*Two* new snow tires on the back wheels? Dangerous???

[LVG35Sport]

2007 G35 Sedan (RWD) in North Jersey here. Right now I have standard tires on the car (225 / 55R17) all 4 wheels. Two of them are bald and the other two have great tread left. I need snow tires and am looking at the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60s or the Firestone Winterforce.

The guys at the tire place are telling me I MUST replace ALL FOUR tires and CANNOT put two snow tires on the back and put my two good tires on the front. I cannot see why this matters so much. If the tires are all the exact same size and they all have good tread and each axel has the matching brand tire on the other side why does it matter? I want to throw my two good ones on front and put the two new Blizzak (or winterforce) snow tires on the back. Can anyone confirm I will be OK with this before I do it?

THANKS!

[gwoods]

sorry the tire guys are right.... coat your front tires with crisco on dry pavement for an idea of what it would be like to drive with snow tires on just the back of the car.

You would turn the wheel right and the tires would be all like no way man we are going to keep going straight!

[SVTCOBRA]

wouldn't you want them on the front?? So, that you can turn??BTW, what kind of tires are you keeping?? Are they rated for snow at all??If they are, then I think you would be OK either way. Not as good as 4 snow tires, but better than no snow tires.

[smockers83]

Well, the biggest reason that hasn't been mentioned (unless I'm missing something) is that the front and rears are two different sizes.

The standard size for 17" rims is 225 up front, 235 in the rear. So having 225s all around is not standard.

Plus, you live in Jersey. It doesn't snow enough to have snow tires.

Just get some AS shoes.

[G_whizz]

Gwoods is 100% correct. If your front tires are summer tires you may as well park your car for the winter.

They won't steer you anywhere but a towards a curb at the first snowfall and cold temperature they'll turn as hard as stone.

Be safe...get all 4.

[cjs37xs]

I can see your reasoning for not wanting to spend the $ on all 4 for winter/snow tires. I would have to agree with smockers and say that you should prolly just get AS all around. If it snows a lot there, then that's a different story, but I haven't bought snows here in SoCo...it snows here, but the roads are clear after a couple days. If it doesn't snow alot there, then just get all seasons and be good for every day.

[zozoka1212]

You should buy 2 and put them on oposit corners on the right front and the left rear.

Beside all the J/K go for all 4.

[telcoman]

Plus, you live in Jersey. It doesn't snow enough to have snow tires.

Just get some AS shoes.

+1

Telcoman

[gwoods]

You should buy 2 and put them on oposit corners on the right front and the left rear. .

Oh the doughnuts he would do! Why not put them both on the front and have the ultimate drift machine!

[LVG35Sport]

The tires I have (since I Bought the car) are Goodyear Eagle LS and all four are 225 55 17s.

I guess I need to buy all four from everyone's feedback.... but I've gone many winters with a 300ZX twin turbo with snow tires on the rears with no issues...

I googled "AS Shoes" - really don't know what that is?

THANKS FOR FEEDBACK EVERYONE.

Well, the biggest reason that hasn't been mentioned (unless I'm missing something) is that the front and rears are two different sizes.

The standard size for 17" rims is 225 up front, 235 in the rear. So having 225s all around is not standard.

Plus, you live in Jersey. It doesn't snow enough to have snow tires.

Just get some AS shoes.

[gwoods]

AS Shoes = All Season Tires ... my best guess

[SVTCOBRA]

The tires I have (since I Bought the car) are Goodyear Eagle LS and all four are 225 55 17s.

I guess I need to buy all four from everyone's feedback.... but I've gone many winters with a 300ZX twin turbo with snow tires on the rears with no issues...

I googled "AS Shoes" - really don't know what that is?

THANKS FOR FEEDBACK EVERYONE.

I see the LS-2 on TIRERACK.COM.It is rated for snow, but the feedback on it says that it's not a good tire.

I would think about the Yoko Avid T4, if it were me....AND, I had to drive it snow some.

Tirerack.com lets you put in your tire size and then choose the type of tire....Performance All Season would be what I'd look at...

Check out Tirerack.com.

I remember driving from Charlotte to Greensboro (1.5 hrs) in 6 inch to 1.5 feet snow storm in my trusty 69 Mach 1 baaack in the day!!!!! Probably on slick tires too!! Uphill both ways!!! Consumerreports.org likes Hankook Optimo H727 (all season) Gives it high marks on Snow Traction. Was number 2 behind Michelin HydroEdge which scored poorly in Snow Traction. And, better than the Yoko Avid T4 that I mentioned above.


Modified by SVTCOBRA at 6:39 PM 12/8/2009

[smockers83]

AS Shoes = All Season Tires ... my best guess

And Bingo was his name-o.

If you buy winter tires for the 2 times you really need them in Jersey (that may be an exaggeration), you're going to be wearing them out very quickly and be wasting money on tires. Snow tires don't like dry pavement, the pavement eats them for lunch.

[LVG35Sport]

I see the LS-2 on TIRERACK.COM.It is rated for snow, but the feedback on it says that it's not a good tire.

I would think about the Yoko Avid T4, if it were me....AND, I had to drive it snow some.

Tirerack.com lets you put in your tire size and then choose the type of tire....Performance All Season would be what I'd look at...

Check out Tirerack.com.

I remember driving from Charlotte to Greensboro (1.5 hrs) in 6 inch to 1.5 feet snow storm in my trusty 69 Mach 1 baaack in the day!!!!! Probably on slick tires too!! Uphill both ways!!! Consumerreports.org likes Hankook Optimo H727 (all season) Gives it high marks on Snow Traction. Was number 2 behind Michelin HydroEdge which scored poorly in Snow Traction. And, better than the Yoko Avid T4 that I mentioned above.

Modified by SVTCOBRA at 6:39 PM 12/8/2009

Thanks Cobra!! Very Helpful! I spent about an hour reading reviews on Tirerack..finally found some that look perfect (Continental ExtremeContact DWS) and they dont appear to make my size yet. I have 225/55/R17s and the closest I see is: 225/50/R17 Does it matter???

Thanks again everyone.

[gwoods]

If I may offer advise.... The only good tires Goodyear makes imo say Eagle on the sidewall. If it doesn't say Eagle its not the best tire at that price point.

Now we have the same car.... I am running Prowell 255/50/17 tires on the back I bought them from Firestone for $74 a tire and I love them.

I am running 235/50/17 Yokohama S-drives on the front.

50 series rubber will lower you aspect ratio by half a ratio. Our 17 inch rims can accomodate a 255 no problem.

If you look at a Yokohama which makes great tires IMO you can see what the different sizes will offer you. The tire below is an Avid H4S an all season tire that should perform great in the snow but still offer some sporty-ness during your non-snow months.

http://www.yokohamatire.com/ti...s/V4s

A 225/50/17 tire is 8.9 inches wide and 12 inches tallA 225/55/17 tire is 9.1 inches wide and 12.3 inches tall

Shorter tires = quicker accleration = lower top speed = better in town mileage = worse freeway mileage. However the difference between a 225/50 and a 225/55 is only .3 inches you should not be able to tell the difference driving the car.

I think the best tire size for the 07 + G sedan is 245/50/17. Stay away from45 or 40 series rubber, your car will bottom out on everything. I ran Kumho SPT's 235/45/17 and my joint where the exhaust manifold joins the pipes are mashed and worn from dragging them over concrete and asphalt pulling out of parking lots.

Tirerack has your Continental Extreme Contact DWS all season tire for $144. A trick I use here in Phoenix is to walk in with a print screen of tireracks website and ask them to match the price.

[LVG35Sport]

If I may offer advise.... The only good tires Goodyear makes imo say Eagle on the sidewall. If it doesn't say Eagle its not the best tire at that price point.

Now we have the same car.... I am running Prowell 255/50/17 tires on the back I bought them from Firestone for $74 a tire and I love them.

I am running 235/50/17 Yokohama S-drives on the front.

50 series rubber will lower you aspect ratio by half a ratio. Our 17 inch rims can accomodate a 255 no problem.

If you look at a Yokohama which makes great tires IMO you can see what the different sizes will offer you. The tire below is an Avid H4S an all season tire that should perform great in the snow but still offer some sporty-ness during your non-snow months.

http://www.yokohamatire.com/ti...s/V4s

A 225/50/17 tire is 8.9 inches wide and 12 inches tallA 225/55/17 tire is 9.1 inches wide and 12.3 inches tall

Shorter tires = quicker accleration = lower top speed = better in town mileage = worse freeway mileage. However the difference between a 225/50 and a 225/55 is only .3 inches you should not be able to tell the difference driving the car.

I think the best tire size for the 07 + G sedan is 245/50/17. Stay away from45 or 40 series rubber, your car will bottom out on everything. I ran Kumho SPT's 235/45/17 and my joint where the exhaust manifold joins the pipes are mashed and worn from dragging them over concrete and asphalt pulling out of parking lots.

Tirerack has your Continental Extreme Contact DWS all season tire for $144. A trick I use here in Phoenix is to walk in with a print screen of tireracks website and ask them to match the price.

Props Gwoods! VERY informative post! I wont go lower than 225/50s. I think I am going with a dedicated set of snow tires ... I will keep my two good ones and buy another two in April. The Firestone Winterforce tires have outstanding reviews and only $85 each ... Sold! TireRack.com what a life saver!
Modified by LVG35Sport at 9:17 PM 12/8/2009

[Poyzinous]

Having a set of summers and a set of winters or M+S All seasons is very good for all cars.

[gwoods]

unless you live in Phoenix then you have a set of summer performance tires for everyday, a set of drag radials for the strip and a set of slicks for the track

[LVG35Sport]

FYI for anyone who reads this ... I brought my Tirerack.com print out into Firestone and they honored the internet pricing. NICE

[LVG35Sport]

Just as an update... Bought the Firestone Winterforce (all 4) - drove today in freezing rain / ice in New Jersey and slip light did not come on once! (i am RWD) Super excited about actually having the ability to drive through mild to moderate snow/ice. I can't imagine how great these tires must be on AWD car.

[kmckis1029]

Having a set of summers and a set of winters or M+S All seasons is very good for all cars.

+1

I got m+s toyo versado lx on my car... which are still aa dry traction rated.

So far these tires been eating this ga rain alive...