Rear-Only Snow Tires

ShinyRedCar · 12-06-2009, 12:54 AM

When I was a teenager (I'm 42 now) living in NJ, it seemed like everyone had rear-wheel drive cars. During the winter months, most people put their snow tires on...the rear only though. Is this practice possible with our cars?

alex2112 · 12-06-2009, 01:14 AM

Sure you can do it... but its not really a good idea. You want to have tires with equal traction capabilities at all four corners to get the safest result, especially in a snow storm. Mix and matching snows with all seasons or snows and summers doesn't provide predictable handling in bad weather and could be dangerous.

samchoi604 · 12-06-2009, 02:12 AM

If your commute involves ONLY driving in a straight line, then yes. If not, don't be cheap... will two more snow tires/wheels really break bank?

DV · 12-06-2009, 02:26 AM

[u2b]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rzB7hpWhqIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rzB7hpWhqIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/u2b]

ShinyRedCar · 12-06-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samchoi604

If your commute involves ONLY driving in a straight line, then yes. If not, don't be cheap... will two more snow tires/wheels really break bank?

Point well taken! Especially after seeing the YouTube video by Tire Rack (thanks DV). Thanks guys! That's why I love coming here

John 070 · 12-06-2009, 07:47 AM

I almost wonder if anyone would be willing to sell and then mount/balance only two snow tires? I think if they would, they may not have that much integrity...kinda like if you drive into a shop and you have a leaking fuel line or something, if you elect not to repair it, they make you sign a waiver?

imho 4 snows are necessary with ZSP. It's not just snow that the RE050A's or equivalents can't handle, it's low temps.

cb1111 · 12-06-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyRedCar

When I was a teenager (I'm 42 now) living in NJ, it seemed like everyone had rear-wheel drive cars. During the winter months, most people put their snow tires on...the rear only though. Is this practice possible with our cars?

You are correct - that used to be the practice, but tire technology has evolved along with most everything else and (like other posters have pointed out) tests now show that it was a very dangerous practice.

goldn · 12-07-2009, 09:20 AM

good video.

catch · 12-07-2009, 09:42 AM

great video!
short and to the point. I knew handling would be different, didnt think stopping distance would be effected so much

DV · 12-07-2009, 09:12 PM

More here: http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp#viewAll

StealYourFace · 12-09-2009, 04:40 AM

If you like to turn and stop, spend the extra couple bucks on the fronts too.

bavarian19 · 12-09-2009, 05:30 AM

nice video. Go the same all a round.

ShinyRedCar · 12-09-2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StealYourFace

If you like to turn and stop, spend the extra couple bucks on the fronts too.

Actually it was never about saving money but about curiosity. I was surfing Tire Rack and decided to look up snows since I'm driving back to NJ in a couple of weeks. They had a recommended setup, tires mounted on wheels, for about $940 which I thought was pretty reasonable. It occured to me however that when I was younger and living in Jersey, nobody had snows on the front, just the rear. Living in the central valley of CA for almost 16 years now, I don't even think about snow anymore.

remmib · 12-09-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StealYourFace

If you like to turn and stop, spend the extra couple bucks on the fronts too.

Exactly.

12-06-2009, 12:54 AM	#1
ShinyRedCar First Lieutenant 7 Rep 366 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 325i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Rear-Only Snow Tires When I was a teenager (I'm 42 now) living in NJ, it seemed like everyone had rear-wheel drive cars. During the winter months, most people put their snow tires on...the rear only though. Is this practice possible with our cars? __________________ Jeff
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12-06-2009, 01:14 AM	#2
alex2112 Lieutenant 26 Rep 444 Posts Drives: 2016 X1 M-Sport Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: MA iTrader: (4)	Sure you can do it... but its not really a good idea. You want to have tires with equal traction capabilities at all four corners to get the safest result, especially in a snow storm. Mix and matching snows with all seasons or snows and summers doesn't provide predictable handling in bad weather and could be dangerous.
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12-06-2009, 02:12 AM	#3
samchoi604 Colonel 60 Rep 2,334 Posts Drives: black on black Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Burnaby, BC iTrader: (3)	If your commute involves ONLY driving in a straight line, then yes. If not, don't be cheap... will two more snow tires/wheels really break bank?
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12-06-2009, 02:26 AM	#4
DV Lieutenant 91 Rep 499 Posts Drives: F36 440i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Oakland County, MI iTrader: (10) Garage List 2017 BMW 440i Gran ... [0.00]	[u2b]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rzB7hpWhqIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rzB7hpWhqIA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/u2b]
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12-06-2009, 07:47 AM	#6
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	I almost wonder if anyone would be willing to sell and then mount/balance only two snow tires? I think if they would, they may not have that much integrity...kinda like if you drive into a shop and you have a leaking fuel line or something, if you elect not to repair it, they make you sign a waiver? imho 4 snows are necessary with ZSP. It's not just snow that the RE050A's or equivalents can't handle, it's low temps.
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12-07-2009, 09:20 AM	#8
goldn Captain 30 Rep 727 Posts Drives: 2010 E91 328i xDrive 6MT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Collingwood, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (0)	good video.
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12-07-2009, 09:42 AM	#9
catch Major General 668 Rep 7,148 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Thornhill iTrader: (27)	great video! short and to the point. I knew handling would be different, didnt think stopping distance would be effected so much __________________ 2016 F80 M3 Mineral White/Sakhir Orange 2013 BMW S1000RR Flat Silver <stolen> 2007 BMW E92 335i Jet Black/Jade Grey <sold>
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12-07-2009, 09:12 PM	#10
DV Lieutenant 91 Rep 499 Posts Drives: F36 440i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Oakland County, MI iTrader: (10) Garage List 2017 BMW 440i Gran ... [0.00]	More here: http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp#viewAll
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12-09-2009, 04:40 AM	#11
StealYourFace Lieutenant Colonel 261 Rep 1,794 Posts Drives: F30 328i M 6mt, E36 M3 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Shakedown Street, Buffalo NY iTrader: (1)	If you like to turn and stop, spend the extra couple bucks on the fronts too.
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12-09-2009, 05:30 AM	#12
bavarian19 General 517 Rep 18,858 Posts Drives: Car Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: VA iTrader: (23)	nice video. Go the same all a round.
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