Snows for a RWD in NJ?

[nj300se]

Out of the 20 years I've been driving, this is the first year I'll be in a RWD. An 01 Grand Marquis.

I don't know what to expect regarding snow, but in my mind a set of snows makes some sense. Right now, it has an almost new set of Michelin LX4 Energy, all season tires. Some say they should be fine in the snow. What say you? Anybody have big RWD experience and/or snow tire recommendation?

PS. I can't believe its August and I'm thinking about snow!

Thanks!

 

[ThirdeYe]

RWD in snow isn't as bad as most people make it out to be. I never had any issues driving my sister's old Mustang in the snow. Just have a nice pair of tires and be easy on the throttle and you should be good to go.

If necessary, you could put a little bit of weight in the trunk to help with rear traction but we never had to do that.

 

[alreadygone]

Wife drives a 01 Gran Mommie also. Winter traction is horrible, inspite of Arkansas State Police using same car (Crown Vic). Use studded snows with additional weight in back.

Bob

 

[JHZR2]

I have driven multiple MB 300D diesels in NJ snow with Dunlop Sport A2 tires. My father drives his MB 300D with yokohama V4S all seasons. Our RWD toyota previa does fine with Dunlop sport A2 tires too, but it has an LSD.

My BMW has an LSD, but does terribly with any non-snow tire... but it is much lighter.

I use michelin snow tires on the BMW.

JMH

 

[eljefino]

Have some "Arctic Claws" that never go advertised so they're often sold as store brands. $55/per. Great snows. I recommend cheap winter tires for anyone on the fence who would otherwise... skip them altogether.

Have navigated RWD pickups on (pep boys) all seasons through winter snows in Maine. Not getting stuck is all about avoiding hills, conserving momentum and planning ahead. Some see it as a challenge, others a pain.

 

[Quattro Pete]

it'll be my first winter with RWD as well. we'll see if I survive with all-season Bridgestone RE960s. If it gets too bad, there's always public trans...

 

[Audi Junkie]

Jersey is flat.

 

[Gillsy]

Originally Posted By: nj300se
Out of the 20 years I've been driving, this is the first year I'll be in a RWD. An 01 Grand Marquis.

I don't know what to expect regarding snow, but in my mind a set of snows makes some sense. Right now, it has an almost new set of Michelin LX4 Energy, all season tires. Some say they should be fine in the snow. What say you? Anybody have big RWD experience and/or snow tire recommendation?

PS. I can't believe its August and I'm thinking about snow!

Thanks!
I commuted with a 94 T-Bird in upstate NY winters. I used a pair of Bridgestone Blizzaks (WS-50's I think). Absolutely fantastic!

 

[nj300se]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Jersey is flat.


Actually, its not. At least not where I live.

Thanks all for the insight. I'm not really looking forward to the winter driving season!

 

[fsskier]

I have found the Michelin Energy tires to be pretty hard, and offer minimum traction on snow and ice - although they are just fine for summer use, and last a long time.

Buy a pair of any of the top Q rated snow and Ice tires from the Tire Rack or your favorite supplier. You will be amazed at the difference!! With those on the back your car will also become very stable and very unlikely to get sideways on bad roads.

I consider snow tires to be nearly free. Yeah, they might cost you a couple of hundred bucks (including steel rims) but you get back all that using them - you had to have tires anyway.


Consider the following: Our commuter Escort orginal tires wore out at 48K miles. I bought two sets of tires at that time, 4 Michelin X-ones and 4 Yokahama Guardex ice tires. I swapped them on an off each winter, the ice tires generally being on from Thanksgiving till Easter - weather dependent of course.

I was well past 200 K before needing to buy more tires, so their would seem to be no cost penalty at all.
Make note that I bought all the tires one size over, and apparently the Michelin X-ones ran for something well over 100K miles and were still legal!!!!

On a gritty icy surface like you often see on the interstate, the ice tires seem to have double the traction of conventional tires. I have also been able to go up hills that 4wd could not, during a sleet storm. The ice tires turn sleet almost into gears, while our other car could barely move!!

 

[nj300se]

Good point on the tire wear. Also, an accident avoided is certainly cheaper than a set of snows as well!

Follow up question....

On RWD, does one put snows only on the rear, or is it on all four?

 

[Quattro Pete]

All four is better than just two. You really don't want the front of the car to handle much different than the rear in such adverse weather conditions.

 

[Audi Junkie]

If I had RWD in snow, I'd run 2 snow tires in rear and don't want to hear any bull about it. Getting stuck is a game stopper.

 

[1sttruck]

My son has a reg cab short bed 2wd open diff F150, and we mounted some studded Firestone 'Winterhawk' on all wheels last winter, plus had him carry some chains, shovel, and a couple of sand tubes in the bed. He didn't get stuck anywhere, even though we live on a fairly steep hill.

I run studded Cooper M+S on my Dodge 3/4 ton, it's a quad cab short bed 4wd, and also carry chains, shovel, and sand tubes in the bed. I've had to use the chains on water covered ice, but otherwise they're very good tires in the winter, rain too.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: nj300se
On RWD, does one put snows only on the rear, or is it on all four?


It's safe to go with winter tires only on the rear, but you'll get better traction for braking and steering with four.

 

[SevenBizzos]

I was forced into driving my Mustang for 2 months one winter. I had Blizzaks. I felt the car was unstoppable! Made a world of difference! Definately worth the investment.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: nj300se
On RWD, does one put snows only on the rear, or is it on all four?


I personally run winter tires on all 4 corners (Michelin Alpin PS2s).
This car is notoriously bad in winter conditions (on summer or worn all seasons), and I've NEVER been stuck or unable to get up a hill (unless it was a 'sheet of ice' and I was forced to come to a complete dead stop on it).
I also take into consideration the extended wear advantages to having two separate summer and winter wheel/tire setups.

IF these things ever wear out, or age harden, I will go with the hardcore Nokian RSi/Hakka 4s (or equivalent) next time.

 

[nj300se]

Thanks, and appreciate the insight. Looks like I'll be getting a winter set. Seems to be the smart move!

 

[1sttruck]

"I will go with the hardcore Nokian RSi/Hakka 4s (or equivalent) next time."

We have studded Hakka 2s for the Taurii, and so far they've been excellent winter tires.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
If I had RWD in snow, I'd run 2 snow tires in rear and don't want to hear any bull about it. Getting stuck is a game stopper.

I know where "tire traction devices" are required, if you only have two, they're supposed to go on the drive wheels to reduce the chances of getting stuck. It won't necessarily help the driver steer though, which is also part of the equation with RWD. If it's required for 4WD/AWD (i.e. summer tires or not enough tread) then they typically go on the front where they help with steering.

One time coming back from Lake Tahoe on US-50, I saw a RWD pickup truck driver trying to get out of parking lot driveway with a quick rise of maybe two inches to the level of the highway. He was spinning his wheels because there was no traction on the drive wheels, especially with the empty bed.

Here's one opinion:

http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/snowtires.html

Quote:
The traditional wisdom from the days when almost all vehicles were rear wheel drive (RWD), was to mount two snow tires for winter driving on the drive wheels. The rationale was that this would provide the best forward traction. In fact, putting only two winter tires on a vehicle can change the vehicle's handling so much as to be unsafe.

However, the driving dynamics of FWD vehicles in conditions of poor traction are very different from those of RWD vehicles. Vehicles equipped with FWD need both linear (forward) traction, and lateral traction, particularly on the rear wheels, to prevent spin-out and loss of control.