel, AKA no turny well.

3. Wicked fast road course/autocross suspension < optimal in uneven snow/icy conditions

4. Hankook W300s work great when actually in contact with snow.

5. Sumitomo HTR+s work great in deep snow. (A4, same size as WRX, 225/45-17)

6. A4 + Sport suspension + HTR+s > WRX + 12.2/11.6K springs + W300s > All SUVs in 6"+ of snow.

The funniest part was blowing past a SUV spinning tires and sliding backwards while trying to go up a hill in my neighborhood. If he hadn't sstarted to make progress, I had a tow strap in the car, and was going to offer him a pull.

Also, the W300s have great ice grip. Watching other cars and SUVs slip sidways, or not be able to start from a dead stop on ice was quite amusing while I had could easily brake, launch, an turn on it.

[tysonK]

so the A4 works pretty well uh.

alright then.

[sonicsuby]

We've been having a pretty rough weather day here too. Check this out!

Look at that real estate sign on the other side of the street!!!!



My bbq cover might fly off!!!!

[tysonK]

OMG Matt how do you cope with that?!?!

[AtomicLabMonkey]

It was rough out here at the beach the last couple of days... it got down to maybe 65*F with the wind chill, and there were actually a few puffy clouds in the sky!

[Dean]

Originally Posted by tysonK

so the A4 works pretty well uh.

alright then.

The A4 has always done well in the snow, but the WRX was also great last year before I did all the upgrades.

I guess my point is that as people get coilovers, sway bars, and autocross or track alignments, they may not realize they are reducing the winter functionality of their cars. And all that torque from reflashes, etc. is actually bad in the wet/snow as well

It is probably a good reminder that as people put on their snow tires for the winter, they adjust their suspensions for winter as well. Soften your coilovers to the softest you can without getting bouncy, and if your sway bars are adjustable, soften them as well. Going back to a stock alignment would be wouldn't hurt either. And when in the wet/snow, go back to the stock map if you can, and/or short shifting so you stay out of the boost.

[tysonK]

OH man!

I went outside to look at the street in front of my house and it's a skating rink.

I went ahead and did some real nice slides starting from my tractionable driveway and leaping into the softly lit amber tinted road where I continued effortlessy across to meet my exspectations of winter fun to their fullest!

cold can be fun.

[sti deede]

Originally Posted by tysonK

OH man!

I went outside to look at the street in front of my house and it's a skating rink.

I went ahead and did some real nice slides starting from my tractionable driveway and leaping into the softly lit amber tinted road where I continued effortlessy across to meet my exspectations of winter fun to their fullest!

cold can be fun.

Yay! Tyson does perotes. Sounds fun and dangerous.

[doubleurx]

Not bad for a storm that was predicted to leave light accumulations. We got about 18" of light dry powder. I'll try and post some shots tomorrow!

[tysonK]

Originally Posted by doubleurx

Not bad for a storm that was predicted to leave light accumulations. We got about 18" of light dry powder. I'll try and post some shots tomorrow!

snow in the valley at least by my house was basically falling buckets of water, rivers of melt filled the curb ways along the street around 2 o'clock ish now it's all ice like I mentioned.

[tysonK]

Originally Posted by sti deede

Yay! Tyson does perotes. Sounds fun and dangerous.

well arnold is my middle name. :wink:

perotes = pirouettes?, pilates?, peyote? lol

[sti deede]

Originally Posted by tysonK

well arnold is my middle name. :wink:

perotes = pirouettes?, pilates?, peyote? lol

I knew I should have looked into spelling that word. Or maybe I meant pirates.