Summer Tires and Snow

[The Critic]

On "Max Performance" and "Ultra High Performance" summer tires such as the Michelin PS2, Yokohama S.Drive and Kumho Ecsta SPT, are these tires safe for an occasional trip to the snow? I notice that the manufacturers of these tires advertise them as summer tires, but on a FWD vehicle, if you install chains with these tires, would they be safe to use on snow?

Thanks.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I'd say no. Not worth the trade-off, even at 2-3 snow events a year.

 

[MGregoir]

Most all-season tires are barely passable on even moderate (something more than hitting the pavement and melting instantly)snow unless M&S rated. If you are cautious and drive knowing what you are on for rubber you can drive on just about anything with them but you will definitely see significantly diminished performance.

As in you could do it but you wouldn't want to.

Chains are kind of a PITA and they are good in deep snow and severe ice conditions but in mixed-moderate conditions offer nothing to you performance wise except a whole bunch of harshness and potential for body damage.

I would not be comfortable using them in more than an extremely light snow condition driving on "max performance" summer tires.

 

[refaller]

I would never drive in the snow on summer tires. No matter how little. As a matter of fact, I would probably not drive in 40 degree rain with those tires. I should a car with summer tires (in February) and told the customer he needed to get snow tires- before he even picked up the car. He said sure and called me a week later complaining about the awful traction and how dangerous the car was- did you put on the snow tires- no response for a while. Put on snow tires and no more issues. I remember having to drive cars off the lot and to our storage lot with summer tires in the snow- scary as all get out and it was just for about 1/4 mile with a slight hill. Lack of safety is not worth it.

ref

 

[Colt]

The traction would awful in snow.
Also the rubber hardens with cold weather causing less traction even on dry ground,faster wear and less effective braking.

 

[dhise]

ohhh, when I was a bit younger I had an 87 mustang notchback 5.0/5sp. Had these crazy 245/45/16 yokohama tires on it. I actually drove that thing through a Michigan winter and lived to tell about it! Regularly got stuck in my own driveway, but once you had it going it would kinda "float" on top of the snow going which ever way it wanted to go. Really cool if you like thrill rides and life threatening, adrenalin pumping moments.

Boy that car was made for doing doughnuts in a parking lot with a fresh snowfall!

 

[Drew99GT]

On any kind of hilly terrain, you'd be going no where - well, probably backwards!

Quality M&S rated all season tires yes. High performance summer tires would be outright dangerous on snow.

 

[kkreit01]

Yeah -- what they are saying. My UHP All Season tires are horrible in tiniest amount of snow. I'd hate to even try Summer tires.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: refaller
I would never drive in the snow on summer tires. No matter how little. As a matter of fact, I would probably not drive in 40 degree rain with those tires. I sold a car with summer tires (in February) and told the customer he needed to get snow tires- before he even picked up the car. He said sure and called me a week later complaining about the awful traction and how dangerous the car was- did you put on the snow tires- no response for a while. Put on snow tires and no more issues. I remember having to drive cars off the lot and to our storage lot with summer tires in the snow- scary as all get out and it was just for about 1/4 mile with a slight hill. Lack of safety is not worth it.

ref


Could not agree more!!

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Colt
The traction would awful in snow.
Also the rubber hardens with cold weather causing less traction even on dry ground,faster wear and less effective braking.


Not just that, but one can actually freeze the summer rubber compound (in a cold enough winter) rendering VERY expensive tires useless even once they are used in the late spring/summer.
In other words you can freeze/heat cycle the grip right out of them!!!

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: Colt
The traction would awful in snow.
Also the rubber hardens with cold weather causing less traction even on dry ground,faster wear and less effective braking.


Not just that, but one can actually freeze the summer rubber compound (in a cold enough winter) rendering VERY expensive tires useless even once they are used in the late spring/summer.
In other words you can freeze/heat cycle the grip right out of them!!!


REALLY??!!!?!? Im thinking of buying summer tires for my saab, since I have winter tires, so dont necessarily need AS tires for the warm weather.

However, Id keep my summer tires outside (wrapped) or in the garage in the winter. If I can't do that (because it can potentially be in the teens or single digits for long durations), then I may have to re-think.

Thanks,

JMH

 

[Buffman]

I love how people on tirerack reviews give summer only tires bad reviews for snow traction. HELLO, they're not meant for snow.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
On "Max Performance" and "Ultra High Performance" summer tires such as the Michelin PS2, Yokohama S.Drive and Kumho Ecsta SPT, are these tires safe for an occasional trip to the snow? I notice that the manufacturers of these tires advertise them as summer tires, but on a FWD vehicle, if you install chains with these tires, would they be safe to use on snow?

Thanks.


Max performance tires are usually in aggressive sizes and wheel diameters. They are usually mounted on fancy wheels. These wheels often cannot be used with chains.

Just to check the box, are you sure that the chains on the summer tires and notionally fancy wheels is even allowed/possible?

JMH

 

[rjundi]

wet roads beyond scary on winter roads.

Dangerous.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Max performance tires are usually in aggressive sizes and wheel diameters. They are usually mounted on fancy wheels. These wheels often cannot be used with chains.

Just to check the box, are you sure that the chains on the summer tires and notionally fancy wheels is even allowed/possible?

JMH

I haven't checked. It's more of a hypothetical situation. All of the new six-cylinder Honda Accords, Nissan Altimas and Toyota Camry SEs come with 17" wheels.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Max performance tires are usually in aggressive sizes and wheel diameters. They are usually mounted on fancy wheels. These wheels often cannot be used with chains.

Just to check the box, are you sure that the chains on the summer tires and notionally fancy wheels is even allowed/possible?

JMH

I haven't checked. It's more of a hypothetical situation. All of the new six-cylinder Honda Accords, Nissan Altimas and Toyota Camry SEs come with 17" wheels.

I've got a 2004 WRX with the standard 16" tires. Subaru doesn't recommend the use of class S chains for the optional 17" tires. It might be possible to use super low-profile chains like the Security Chain Super Z6, but there's no SAE class smaller than S.

As for summer (or "3 season") tires, it might be legal but probably not safe. I remember driving my '95 Integra GS-R on Pirelli P6000 tires in the winter of 1997 to the Lake Tahoe area. No snow, but temps were in the high 30's and it got a little bit scary how the traction dropped. It would be scary with chains, especially since most people only chain up their drive wheels.

I think there are a few 3 season tires like the Nokian NRY that are built for decent grip in temps just above freezing. That one isn't built for snow, but should be able to handle cold rainy conditions fairly well.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I have summer Avons on now and it's +40f day / +20f night. I'm worried about wet/cold grip, but it's been ok so far.

 

[ccs v2.0]

Two years ago I swapped out my snow set for my summer set (Fuzion ZRi) a tad too early and got caught by a wet, 2-inch snow storm one morning late March. The summer tires did surprisingly well, but I was careful (I had very low expectations). I expected these tires be worse than the OEM B'stone Potenza RE92s the two sets replaced, but surprisingly, IMO, the Fuzions did better. Granted, this is only a one time experience.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
On "Max Performance" and "Ultra High Performance" summer tires such as the Michelin PS2, Yokohama S.Drive and Kumho Ecsta SPT, are these tires safe for an occasional trip to the snow? I notice that the manufacturers of these tires advertise them as summer tires, but on a FWD vehicle, if you install chains with these tires, would they be safe to use on snow?

Thanks.

If you can get chains on them I dont think the tire makes that much difference.

 

[cosynthetics]

Don't run them. I tried to get to the tire shop on my summer tires with my winter tires in the trunk. I never made it. After doing a couple 360s in the middle of the road in front of a semi, I pulled into the next driveway. I called my buddy at the tire shop. He brought out the service truck and jacked the bimmer up on four jacks in the middle of a corn field. We took the wheels and tires to the shop to install them.