Thanks you guys!

"Sarah Houston" ...
> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
> streets here in CO.
>

*snipping gracious thanks*

Take heed, off-topic whiners (I don't mean you, Ms. Houston)...

When you *ask* for advice, you get it, as this lady's post proves.

So, instead of complaining about the off-topic banter here (granted, there
is *way* too much of that), *ask your questions*, and they will be very
skillfully answered.



Natalie
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:39:56 -0600, Sarah Houston
wrote:

>Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>streets here in CO.
>
>I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>
>Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might work as
>well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty good.
>
>I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>years ago.
>
>Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice, which
>for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and installation and
>everything.
>
>Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>
>I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>more problems with it!
>
>These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>sliding with their regular tires.
>
>Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!

Okay, what kind of rims does the car have? Because it makes Much
More Sense to have a seperate set of rims for the snow tires - that
way you can switch back and forth as needed without paying for the
labor (again!) and waiting in the long line you find at the tire shop
every time the weather turns with the 50,000 other snow-tire lemmings.

(This is for old-style cars, or the passive, ABS Sensor based tire
pressure monitoring that just counts the rotation pulses to sense a
low tire. People with radio sender in-the-rim based Tire Pressure
Monitoring Systems on your cars, that's going to seriously complicate
things...)

Just takes a good floor jack, a spot in the corner of the garage to
stack the other set of tires, and a bit of elbow grease. You can buy
an electric impact wrench to make it easier getting the lug nuts off.

And yes, even girls can do it, car maintenance ain't Rocket Science
- just make your monthly manicure appointment AFTER you do the work,
just in case you break one. And if you wear disposable nitrile gloves
while you work the grease won't get rubbed in so deep.

You can switch the snow tires off early in March when it looks like
the snow stopped, and back on in April for a week when you get a last
gasp blast of Winter coming through. Without waiting too long and
grinding all that expensive winter rubber off on warm dry roads.

And every time you mount and dismount tires to and from the rims you
risk ripping the bead seal surfaces and wrecking the tire. (Or cause
an annoying chronic slow leak.) Best to mount it once, and leave it on
the rim until worn out.

If you put the snows on your factory alloy rims and took the
"summer" tires home, start shopping around for another set of rims now
- especially for another set of alloy rims you will find much better
prices when you are not in a hurry and need to buy them /right now/.

Ask at regional wrecking yards, and at all the regional Toyota
dealers and tire shops. Leave a note on their bulletin board with
need, name, and number, and don't expect a call for weeks or more.

People will slide into a curb and wreck one alloy rim and change all
four with aftermarket (sometimes cheaper than buying one new factory
alloy - they want a LOT!), leaving three good used factory alloys.
Then the tire shop owner remembers your note, and calls.

Or a car will have a fire and get junked with four perfectly good
rims. (Good tires are a bonus.) The wrecking yard gets more
reselling them to you as used rims than as scrap metal.

Or find some inexpensive steel rims for the snow tires, and switch
them over next spring. That way you'll be ready.

(NOTE: Different length and seat shape lug nuts are required for
mounting steel and alloy rims. You might need to spend $10 on a set.)

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Sarah Houston" wrote in message

> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
> streets here in CO.
>
> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>
> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might work as
> well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty good.
>
> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
> years ago.
>
> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice, which
> for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and installation and
> everything.
>
> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>
> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
> more problems with it!
>
> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
> sliding with their regular tires.
>
> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!

Excellent! (I'm one who suggested getting tires that are rated highly for
snow, & IIRC, someone else did, too.)

Cathy


>
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Cathy F." ...
>
> "Sarah Houston" ...
>> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>> streets here in CO.
>>
>> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>>
>> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might work as
>> well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty good.
>>
>> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>> years ago.
>>
>> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice, which
>> for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and installation and
>> everything.
>>
>> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>>
>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>> more problems with it!
>>
>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>> sliding with their regular tires.
>>
>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>
> Excellent! (I'm one who suggested getting tires that are rated highly for
> snow, & IIRC, someone else did, too.)
>
> Cathy

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back, Cathy...



Natalie
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:52:19 -0500, Tomes wrote:

> "Sarah Houston" ...
>> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>> streets here in CO.
>>
>> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>>
>> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might work as
>> well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty good.
>>
>> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>> years ago.
>>
>> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice, which
>> for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and installation and
>> everything.
>>
>> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>>
>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>> more problems with it!
>>
>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>> sliding with their regular tires.
>>
>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>>
> Yep, the advice here is good and when it is not it gets jumped on so one
> can tell the difference. Are you planning on using those snow tires in
> the summer too? I would be curious in how they would behave in the heat.
> Tomes


Boy, I hope not!

Winter tires are a softer compound than summer tires and wear a LOT faster.
You can usually run winter tire in the summer if you're prepared to buy a
new set every winter. Some states/municipalities don't allow winter tires
all year long, esp if they are studded.

In Mass they can be installed Nov 1 and have to be removed by April 15
(studded tires, that is...)
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Hachiroku...
> Tomes wrote:
>> "Sarah Houston" ...
>>> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>>> streets here in CO.
>>>
>>> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>>>
>>> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might work as
>>> well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty good.
>>>
>>> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>>> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>>> years ago.
>>>
>>> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice, which
>>> for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and installation and
>>> everything.
>>>
>>> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>>>
>>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>>> more problems with it!
>>>
>>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>>> sliding with their regular tires.
>>>
>>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>>>
>> Yep, the advice here is good and when it is not it gets jumped on so one
>> can tell the difference. Are you planning on using those snow tires in
>> the summer too? I would be curious in how they would behave in the heat.
>> Tomes
>
> Boy, I hope not!
>
> Winter tires are a softer compound than summer tires and wear a LOT
> faster.
> You can usually run winter tire in the summer if you're prepared to buy a
> new set every winter. Some states/municipalities don't allow winter tires
> all year long, esp if they are studded.
>
> In Mass they can be installed Nov 1 and have to be removed by April 15
> (studded tires, that is...)
>
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I just have not put on snows for so
long now here in NJ where the all seasons seems to be OK enough for me. It
seems like a real pain to be switching them twice a year...
Tomes
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:58:24 -0500, Cathy F. wrote:

>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>> more problems with it!
>>
>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>> sliding with their regular tires.
>>
>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>
> Excellent! (I'm one who suggested getting tires that are rated highly for
> snow, & IIRC, someone else did, too.)
>
> Cathy


I guess because I'm out in the middle of East Overshoe at 3AM, I bought
snows for the first time in years this year (well, I had some on the AWD
Tercel, too...)

THANK GOD!!! Almost ALL of our snowstorms have come after midnight, have
been at least 3-4" and the towns on my route don't plow until about 6AM
(when I'm home checking the insides of my eyelids for leaks...)

I STILL managed to get stuck with the Mazda a couple times, esp on the
dirt roads where it turns to ice. When I got the Subaru, the singer in my
band gave me 4 almost NRW studded snows. They are cheap and don't grip
well on ice (or snow, either, really...) but I haven't been stuck yet and
can get to where I need to be even in ice.

I just had a feeling this was going to be a bad year and that I really
should have snows...

BTW, I got Hankook iPike snows for the Mazda. I should have waited and
spent the $$$ for the tires for the Suby, because even on the Mazda these
thing make it through like a tank!!! They were $52 each, and as long as I
didn't have to make any funny moves they would just keep going.
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Hachiroku ...
> Cathy F. wrote:
>
>>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>>> more problems with it!
>>>
>>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping and
>>> sliding with their regular tires.
>>>
>>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>>
>> Excellent! (I'm one who suggested getting tires that are rated highly for
>> snow, & IIRC, someone else did, too.)
>>
>> Cathy
>
>
> I guess because I'm out in the middle of East Overshoe at 3AM, I bought
> snows for the first time in years this year (well, I had some on the AWD
> Tercel, too...)
>
> THANK GOD!!! Almost ALL of our snowstorms have come after midnight, have
> been at least 3-4" and the towns on my route don't plow until about 6AM
> (when I'm home checking the insides of my eyelids for leaks...)
>
> I STILL managed to get stuck with the Mazda a couple times, esp on the
> dirt roads where it turns to ice. When I got the Subaru, the singer in my
> band gave me 4 almost NRW studded snows. They are cheap and don't grip
> well on ice (or snow, either, really...) but I haven't been stuck yet and
> can get to where I need to be even in ice.
>
> I just had a feeling this was going to be a bad year and that I really
> should have snows...
>
> BTW, I got Hankook iPike snows for the Mazda. I should have waited and
> spent the $$$ for the tires for the Suby, because even on the Mazda these
> thing make it through like a tank!!! They were $52 each, and as long as I
> didn't have to make any funny moves they would just keep going.
>
Do you go with 4 tires or just 2 on the drive wheels?
Tomes
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:37:51 -0500, Tomes wrote:

>> BTW, I got Hankook iPike snows for the Mazda. I should have waited and
>> spent the $$$ for the tires for the Suby, because even on the Mazda
>> these thing make it through like a tank!!! They were $52 each, and as
>> long as I didn't have to make any funny moves they would just keep
>> going.
>>
> Do you go with 4 tires or just 2 on the drive wheels? Tomes


I don't know why, but I was expecting a lot of snow this year. i guessed
correctly...

One year I bought some snow tires for the Hachiroku...the only winter it
ever saw. It is RWD, so I got two tires and put them on the rear.

Yeah...and after the first snowstorm, I went back and got two more for the
front. It was like trying to steer an oil tanker...

So...lesson learned. Since FWD are driven, duh, by the front wheels, and
you CAN'T STEER THE REAR WHEELS (at least, not with the 626 I have...it
doesn't have RWS...) I got four right off the bat. Plus, knowing I would
be in the middle of East Cupcake at that time in the morning, it made more
sense than to try to flirt with disaster...
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Hachiroku ...
> Tomes wrote:
>
>>> BTW, I got Hankook iPike snows for the Mazda. I should have waited and
>>> spent the $$$ for the tires for the Suby, because even on the Mazda
>>> these thing make it through like a tank!!! They were $52 each, and as
>>> long as I didn't have to make any funny moves they would just keep
>>> going.
>>>
>> Do you go with 4 tires or just 2 on the drive wheels? Tomes
>
>
> I don't know why, but I was expecting a lot of snow this year. i guessed
> correctly...
>

We have had basically no snow here in NJ this year so far. I just don't
think I will ever do the snow tire thing. The Prius is pretty bad in the
snow tho with those OEM tires.
Tomes

> One year I bought some snow tires for the Hachiroku...the only winter it
> ever saw. It is RWD, so I got two tires and put them on the rear.
>
> Yeah...and after the first snowstorm, I went back and got two more for the
> front. It was like trying to steer an oil tanker...
>
> So...lesson learned. Since FWD are driven, duh, by the front wheels, and
> you CAN'T STEER THE REAR WHEELS (at least, not with the 626 I have...it
> doesn't have RWS...) I got four right off the bat. Plus, knowing I would
> be in the middle of East Cupcake at that time in the morning, it made more
> sense than to try to flirt with disaster...
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Tomes" wrote :

> "Sarah Houston" ...
>> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>> streets here in CO.
>>
>> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>>
>> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might
>> work as well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty
>> good.
>>
>> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>> years ago.
>>
>> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice,
>> which for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and
>> installation and everything.
>>
>> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>>
>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>> more problems with it!
>>
>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping
>> and sliding with their regular tires.
>>
>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>>
> Yep, the advice here is good and when it is not it gets jumped on so
> one can tell the difference. Are you planning on using those snow
> tires in the summer too? I would be curious in how they would behave
> in the heat. Tomes

No, the guy at COstco recommends against it, says they'd only last one
year that way, that they're softer rubber and heat will wear them out
fast.

He said if I only use them in winter, I should get 4 winters out of
them.
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

"Cathy F." wrote :

>
> "Sarah Houston" wrote in message
>
>> Awhile back I was asking about 4WD for getting around on the snowy
>> streets here in CO.
>>
>> I have the 93 Corolla wagon with front wheel drive.
>>
>> Someone suggested just getting good snow tires and that it might
>> work as well as a 4WD, that the newer snow tire designs are pretty
>> good.
>>
>> I'm from Florida originally and haven't gotten into snow tires since
>> moving out here, for years, because they didn't used to be that good
>> years ago.
>>
>> Well I asked Costco about some and they suggested Michelin X-Ice,
>> which for my car wound up costing around $416 with tax and
>> installation and everything.
>>
>> Well let me tell you, these things are GREAT!
>>
>> I may have mentioned a kind of steep hill outside the house here. No
>> more problems with it!
>>
>> These things get us around, pronto, when everyone else is slipping
>> and sliding with their regular tires.
>>
>> Thanks guys! I really appreciate the good advice here!
>
> Excellent! (I'm one who suggested getting tires that are rated highly
> for snow, & IIRC, someone else did, too.)
>
> Cathy

It's amazing Cathy.

About the only way I can get stuck with these, would be to drive into a
foot of snow off the side of the road, or something. I've never
experienced anything like this on snow before.

The guy at Costco told me that they have an employee who lives in the
mountains here and uses them, that's how he knew they were this good.
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys! 

=?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?=
wrote :

> On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:37:51 -0500, Tomes wrote:
>
>>> BTW, I got Hankook iPike snows for the Mazda. I should have waited
>>> and spent the $$$ for the tires for the Suby, because even on the
>>> Mazda these thing make it through like a tank!!! They were $52
>>> each, and as long as I didn't have to make any funny moves they
>>> would just keep going.
>>>
>> Do you go with 4 tires or just 2 on the drive wheels? Tomes
>
>
> I don't know why, but I was expecting a lot of snow this year. i
> guessed correctly...
>
> One year I bought some snow tires for the Hachiroku...the only winter
> it ever saw. It is RWD, so I got two tires and put them on the rear.
>
> Yeah...and after the first snowstorm, I went back and got two more
> for the front. It was like trying to steer an oil tanker...
>
> So...lesson learned. Since FWD are driven, duh, by the front wheels,
> and you CAN'T STEER THE REAR WHEELS (at least, not with the 626 I
> have...it doesn't have RWS...) I got four right off the bat. Plus,
> knowing I would be in the middle of East Cupcake at that time in the
> morning, it made more sense than to try to flirt with disaster...

Yes, this car of ours may be front wheel drive, but it brakes with all
4, and I can tell the difference with these X-Ice. Amazing.

Other people can be spinning around in front of us ( we actually saw it
happen one night on a neighborhood back street ) and we just drive right
through past them.
 >> Stay informed about: Thanks you guys!