Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site u1100a.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!u1100a!mp From: mp@u1100a.UUCP (Mike A Pilla) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: How many snow tires DOES a front-wheel drive car need? Message-ID: <741@u1100a.UUCP> Date: Tue, 16-Oct-84 15:13:38 EDT Article-I.D.: u1100a.741 Posted: Tue Oct 16 15:13:38 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 17-Oct-84 06:11:53 EDT References: <869@abnjh.UUCP>, <1316@ritcv.UUCP> Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway, NJ Lines: 25 I have had front wheel drive cars for several years (~15) with two SAABS, a HONDA CIVIC, and a TOYOTA TERCEL wagon. At first, I used snow tires on all four wheels but this became expensive. A good friend and tire dealer explained that it was more important to have all four tires of the same construction (e.g. radial, bias-ply, ...) than to have all four snows. I have tried this for many snowy seasons without any problems. Curiously, he also explained that most front wheel drive cars that appear squirrly in the snow benefit more from a change in tire pressure than in putting snows all around. Apparently, the various manufacturers have specified low tire pressures to provide a "comfortable" ride. The rather flexible sidewalls subsequently cause poor road feel which leads to overcompensating and even possibly fish-tailing (attributable more to driver technique than FWD ...). An increase in tire pressure does not decrease traction noticeably but substantially increases directional stability in the white stuff. For my wife's CIVIC, the normal pressure (I think) was around 24 lbs and we increased it to the range of from 30 to 35 lbs with about 32 lbs feeling quite nice. -- Michael Pilla Bell Communications Research 201-981-7290 {ihnp4,allegra,pyuxww}!u1100a!mp