Everyone get a plug in for your favorite snow tires - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

TBayToyotaBoy · 02-03-2006, 01:27 PM

Okay, I want everyone's input on this: my tires SUCK in the snow (Goodyear Allegra M+S). My Camry is unstoppable in the snow compared to my GT-S, mostly due to comparative wheelbase and curb weight. The Corolla feels like it's on rails--ones that randomly swerve all over the highway. I know that the Canadian Tire-sold Nordic Icetrac are awesome on the Camry, but I'm willing to try something new.

So, what are your best suggestions? I need to know what tires do well in regular snowfalls of more than 5cm (2 inches) on either Corolla sedans or coupes between 1987 and 1991-ish. I have to make up for the lightweight body by spending some big $$$ and I want the cash well spent. Thoughts?

Flashmn · 02-03-2006, 02:48 PM

Nokia Hakkapelitta 4's
Nokia Hakkapelitta RSi
Kleber Kapnor 4 (essentially a copy of Nokia Hakkapelitta 2)
Goodyear Ultragrip 500

I'd take my pick from those 4

Also go for narrow sizes.
I have 175/70R13 on my nissan
The narrower, the better it is, because you get more pressure per area and that gives you grip and it wont deflect from grooves as easy.

toyrolla · 02-03-2006, 04:07 PM

I've used Bridgestone Blizzak and Dunlop Graspic.

I give the edge to the Blizzak...they stop like there's no snow or ice on the road....and the set I had were used for 3 winters....very good and decently priced.

burnt03 · 02-03-2006, 05:17 PM

I've got the C. Tire WinterTrac's on my SR5. Cheapest winters I could find.

IMO, I think more important than the tire brand that you choose is whether you put them on all 4 corners and how you drive in the snow.

4Aaron GE · 02-03-2006, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flashmn

Nokia Hakkapelitta 4's
Nokia Hakkapelitta RSi
Kleber Kapnor 4 (essentially a copy of Nokia Hakkapelitta 2)

Bar none. However, I'm not running these tires, because I'm broke.

Flashmn · 02-03-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

IMO, I think more important than the tire brand that you choose is whether you put them on all 4 corners and how you drive in the snow.

ALWAYS put winter tires on all for corners, ALWAYS.

If you dont put them up front, you have no steering and no braking as front wheels do that, rears wont even lock on most cases, funny eh, but check next time someone doesnt mash their brakes when coming to a stop on snow or ice, you'll see front lock, rears rotate to provide stability, which comes to the next part

If you dont put them in the rear, you have no directional stability at all, your car would be in risk of spinning out in ALL CONDITIONS.

Now ask yourself, is the hundred dollars you save by just getting two worth the risk of you ending up in a hospital and on charges for reckless endangerment and possibly reckless endangerment leading to death (of the other party).

IMHO, worst thing is to skimp out on tires as thats the most important part of your suspension.

burnt03 · 02-03-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flashmn

ALWAYS put winter tires on all for corners, ALWAYS.

If you dont put them up front, you have no steering and no braking as front wheels do that, rears wont even lock on most cases, funny eh, but check next time someone doesnt mash their brakes when coming to a stop on snow or ice, you'll see front lock, rears rotate to provide stability, which comes to the next part

If you dont put them in the rear, you have no directional stability at all, your car would be in risk of spinning out in ALL CONDITIONS.

Now ask yourself, is the hundred dollars you save by just getting two worth the risk of you ending up in a hospital and on charges for reckless endangerment and possibly reckless endangerment leading to death (of the other party).

IMHO, worst thing is to skimp out on tires as thats the most important part of your suspension.

Isn't that what I said? (albeit in a more basic form

) Or I guess you're just backing up the argument?

***REN69*** · 02-03-2006, 09:44 PM

Motomaster Icetracs are awesome dude.. I forget who makes them for Canadian Tire, but they're pretty good. I had a set a few years ago... nothing beats being able to go 100km/h in the middle of a big snow storm when everyone else is struggling to go 60km/h.

I have a set of Wintermark Magnagrips.. they're not bad, but I wouldn't really know as you can tell right now it hasn't snowed in Southern Ontario for about a month and a half now.. its like spring down here right now.

TBayToyotaBoy · 02-03-2006, 09:45 PM

I totally agree...if you don't put them on all four corners, there's no point at all. Even though the Corolla has the M+S tires on all four, it's still sloppy (probably because, like Flashmn said, the narrower the better and the car came with lower-pros).

Anyone what stores carry Nokia or Kleber tires in Ontario? I don't think I've ever seen them here (although Thunder Bay has a huge Finnish population so I can probably find them if I look).

Thanks for the input guys, it's appreciated!

P.S.: whatever you do, don't buy Tiger Paw snows. My GF's new Hyundai Accent came with them and you'd think you were driving with bald all-season radials on the car. Not good...

Ren, are you really upset about the warm weather? Or is it just the lack of snow for e-brake fun?!

ToyotaMan1281 · 02-03-2006, 11:20 PM

I had bridgestone weatherforce on my old 2k1 Neon 5 speed manual and they were very good in snow. And neons are a hell of a lot lighter then the new corollas. but now im in georgia and stock ones are fine..

Hey Tbay I like ur sig, thats funny

94_Rolla_Guy · 02-03-2006, 11:35 PM

I have the Dunlop Graspic DS1's there not too bad they were a cheap tire and im on my 2end winter (1 light snow BS winter) and there going strong should get a few more out of them...

96_9c1 · 02-04-2006, 12:54 AM

I have had both Mastercraft ? and Winteroforce this winter and I have to say that the Mastercrafts are a better snow tire. The Mastercrast shed snow more than the Winterforce, but I have not been able to get stuck in the snow with the Winterforcec...and I have tried.

In Consumer Reports the Mastercrafts (#4?) were right under the Blizzaks in the tests they performed.

tireboy · 02-06-2006, 11:09 PM

since im a tire guy by trade ive tried quite a few of em . but my choice is hands down is uniroyal tiger paw ice n snow . on all 4's !!! im running 175/70r13's on my 86 nova/rolla and they are excellent even in bumper deep snow !!! and cheap to buy .... oh yeah they work very well in the gravel n mud !!! ha ha rally racing ... they dig n throw huge !!!

drive hard n drive fast !!!

TBayToyotaBoy · 02-07-2006, 03:46 PM

Well then, I guess I'll take back my comment about Tiger Paws (see above). It's probably that my GF's car is a retardedly-lightweight Hyundai Accent, and (laugh) the stock tire size is fairly low-pro. I'll bet if we put some thin-ass donuts on it, the snow handling would improve!

Weird thing, though: my Camry has relatively low-pros on it as well, but the wider tread patch seems to make it about 50% less likely to slip in snow/ice. I STILL haven't been able to kick-out the tail-end without e-brake application (and I drive some very rally-friendly roads every night).

freakinbox · 02-07-2006, 04:03 PM

my fronts are copper tires on 14" rim, no idea what type but they aren't as good in the "thicker" snow as the 13" rims with michellin x-ice tires. those are on the rear. used to be all 4 but yea lost a rim haha. seemed aring in the snow with those tires