A/S and Winter tire swap is good. You are one smart man. I just don't get some of the Summer/winter swap. You either end up using your summer in the cold weather(plus RWD set up) or using your winter way too much in the warmer weather.

Only good solution I can see is winter and a/s swap.

 

While that may be true in theory, I disagree in real world experience in my 20+ years of driving in various vehicles. In the end, cornering and stopping on snowy and icy conditions will be far superior with winter tires (no matter if it's FWD, RWD, or AWD). This vid was posted in the Canadian section not too long ago, and shows the drastic difference between AS and winter tires. Sorry, but having AWD and AS tires isn't going to change the results much.

http://www.betiresmart.ca/video/apa.html

 

Do you have all season and winter or summer and winter set up? Whe ndo you change your tires to winter or back to summer if you have summer tires?

 

It is not only true in theory it is true in fact. If we wanted to go for number of years of driving then if you double your provided figure you would still be a little shy of mine. If you have had 1 car per year then you could double that as well. I have even driven 2 wheel drive 2 wheel vehicles (goats).

But the fact is that of course winter tires will typically outperform summer tires but when it comes to cornering they will often not make up the difference for a 2 wheel drive over a 4 wheel drive. When it comes to slowing down the same holds true and it even varies based on going downhill, uphill, or on the flat. If given the choice in snow of either a FWD or a RWD for going and I will take the FWD since I can steer to the traction even if at a dead stop. But given the choice going downhill and I will take the RWD over the FWD any time. Given the choice of AWD and I will honk at all others as I pass them up.

With RWD you will find that in snow you are pushing your front tires to force them to turn (spin). They make wonderful plows. It is much easier to move when those front tires spin under their own power. 4 lesser driven tires will often outperform 2 driven so called superior tires.

Anyone who has operated double ender scrapers know it holds true in industrial use as well. Ever engine brake a Wabco 44t on bentonite clay with a Euc in the opposite lane going downhill? You'll wish you were operating the double ender. Sometimes your only move would be to step on the gas pull straight and dump your can to slow down. No real difference other than size, except the can you dump may be your own.

 

I run the stock summer Potenzas on my G35S and Blizzaks mounted on 350Z wheels in the winter. When I switch them out is mostly determined by weather. I haven't changed to my winter setup yet because it's been quite mild where I live. I am sure I will be switching them out very soon though.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

 

That's my point with the set up you are using. Is it is below freezing overnight around you too? What are you doing when you have a weather when it snows for few days and it goes warm again? The beginning of the season and the end. You probably derive with your summer on.

 

^^I thought this was a thread on tire pressure sensors

So continuing offtopic AWD FTW with winters beats all .

I agree with Shane, it's a no brainer, if you want the safest and the best GET WINTERS, no matter what you have .

Here is a thread I posted a while ago telling why winter tires are necessary on all vehicles, it has some good videos included.
Very good reading and viewing, worthwhile checking out.
Go Here: Why Winter Tires are Necessary
Sorry Shane, I did not notice you posted a link to the post earlier.

 

It's gone below freezing a couple of nights but we've definitely had above average temps this month. Our daytime temps lately have been 10C-16C so still a little too mild to put the winters on. Once I do put them on soon though, they will stay on until approximately mid April.

Btw, sorry for hijacking the OP's thread.

 

I think we all agree on that. Winter tire is the best in winter. I just disagree how the whole set up is done with summer/winter set. Many people using summer tires below freezing(not put on the winters till the first snow) and that is more dangerous than a good all season tire in winter. The best way is to have a good set of all season and winter tires.

Summers like hockey pucks in winter. They get way to hard and for a month or 2 at the start of the season and a month or 2 at the end of the season you have this warm /cold(below freezing) days. That is far more days than we have snow and ice on the road. Say there is around 10-15 snowy day when the snow stays on the road for few hours before the snow plow comes.

About the topic. Although the title is about the TPMS but the op was talking about the all season tires vs winter tires switch. So I guess that should qualify as an on topic. LOL


Op sorry if you think differently.

 

^^I understand what you are saying and I agree. But I have run both ways and I believe the majority of drivers with summers do change them when temps start to drop.
It is the irresponsible drivers that we all have to worry about.

 

Yep, you certainly will have to, you will not find too many mug slingers out in the woods running on single axles.

 

Ummm.......ok.

 

I have no problem when my original post goes slightly off topic.

I will say I completely agree A/S tires will never perform as well as winter tires in the winter on snow. It really comes down to whether you can live with the compromise of A/Ss. The compromise can vary depending on brand and type of A/S tires. Some favor dry performance where some favor wet/snow with more dry performance sacrifice.

I'm in the camp that awd with A/S does better than rwd with winter for accelerating and turning under certain conditions, where power is applied while turning rather than totally coasting (clutch disengaged) - in the latter scenario, the car with winters will do better. I'm also in the camp that AWD with winters would be the best you could get - absolutely no doubt that would be better than AWD with A/Ss.

Also, from where I'm coming from, my BMW 335 with winter tires has been more than adequate for me in the winter. My prior car was a fwd with all seasons (Michelin Pilot Sport A/Ss). It was OK, but nowhere near as good as the BMW with winters. My biggest issue on snow is accelerating - I've always driven very conservatively on snow when it comes to braking and turning - never had an issue with A/S's not being adequate for that. I start to brake way early and intentionally corner well below my anticipated traction threshold (you never know when there might be ice under that snow). I'm not in a race in slippery conditions - just want to get to my destination safely. I guess one could argue that a person with winter tires would, indeed, have a bigger safety margin between the anticipated traction threshold and the slower speed selected; but I have rarely, if ever, exceeded the cornering traction limit unintentionally.

Regarding the switchover date/temperature compromise being discussed, I've used 50 degrees F as my cutoff point. I've noticed my summer tires losing capability at that temperature; and I've noticed my winter tires start feeling "squirmy" when you get above that temperature very far. So, I switch to my winters once it becomes apparent the majority of the daily highs are below 50. Since I'm leasing my current car, and I don't want to have to buy new OEM runflat summer tires for it, I've been a little biased toward an early switchover in fall and late switchover in Spring. This year, I put the winters on the first week of November; and I will probably put the summers back on mid March.

 

You are absolutely right.