[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

... The car just seems to wander in the slightest amount of snow...

Is that in comparison to other cars you've driven in the winter? I don't think you said what the car is? Some cars are just horrible in the winter, regardless of tires- F-bodies, Mustangs, Rancheros, etc. A lot also depends on conditions- about a week ago, we had some fresh/cold snow (on very cold pavement) that made it damn near impossible for anybody to get moving, let alone take a corner or stop.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by pontiac jack

Is that in comparison to other cars you've driven in the winter? I don't think you said what the car is? Some cars are just horrible in the winter, regardless of tires- F-bodies, Mustangs, Rancheros, etc. A lot also depends on conditions- about a week ago, we had some fresh/cold snow (on very cold pavement) that made it damn near impossible for anybody to get moving, let alone take a corner or stop.

Its an 01 Mitsubishi Daimante. I cant describe exactly what its doing, but its completely unsafe. The rear end seems to want to fishtail. And in even in the slightest snow the damn thing wonders. Everyone passes me up like Im standing still when it snows.

Ive never driven a car like this in the snow. Even with bald tires, my last car (a maxima) handled better. Ive only had the car for a few weeks.

[engineer]

tire pressure on the side wall has to do with the tire rating for its load capacity, not the optimum for tread wear or handling or even the how much air pressure before the tire would blow.

["Me"]

Originally Posted by Bull

See, I'd think that higher pressure would be better in snow. With a wider tire (lower pressure), the weight of the car is spread out more over the snow, and the tire can't bite into the pavement underneath. With a narrower contact patch, the car's weight will force the tire to bite better.

At least, that is what I learned, years ago. Seems to work.

Thats just part of it, a soft tire is less likely to start spinning. A narrow tall tire is better than a wide low tire but jacking the pressure to make the wide tire taller is not the way to go, a narrower tire is what you want. The narrow tire will have more weight per sq inch, and the tall sidewalls will absorb the shock that will get a tire spinning. Absorbing shock is important. If you take two identical trucks who's only difference is spring rates, the truck with the lighter spring rate will go through much deeper snow.

I plow snow a lot and have tryed everything. I run my Cooper tires so they are just at the edge of being soft. On my Dodge diesel with a Western commercial plow I am at 32psi on a tire that the owners manual says 55 psi. The manufacturer ratings are at maximum load, covering their ass in other words. If you are not at max load you don't need all that air. You only need what it takes to hold the car up off the ground, if you increase tire size you need less air to do the job.

We ran our Goodyear sponsored CORR truck at 28lb without beadlocks running about 500hp over the worst terrain [jumps]and they stayed on the rim. This was Goodyears suggestion for maximum traction, drop the pressure till you start rolling them off the rims and then go up a lb. Worked for us.....

Another thing you can do old Blue is tractionize. If you can't find a tractionizer you can do it with a Sawzall with a long blade. Jack the car up and run around the tire with the sawzall blade to bring up little nipples. Don't stay in one spot too long though! I have used this method to get out of bad jobsites when a storm came in, works great for a couple of weeks.

Some tires just suck, but try different pressures, maybe the sawzall thing and see how it goes......

Larry

[Silver Judge]

Here in Seattle, drivers are allowed to run a studded tire through the winter season.
Sheesh, we hardly have any snow here at all and they allow this even though it wears out the roads prematurely because people are cruising around on dry pavement with studded tires.

Do they allow studded tires in IL ? Heck, that is better than wrapping the Mitsubishi around a pole !

Also, we see that some tire places are doing what they call siping. It's adding extra tread ribs via some sort of cutting up of the existing tread to make it grab more in snow.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Silver Judge

Here in Seattle, drivers are allowed to run a studded tire through the winter season.
Sheesh, we hardly have any snow here at all and they allow this even though it wears out the roads prematurely because people are cruising around on dry pavement with studded tires.

Do they allow studded tires in IL ? Heck, that is better than wrapping the Mitsubishi around a pole !

Also, we see that some tire places are doing what they call siping. It's adding extra tread ribs via some sort of cutting up of the existing tread to make it grab more in snow.

They outlawed studded tires here in the 70's

[Tin Injun Tom]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Its an 01 Mitsubishi Daimante. I cant describe exactly what its doing, but its completely unsafe. The rear end seems to want to fishtail. And in even in the slightest snow the damn thing wonders.

Not trying to be a smarta** but have you checked for loose tie rod ends?

I had an '83 Honda Accord that I purchased for a winter beater. Both outer TR were sloppy. I drove it in a snow storm once, before I had a chance to get them changed. It wandered, wanted to follow the ruts in the snow/slush.
After I changed the Trods, it was much better.
Also, it sounds like your rear toe-in settings could be way off.

[Bill Eveland]

Agree with the last post, have the steering/suspension checked than have it checked on an alignment machine for a 4wl alignment. Mits are bad for outer tie rods as well, but that really won't affect what the rear is doing, especially in the snow.

[1stgenbird]

What type of car? What type of tires? Maybe they are summer tires and not rated for winter use.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Bill Eveland

Agree with the last post, have the steering/suspension checked than have it checked on an alignment machine for a 4wl alignment. Mits are bad for outer tie rods as well, but that really won't affect what the rear is doing, especially in the snow.

Snowed yesterday. Increased tire pressure didnt make any difference. Obviosly like stated in this post, theres something wrong with the car. Its going into the shop this week to check and fix any type of front end problem it has.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone.

[Stuckinda60s]

Originally Posted by Bull

See, I'd think that higher pressure would be better in snow. With a wider tire (lower pressure), the weight of the car is spread out more over the snow, and the tire can't bite into the pavement underneath. With a narrower contact patch, the car's weight will force the tire to bite better.

At least, that is what I learned, years ago. Seems to work.

It's not getting through the snow to the pavement that gives you traction in snow. It's the shear formed by the packing of the snow in the sipes. In other words, the snow packs and forms a bond, just like a snowball. That's why the most agressive snows have such wide grooves. The super fine snows we've been getting, because the temp's have been low when it snows, are terrible for traction. The snow doesn't pack, so you sink through it, while it forms ice on the road's surface.

Rich

[60man]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Its an 01 Mitsubishi Daimante. I cant describe exactly what its doing, but its completely unsafe. The rear end seems to want to fishtail. And in even in the slightest snow the damn thing wonders. Everyone passes me up like Im standing still when it snows.

Ive never driven a car like this in the snow. Even with bald tires, my last car (a maxima) handled better. Ive only had the car for a few weeks.

Isn't this a FWD car ??? Yet rear end wants to "fishtail" ?!?!
Usually it's a torque steer situation with front wheels..IMO
Sounds like somethings amiss......Good idea to check that puppy out.

[Old Blue 66]

Funny this thread should resruface. I took the car yesterday to a guy I know for a front end check up. We both looked at it and couldnt find anything wrong. Im on my way this morning to get the front end aligned at another shop. I dont want to mess with the car in the snow in this next snow storm.

["Me"]

Independant rear suspension. The problem is just as likely to be in the rear, in fact more likely. Check for brake drag also.

[george kujanski]

The profile of the tires makes a difference also. A wide tire on slippery stuff handles poorly. Back in the day of RWD cars and snow tires, the snow tires had a narrower tread then the non-winter tires.

What car is this? You can aslo check the tire wet traction ratings on tirerack.com to see how they stack up compared to other brands.

George

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Me

Independant rear suspension. The problem is just as likely to be in the rear, in fact more likely. Check for brake drag also.

BINGO!!

I took the car to the alignment shop this morning and with the wheels on the machine and in the air, he noticed the left rear wheel was wobbling. Something we didn't notice at my friend's shop while the car was on the flat lift. Apparently the bushings in the knuckle and i nthe controll arm on the left rear wheel were badly worn allowing the wheel to shift all over the place.

Yet more Mistu only parts.... Im finding that you cant buy much for this car at the local parts store. With all the miles I drive, this car is gone at the end of January. Im not paying the price for parts at the local "stealership"

Thanks for everyones help!!

[Region Warrior]

Deal every day with our local tire dealer/repair center.
They handle all major brands.
A few things i've learned over the years;

Low tire pressure is more likely to cause a blowout then an over inflation do to heat.
If also handles worse. Wet or dry.
A narrow tire will go through snow better then a wide one.
Keep pressure no less then 5lb's(2-3 is better) under whats posted on sidewall for best wear, comfort, handling, and fuel milage.
All good 16" tires will have at least 44 psi max when cold on sidewalll.
Goodyear is over priced compared to most other brands all things equal(my own observation).

Just last month, drove my K1500 down to KY and back.
Cruise set @ 70 mph.
Tires have 44 max cold on sidewall.
Going there, pressure was @ 37 cold.
Before heading back, up'd them to 40 cold.
Got 2 miles per gallon better milage @ 40.
It was also about 10* colder outside.
And truck "seemed" to handle/ride better.

[PITTSBURGH 64]

I run my 40-44 all the way around on my 83 Olds 98 driver with Pirelli's. Your tires would feel like mush to me with 30-32 in them. We have nothing but hills and bends here so I need my tires to be very responsive.
Been doing this for years.............................
The Firestone Firehawk PV-41 police tire is without a doubt the best tire on the market today, second is the Pirelli, I've tried them all.

[george kujanski]

Paul: my wife's Eldo also has rear knuckles that have worn bushings. Dealer only part. List price over $500.....discounted price thru gmpartsdirect.com is "only" $330 or so........each.

I replaced the left side months ago where both top and bottom were badly worn; the right side has a slight amount of slop causing nuisance bonking noises. I need to do that one soon.

I think we're going to find more cars with dealer only parts in the future given the amount of options and features on the newer cars, plus they change designs more frequently.

george

[Old Blue 66]

Lucky for me, mine weren't that expensive George. Got the right rear side done for $240.00 with out an alignment. The car is soooooooooooomuch better now.