Driving Winter Roads with Summer Tires

robotdna

robotdna

Active member
Alright, let me start out saying that I don't want to do this nor would I ever do this normally. But I am currently stuck without my winter set in CO looking to drive i70 and all I have on my WRX are some Sumitomo HTR Z3s. I need to get to a ski resort though, and I'm a driver for a few people this weekend.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=HTR+Z+III

I'm planning on grabbing some chains from Walmart this afternoon before I head to Abay on Saturday. I've checked http://www.cotrip.org/map.htm#/roadConditions and it looks as if the roads are snow/slush along loveland pass. I will have chains with me if need be. However, how can I best navigate these roads on tires designed for summer?

I am able to drive home and get switched out thanksgiving. Until then, I need to survive and not hold up i70 with a stupid mistake.

Background- yes, have driven in all sorts of winter conditions. Just never on a summer tyre.
 
snow tires aren't exclusively for snow, the softer rubber that they use handles low temps way way better than summer tires. Once you get below 40-35° summer tires start to really lose performance and can be sketchy while cornering
 
If you don't drive like an idiot, you should be fine. I made it through a winter on bald all season tires with a fwd Volvo without any issues (I DON"T recommend this), so you should be fine for one weekend.
 
As long as you play it safe you should be fine untill thanksgiving! That being said, I would NOT wait any longer than you have to to get the snow tires on!

Keep in mind, during bad weather in Colorado it can be made ILLEGAL to drive on 70 with out snow rated tires (I.e. They have to have the little snow flake symbol on them). You become just as dangerous to other motorists as you are to yourself when the weather turns nasty!
 
I made it down the I80 pass from Tahoe in terrible conditions (icy/snowy road, no vis) on bald all-weathers with no chains in my Suby. If you're willing to drive very defensively and know how and when to use your chains, you'll be fine.

The point about temperature is a good one though, and it's also probably important to note that your car puts a lot of power to those wheels (i.e. more than mine); so drive carefully. Good luck mang.
 
topic:robotdna said:
how can I best navigate these roads on tires designed for summer?
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Just drive slow enough that you can stop safely. Check yourself from time to time and be cautiously. Almost all of the problems people have are for driving too fast.
 
13535370:OregonDead said:
Just drive slow enough that you can stop safely. Check yourself from time to time and be cautiously. Almost all of the problems people have are for driving too fast.
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This, just watch your speed. Chances are your summer tires are better for wet roads than the winter tires. So just watch out for standing water/slush as usual and you're laughing.
 
nothing infuriates me more than people who dont put winters on. I get it, its only one weekend, and skiing is skiing. But man your not only putting your life in danger, your putting every other person in the vehicle and on the roads life in danger. say another vehicle in the other lanes swerves towards you. no chance in hell your summers are going to grip the road.

Doesnt matter how good your 4WD is, the tires are the only thing touching the road.
 
My first year in Colorado I just had all seasons (didn't look into your tires, summer performance tires are def worse than all season) on my Acura and I did fine. Tread wasn't good but I made it through. Was it a good idea? No, but it's only the end of October, I feel like you're being a little dramatic (bless your heart tho)

I've been contemplating when to drop the blizzaks onto my F150 but I figured I'm going to wait at least until every reasort is open in late November.
 
13535459:soup said:
nothing infuriates me more than people who dont put winters on. I get it, its only one weekend, and skiing is skiing. But man your not only putting your life in danger, your putting every other person in the vehicle and on the roads life in danger. say another vehicle in the other lanes swerves towards you. no chance in hell your summers are going to grip the road.

Doesnt matter how good your 4WD is, the tires are the only thing touching the road.
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Look man, I don't want to be on summers. I always always put my winter sets on when it first snows. But I don't have that option, as they are 6 hours away.

Also for everyone else- I went to get some chains today at several auto parts shops and nobody had any that would fit my wheel. And when I had them look at my tires and car they all laughed at me saying I'd be fine. I'm still going to be super careful. I don't want to be the idiot that holds up i70.
 
I would respond cautioning against, but it occurs to me you've already ventured out this morning. May as well report back with how it went.
 
I suppose I should say something about how it fared. Up until near Eisenhower, the roads were actually very dry. Then they got wetter and slushier with blowing snow and winds. I drove slowly without any sharp movements and we fared vary well. I never felt slipping or sliding. While I did not feel confident, I felt it was possible to make it. We were fine.

I tried some hard stops and turns in the slushy/snowy parking lot before we left and found that with AWD and these tires I have slightly more traction than I had expected. Not as good as my winter set, but regardless, decent. It was probably still warm enough the summer rubber compound hadn't completely gone to shit yet.

Moral of the story- don't be a dumbass when driving and you'll always be okay.
 
was literally just driving to abay in my sti and i dont have winter tires and it was arguably one of the biggest pains in my ass ever. Don't even risk it, you're just straight up not equipped for the weather and its not worth ripping off your front bumper and maybe hood because you didn't spend the $600 on a set of shitty snow tires
 
13535235:saskskier said:
If you don't drive like an idiot, you should be fine. I made it through a winter on bald all season tires with a fwd Volvo without any issues (I DON"T recommend this), so you should be fine for one weekend.
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My dad did this last winter, bald all-season tires and a fwd honda accord. Almost slid into a guardrail once and in an icy McDonald's parking lot one night, the car spun around and did a complete 180 while backing out of a parking spot.
 
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