Snow tires = heresy?

[zach lawrence]

I live outside Chicago, IL. I just ordered a new C6. It should be delivered late January or early February. I know most Corvette owners garage your cars in winter in the northern states, but I was wondering if any of you drive them year round.

If you do, I would like to know if you change tires. I did some surfing at Tire Rack, and it seems that either Dunlop M3 or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S will fit. Roughly same OD and revs per mile.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Zach in Woodridge.

 

[Greenie]

If you do, put them onm all 4 wheels. The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S is an excellent tire. You could even consider the Blizzak LM-22 snow tire if you want snows. Again, all 4 tires so that the tread patterns match. Good luck!!!

 

[zach lawrence]

If you do, put them onm all 4 wheels. The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S is an excellent tire. You could even consider the Blizzak LM-22 snow tire if you want snows. Again, all 4 tires so that the tread patterns match. Good luck!!!

Thanks. I agree that it's four or none. What sizes do you recommend so that the OD and revs per mile are the same or close to the OEM tires?

 

[zach lawrence]

I agree it's four or none. What sizes do you recommend? I want to keep OD and revs per mile as close to stock as possible, and I didn't think Bridgestone made Blizzaks in the exact OEM sizes.

 

[Greenie]

Hi Zach! With the Corvette using 19" rears and 18" fronts, it makes it a bit difficult to fit snows to the existing rim sizes. Blizzak has a MZ-03 studless snow RUN FLAT in a 245/40/18 which matches the fronts. There is NO match for the rears in this tire. If you get a set of winter wheels and if the rear set up will accept 18" wheels(and I dont see why they wouldnt) you are home free!! Good luck.

 

[_crazi4speed_]

Ok I have a Q, How bad will / is(for ppl who already have experienced it) the C6 be in winters, if you dont give the car too much throtle and drive carefully, under the speed limit, shouldnt it be ok?

I wouldnt want to do all the hassle to just drive in snow, as it is, I am in Chicago and here they take good care of the roads in snow, excpet for my Apt complex, thats going to be a pain..anyhow I have a G35 sedan not the X and if I wouldnt use the C6(once i have it ofcourse) then it would be the G35, so my Q is would C6 be somewhat equal to a G35 in snow? I had a Infiniti I30 before this (97) which I use to drive in the snow, ofcourse I had scary moments, but in the end, I was careful and got by in 4 winters, I am sure C6 would handle better than a I30 with cheap tires(90$ each), dont u guys think?

 

[Greenie]

I used to drive my older Corvettes(1977, 1979) in the snow equipped with snows here in Philly. The car is somewhat light in the rear but it wasnt too bad. The C6 with its larger tires in the rear and lighter rear may give you a headache this winter. IMHO, the Infiniti is a better choice for the winter. Good luck!!!

 

[1995 RedVette]

I ran acorss this pic some where, may have been on the forum, but he didn't seem to have too big of a problem driving. Now cleaning the car later may have been a problem.

Brett

 

[bossvette]

I ran acorss this pic some where, may have been on the forum, but he didn't seem to have too big of a problem driving. Now cleaning the car later may have been a problem.

Brett

That is "Dad's" old C-5 I believe he has all weather tires on it for the winter, he recently aquired a C-6 and I believe he mentioned trying to put the All weather set from the car in the picture on his new one.

 

[Grizzly]

It really does better than most two wheel drive vehicles because of the balance, certainly better than a two wheel drive pickup! A good set of all weather tires with an open tread might be easier to find than snows. I have long used two sets of wheels for the toys, one with all weather/orginal rims and the high performance tires on fancy custom rims.

I'd be more worried about the crud and corruption that would get on it from driving on the slushy streets. I think if it was me I would find a non-brush/all water car wash with undercarriage spray to rinse it down with.

Keep the shiny side up!

 

[WhalePirot]

That spoiler is quite low and would make a great snow/slush scoop. It seems to drag as easily and as often as the same on my lowered C-4. Manual says it's normal and expected.

I wonder if you guys will get to sign the snow chain release I did, in SoCal! Bizarre!

 

[Grizzly]

That spoiler is quite low and would make a great snow/slush scoop. It seems to drag as easily and as often as the same on my lowered C-4. Manual says it's normal and expected.

I wonder if you guys will get to sign the snow chain release I did, in SoCal! Bizarre!

For the benefit of us right coasters, what is a snow chain release?

 

[WhalePirot]

what is a snow chain release?

I didn't read the ridiculous document too closely, but it said something about installing chains on the tires and possible damage to the car as a result.

Where else but in L.A. County, Californika, where in nobody's memory, has snow ever fallen; and on the purchase of a new Vette!

I suppose someone drove their new car up to the wintry mountains, then drove too fast or with improperly installed chains, damaging their car.

Can you imagine the ride in a snow chain equipped Z-51? Imagine trying to get them installed on the wide tires and low car!

 

[Dad]

Snow driving

Boy do I miss the ol 98, many good memories in that car. Boss is right it was the day after Christmas 1998 and I was coming back from my son's home in South Carolina. Since I make that 730-mile trip by myself quit often I keep in touch with my sister in Michigan to let her know where I am. As I was talking to her coming out of the Smokies on I-40 headed towards Knoxville Tennessee, I told her she would never believe that it had just started to snow, this is Tennessee for grip sake. It snowed all the rest of the way home to West Unity Oh. I heard that some places had 18" down near Dayton and I think we got about 16" as you can see in the picture.



There were allot of people on the road and the snow was wet and sloppy. All of those people were driving to stay alive, sometimes as slow as 35 MPH on I-75. All except some bonehead truck driver that passed us at about 80 MPH drowning everyone with slush and scaring some driver almost off the road. I got home at daybreak and my drive was drifted shut so I parked on the road, (unplowed) and was going to get the tractor and clean the drive. I could see lights coming and thought I better move or I was going to get hit. It wouldn't move, warm tires had made a pocket in the snow and would only spin. Turns out it was my neighbor and he was coming down to plow me into my garage. Other than that one stop I had no problems driving in the snow, that's why I got a set of all season tires on another set of rims, I figured it would happen again. Actually I ran them year round because it turned out they were quiet, smooth, and had a better ride than the runflats. The down side is that they were not much better in water; it's still a wide tire.



The tires were Continental Conti Extreme Contact for the C5 but they don't make them yet for the C6. They do make a set that fits the C6 but they are not classed as all season. For the price they can’t be beat, and their ride is great on the C5, the C6 with Supercar EMT’s are nearly as good so Judge Judy has yet to pass judgment on them yet. One last comment, the Continentals take a slight set and it takes a couple of miles to smooth out.

 

[hzl6cm]

I have driven my 01 Camaro SS (345 hp - 6 speed) for the last three winters in the Kansas City area with no problems running Michelin Arctic Alpine tires on on it. I got a set of 16 inch Firebird takeoff alloy rims from SLP and sized the tires so that I had the same outside diameter as my factory 275/40x17 tires. We don't get a lot of snow here but get a fair amount of freezing rain ice etc and these tires do very well on ice. The main thing I had to remember was to turn off the traction control when it was slick out because otherwise it would shove the gas petal back in to my foot (no throttle by wire like on the C5s). When it was slick I would storat in seconf and short shift to third and I was able to out accelerate a lot of the SUVs when pulling away from intersections with 6 inches of fresh snow on the ground last winter!

Kevin

 

[WhalePirot]

I ran acorss this pic some where. Now cleaning the car later may have been a problem.

Wow, that's worse than the C-4 I saw a gal driving last winter in Anchorage!

I bought a set of studded Hakkopolita's from a friend for a ML430. I like them but have not checked the Vette sizes. Seems a narrower tire for winter driving would make more sense anyway, as long as narrower wheels which would fit can be found. (Then I got to pull his Viper out of the snow, on a very slight upgrade.)