Question: Tires mix and match all seasons?

[braveheart3158]

Please don't hate me but I will be driving my 94 in light ny snow this year.
Right now i have the original tires on the car. FRONT 255/45/17 and REAR
285/40/17

$500 snows for the back are no longer available this year. Not
that I would buy them anyway.

I have narrowed it down to 2 choices.


1- Michelin Pilot A/S plus all season for front and back
2- Michelin
Pilot A/S plus all season REAR ONLY with CONTINENTAL XTREME CONTACT DWS in the
front

QUESTION-Would there be a problem with running a different tire
manufacturer on the front?

Continental not available for the rear size
and they have better ratings for snow etc.. If they were available for the rear
sizes I would have goten them all around

 

[Hib Halverson]

I don't think running tires from two different manufacturers front and rear will matter much as long as the tires are the right size and all four are all season but....

A C4 is not a very good "snow car" unless you have true winter tires on all four corners. As much as the tire industry would like you to think they are "snow tires", all season tires are usually marginal for use on plowed roads and on ice. Yes, they can be driven in conditions like that but they are marginal for that. All Season tires are not very good at all in deep or soft snow. Also, you can't drive the car at all in fresh snow which is higher than the bottom of the front air dam.

If your winter driving is on plowed roads or hard-packed snow you should be ok if you are an experienced winter driver and are very careful. Going up hills and getting started on a hill would be a challenge for sure.

If I had to drive my C4 in show regularly, if I could get winter tires in the stock size, I might even consider a different set of wheels on which I could mount true winter tires of a different size.

Another thing I might consider is "cable chains" on smaller rear tires and all season tires on the front.

 

[LLC5]

Please don't hate me but I will be driving my 94 in light ny snow this year.
Right now i have the original tires on the car. FRONT 255/45/17 and REAR
285/40/17

$500 snows for the back are no longer available this year. Not
that I would buy them anyway.

I have narrowed it down to 2 choices.


1- Michelin Pilot A/S plus all season for front and back
2- Michelin
Pilot A/S plus all season REAR ONLY with CONTINENTAL XTREME CONTACT DWS in the
front

QUESTION-Would there be a problem with running a different tire
manufacturer on the front?

Continental not available for the rear size
and they have better ratings for snow etc.. If they were available for the rear
sizes I would have goten them all around

No hate here. Glad to see you will using the vehicle instead of letting it sit for the winter.

The only problem with mismatched tire treads, or brands, is that in certain high traction/speed situtations they will react differently and the vehicle can get out of control. If driven on the street at legal or close to legal speeds you are going to be fine. At freeway speeds and in a panic situtation (sudden motion change, etc) you could get into a little trouble with mismatched tires, but keep in mind at those speeds even perfectly matched tires may have the same results. Good luck with it and enjoy the winter.

 

[catbert]

Driving a Vette all year is way cool. Unlike HIB, I really don't like to mix tire brands, or even models, if I can help it. There are variations in the way manufacturers "build" tires, and those variations have a lot to do with handling, especially at the top end.

I drove my C4 all year in Chicago in another life. I put 5 forty pound bags of sand in the trunk, and I never got stuck. I didn't use it as a snow plow, and drove something else at about 4 inches of new snow. You DO have to watch out for ice chunks, as they will raise hell with the nose.

 

[braveheart3158]

I don't think running tires from two different manufacturers front and rear will matter much as long as the tires are the right size and all four are all season but....

A C4 is not a very good "snow car" unless you have true winter tires on all four corners. As much as the tire industry would like you to think they are "snow tires", all season tires are usually marginal for use on plowed roads and on ice. Yes, they can be driven in conditions like that but they are marginal for that. All Season tires are not very good at all in deep or soft snow. Also, you can't drive the car at all in fresh snow which is higher than the bottom of the front air dam.

If your winter driving is on plowed roads or hard-packed snow you should be ok if you are an experienced winter driver and are very careful. Going up hills and getting started on a hill would be a challenge for sure.

If I had to drive my C4 in show regularly, if I could get winter tires in the stock size, I might even consider a different set of wheels on which I could mount true winter tires of a different size.

Another thing I might consider is "cable chains" on smaller rear tires and all season tires on the front.

I plan on driving in snow that has already been plowed or packed. Anything more then that I will avoid.

There are tire socks that I am planning to get either way. But they can not be driven on pavement. In NY you could have one block snow and another no snow so I will put socks in trunk for emergency such as getting stuck or hills.

As mentioned there are no more snow tires stock size available for this season and they are over $500 a piece.

Changing rims is a good idea and I would consider. QUESTION would be what size could i put on? Maybe I can find used ones. Will it interfere with the electronics of the cars ABS Etc.?

Thank you for replying?
Ted

 

[braveheart3158]

No hate here. Glad to see you will using the vehicle instead of letting it sit for the winter.

The only problem with mismatched tire treads, or brands, is that in certain high traction/speed situtations they will react differently and the vehicle can get out of control. If driven on the street at legal or close to legal speeds you are going to be fine. At freeway speeds and in a panic situtation (sudden motion change, etc) you could get into a little trouble with mismatched tires, but keep in mind at those speeds even perfectly matched tires may have the same results. Good luck with it and enjoy the winter.

You raised and answered the gorrila in the room. My logic was telling me the same thing that you mentioned but i was unsure. thanks

Any thoghts on getting different rims so i can put snows on? what size rims?

 

[braveheart3158]

Driving a Vette all year is way cool. Unlike HIB, I really don't like to mix tire brands, or even models, if I can help it. There are variations in the way manufacturers "build" tires, and those variations have a lot to do with handling, especially at the top end.

I drove my C4 all year in Chicago in another life. I put 5 forty pound bags of sand in the trunk, and I never got stuck. I didn't use it as a snow plow, and drove something else at about 4 inches of new snow. You DO have to watch out for ice chunks, as they will raise hell with the nose.

Probably wont be driving at the top end in snow ... If I put the continental on the fron for the winter I would have to get the Michelins for the front come spring for the reason you mention.

5 forty pound bags really makes a big difference?

Wont drive in more then 4inch like you. Plowed or packed snow/ice if i can help it.

Any thoughts on snow tire socks?

 

[LLC5]

You raised and answered the gorrila in the room. My logic was telling me the same thing that you mentioned but i was unsure. thanks

Any thoghts on getting different rims so i can put snows on? what size rims?

If you are indeed driving in a lot of snow/slush and icy roads as I do for skiing, I would invest in different wheels and dedicated snow tires keeping in mind that they wear out VERY fast on dry pavement, they don't even have a tread wear rating. I would put on the narrowest width snow tire possible that fits on your vehicle with a corresponding rim width to match for traction and the best longevity. Tire Rack is an excellent source for such information, I would browse their site or give them a call as they are very knowledgeable. Good luck with it.

 

[catbert]

Probably wont be driving at the top end in snow ... If I put the continental on the fron for the winter I would have to get the Michelins for the front come spring for the reason you mention.

5 forty pound bags really makes a big difference?

Oh yeah. 200 pounds over the rear axles made a huge difference.

 

[braveheart3158]

Oh yeah. 200 pounds over the rear axles made a huge difference.

Thanks all for the info. I decided to buy the Michelin Pilots All Season for all around. They do not sell the autosock tires for the size tires I have on the back so I will be going with the weight in the back. Thanks again.

 

[John Robinson]

For winter driving you can get a couple of used front rims and put 255 x 45 x17 on the rear with snow tires.

 

[braveheart3158]

For winter driving you can get a couple of used front rims and put 255 x 45 x17 on the rear with snow tires.

Thank you. That is a big help. Wish I read this before buying the new tires. Will consider for next year. Thanks again. Great idea

 

[timvette]

having driven vettes in snow in ny, with a 73 4 spd, an 85 auto, and as of now a 93 auto with asr and traction control with summer tires, all i can say is if you have a later c4 that you value, put it away and drive an suv. ice is a condition to consider as is height of snow..c4s are low, and most places in northeast use salt on roads that ruin our cars. minor snow in lower states such as NC it might be alright for winter/all weather tires. keep the same size as factory recomended and a brand mix shoulnt make a diffrence