recomendation for winter trip

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
923
Location
California
Hi all,


background:

I am traveling to Las Vegas than to Flagstaff AZ a week before christmas from southern CA. I will be driving around flagstaff and grand canyon , expecting 300-500 miles driving in snow mostly highway.

I only have 1 tire that needs to be replaced soon, all others are nearly new.

Now, the weather for flagstaff is freezing but average of 3-5 inch of snow.

I dont want to invest in full set of tires as I never drive in snow, I probably wont until next year.

dilemma:


Should I buy used winter tires for cheap soley for this trip and throw them out, or just buy chains? ( since chains can be reused it provides a beter value i think )

if snow on highway is minimal , does wearing the chain on snow kill my tires and is pointless?

Safetey is of course important to me , all my tires are all season of decent performance ( GY fuelmax, Kelley charger , ect) .

The cost of 4 set of tires + multiple mounts and dismounts is not attractive to me as I wont be using these tires for atlease a year. Where i live weather is mostly above 80degrees.

what do u suggest?
 
Last edited:
You could try to find a set of used snows, but I'd just run it with a good set of all seasons. Snows make it better, but you can't beat physics: snow tires help, but make nothing invincible. Plus maybe you'll luck out and the weather will be great. Honestly, when the snow is coming down it can be better to just wait it out--nothing like crawling down the highway at 20-30mph--or stuck sitting when the road is closed--to make you realize how nice the TV is at home (or in a hotel).

I'm thinking about getting a set of chains for myself, but it's more "just because" than real actual need.
 
no disrespect, but that gave me a good laugh thanks, chains for 3-5in of snow
smile.gif
. my front tires are 5-10k mi from bald and barely even thought of snow tires & we have foot of snow already. I'd get a new A/T tire, you'll be fine if keep under 50mph, you might even be ok with your bad tire. just different perspective i guess we will most likely get over 100 in of lake effect snow like usual, i need to move.
 
I'm from New England but the only time I got stuck on a highway in snow was heading over a mountain pass into Vegas. It was not the fault of my dodge neon on factory all seasons; it was local himbos with low profile race tires on blingy rims clogging the lanes.

Sometimes snow will blow off of road surfaces. But sometimes on the wrong side of a mountain it will really build up.

If you assume that half the people around you have no snow driving experience either, just take it really easy or pull off in the first safe place if the "mood of the road" gets disconcerting. A safe place being a gas station, side street, etc where you won't get plowed in.
 
not sure why you have one mismatched tire. At minimum, Id want a matched set on the axle, if not all matched.
 
The worst tire is suppose to go up front. That's how every tire shop does it. Reason is the bad tire on the rear will cause an uncontrollable fish tail. Where as if it's on the front you will be more forewarned and can 'work' with it by letting off the gas.
 
I live in the north where that kind of snow amounts to an inconvenience, and no one uses chains for regular highway driving. The only time I ever see them used is very temporarily for extreme situations, never for the length of trip you are talking about.

Most people do not buy snow only tires either (like Blizzaks). Everyone seems to get by just fine with decent all season tires. That's what I'd recommend for you.

I'd get the best set of all season tires you can afford, and eliminate the odd mismatch in your tires you are describing. Can you replace the one that is worn out with one like the other three? That would be your cheapest option. I would do that anyway, even if I wasn't planning on a long winter trip.
 
Most So Cal drivers could not handle light shower, 1/4" to 1/2" snow is more than enough to cause problem. Even we are in winter months and we may have light rain few times a month, many car's tires still have less 2/32" tread depth, they don't change tire(s) until cord is showing.
 
Originally Posted By: SLATRON
no disrespect, but that gave me a good laugh thanks, chains for 3-5in of snow
smile.gif
. my front tires are 5-10k mi from bald and barely even thought of snow tires & we have foot of snow already. I'd get a new A/T tire, you'll be fine if keep under 50mph, you might even be ok with your bad tire. just different perspective i guess we will most likely get over 100 in of lake effect snow like usual, i need to move.


No disrespect, but you sound like a danger to others on the road. Depending on your driving style, "5-10k mi from bald" may be close to illegal for any conditions, let alone winter.

I've gotten lucky in bad, snowy conditions running tires with tread depths down to around 3-4 32nd and will never do that again. Disregard the guy above's suggestion that nearly bald tires are just fine for ANY ONE and do what's best for your situation.

I can afford snow tires, so I buy snow tires if they are warranted. If you can do so yourself, swapping between winter tires/wheels and all-season tires/wheels is very quick. Based on your conditions, you can buy a nice used setup and either sell it after your trip or keep it for your infrequent trips to snow locales. For reference, I purchased a used winter setup two seasons ago for $450 and just sold it when I traded the car they went with for $420!
 
Thanks ALL!

I am going to just keep my tires unless weather is bad.

I didnt know how much snow and what condition required chains and what nots.

All i know is that people becoome moronic when it rains or snows.

Happy hollidays!
 
Voltmaster, Wyoming's Basic Chain Law has a lesson for all of us. If you slid off the road, you should'a had chains, so you get a ticket for violating the Basic Chain Law.

How experienced are you at driving in snow? Experience makes a huge difference. What a skid feels like and what to do. What to do when you skid while trying to brake. What to do when your front wheel drive front tires go straight when you need to turn. What to do when your rear wheel drive rear tires skid out to the side when you don't need to turn. Reactions need to be quick, smooth, progressive, gentle, and not too much. Where to park so you are headed out and hopefully down. How much down is too much? Carry a tow rope and know how to hook up your car. How much is your insurance deductible. Practice putting the chains on in your dry, level, well lit driveway. On the road it is always, dark, wet, cold, nasty.
 
I live in AZ. I would be surprised if there is snow on the ground, let alone the highway in December in Flagstaff. Don't even worry about it, the only time there's heavy snow is in mid to late January and into February. The roads are clear when there is snow also.
 
Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
Hi all,


background:

I am traveling to Las Vegas than to Flagstaff AZ a week before christmas from southern CA. I will be driving around flagstaff and grand canyon , expecting 300-500 miles driving in snow mostly highway.

I only have 1 tire that needs to be replaced soon, all others are nearly new.

Now, the weather for flagstaff is freezing but average of 3-5 inch of snow.

I dont want to invest in full set of tires as I never drive in snow, I probably wont until next year.

dilemma:


Should I buy used winter tires for cheap soley for this trip and throw them out, or just buy chains? ( since chains can be reused it provides a beter value i think )

if snow on highway is minimal , does wearing the chain on snow kill my tires and is pointless?

Safetey is of course important to me , all my tires are all season of decent performance ( GY fuelmax, Kelley charger , ect) .

The cost of 4 set of tires + multiple mounts and dismounts is not attractive to me as I wont be using these tires for atlease a year. Where i live weather is mostly above 80degrees.

what do u suggest?




Buy a set of chains. Learn how to use them. Hope that you don't have to actually use them.

a set of SCC cables aren't that expensive.
 
Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
I only have 1 tire that needs to be replaced soon, all others are nearly new.

....

Safetey is of course important to me , all my tires are all season of decent performance ( GY fuelmax, Kelley charger , ect) .

I can't reconcile those two statements: Three nearly new tires, but of two or three different makes...?
 
In snowy conditions you should have at least 5/32 tread remaining with a decent all season tire. It's really only a concern prior to salting or if temperatures are
Chains are only necessary under extremely heavy snowfall with hills, like you'd get on mountain roads or passes. If conditions are bad enough that you need chains, I'd find a motel and wait it out.

If you aren't used to snow remember to allow 2-4x distance for stopping, limit speed, and turn slowly. Also, AWD/4WD won't stop or steer better than 2WD. Every year we have southern transplants skidding through red lights in their new Jeeps/Subarus during the first snowfall
smile.gif
 
OMG, to live in an arid climate. I was reading the whole post expecting the trip to end somewhere in Wyoming or Minnesota. Seriously dude, just replace the bad tire and man it out.
 
Originally Posted By: Tosh
Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
I only have 1 tire that needs to be replaced soon, all others are nearly new.

....

Safetey is of course important to me , all my tires are all season of decent performance ( GY fuelmax, Kelley charger , ect) .

I can't reconcile those two statements: Three nearly new tires, but of two or three different makes...?


+1, get a set of matching tires. just crazy.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top