Extra set of wheels for snow tires??? (Sandpoint, Clark Fork: home, to buy)
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I'm going to get a set of snow tires for the winter when I finally move to NID. You can buy winter tires mounted on cheap steel wheels from Tire Rack so I'm leaning toward doing that.
I saw tirerack.com do a comparo video of studless vs. studded, saying that the "newer tech" of studless gripped better. But they did their test at an indoor ice rink.
Try stopping in a straight line on ice. I've been on both types, and studs are the ONLY way to go when you need to get a vehicle stopped on ice. Also, you can GO, which means you can actually accelerate out of the way of a sliding vehicle (which has happened to me on a few occasions where studs have saved me from being T-boned).
So for cornering, I'm sure the newer technology of studless snow tires is a step up, sure. I'll buy it. But I've never had a problem cornering with studs because I'm not driving like an idiot, or when I do slip a bit I'm within my limits to recover safely like most people.
I run two sets. It seems like a no brainer to me. Studded versus studless is not so obvious a choice. I am curious how much slicker the winters are here verses in the Colorado mountains. It may very well be that studded tires are preferable here but we ran Latitude X-ice in Colorado and like them a lot.
I run two sets. It seems like a no brainer to me. Studded versus studless is not so obvious a choice. I am curious how much slicker the winters are here verses in the Colorado mountains. It may very well be that studded tires are preferable here but we ran Latitude X-ice in Colorado and like them a lot.
I had studless snows on one car and much of the time they were great. If it was below ~20 degrees, traction on fresh snow, hardpack or ice was quite good. Of course, in those conditions, most all seasons are adequate.
We get a few really ugly days every year or two. Many backroads and rural driveways build up a layer of ice over the winter. A warm spell, especially with a bit of rain, leaves a layer of water on top of ice. It's nasty, you can't walk on the stuff without falling. Well, unless you're more coordinated than me anyway. If you are parked on any kind of incline, the vehicle will slide, as you will when STOPPED with all for wheels locked (braked). Driving in those conditions is potentially lethal-and in my experience studless tires (I had Michelin X-Ice ones that Costco talked me into) are useless. Studs are the only thing that help. OK, chains are better yet, but I hate putting chains on.
Having said that, those conditions are rare, and probably not an issue if you are driving in town, where the roads are well maintained. I do live in the hills, and have gotten by without snows on my Xterra and Ram for the last 10 years (because I'm cheap)-but also slid off the road and my driveway a couple times in those conditions that studs would have prevented. One of those, I'm at a dead stop at the start of a slight incline on my driveway. I know it's terrible and am trying to creeeep down the grade at about 1 mph-didn't matter, did a 180 and ended up off the driveway. Went back and got the 4 wheeler and a bag of gravel (after falling 3 times on the ice). Did a 540 (1 1/2 360) on the ATV as I slid past the truck, finally getting it stopped in the ditch as well. It was a very slight grade, about 2 shovels of gravel was all it took to get out.
This year I'm springing for studs.
Last edited by Toyman at Jewel Lake; 10-01-2014 at 09:39 AM..
Additional snow tire question, for Idaho it's Oct. 1 - April 30th, across the state line in Washington it's Nov. 1- March 31. If you work over in Washington do you have to abide by their dates or can you install studded tires according to dates the vehicle is licensed in, Idaho. Thanks in advance and I hope you don't mind the thread hijack volosong.
There is no individual exception to the studded tire season. When traveling in Washington, you are required to follow the State of Washington's motor vehicle laws.
We're thinking about driving up to NID for a couple of weeks in late fall. Obviously we're not going to buy a set of studded tires for a two-week trip, but would it be enough to carry chains? If we have to spring for a set of snow tires by ID law, maybe we should just fly up and rent a car.
I used to use snow chains when I was in college back east. The campus was on a steep hill, and when it snowed those of us with chains were about the only folks who could get up and down the hill. I think chains are more effective than studded tires, but also a whole lot less convenient to use. They are a PITA to install, and the noise and vibrations limits your speed quite a bit, particularly on hard surfaces.
An approved traction tire, whether on a four-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicle or a standard vehicle, must have at least an eighth of an inch of tread and be labeled M&S, All Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol. Chains are a pain, but I make sure to carry especially going through 4 or 5 states with passes. Here is an example of the WA rules: WSDOT - Traction Tires and Advisories
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