Winter Driving and Tires

Does anyone have any experience with tire chains the Prius?

 

The Blizzak is made by Bridgestone not B F Goodrich. Oh and yes the Blizzak is a great winter tire, my choice in fact above the Michelin.

 

"All season" tires are *not* winter tires, period. I have no doubt that a fwd car with winter tires, will have better stopping ability than an awd car with all season tires

Some all season tires do meet the minimum winter tire traction specs, so they carry the "Snowflake" symbol

Winter Tech - How to Confirm a Winter Performer

For example, the Goodyear Fortera TripleTred I run 3 seasons on my FJ. There is a day and night difference between them and a dedicated winter tire, especially my new studded Nokians. They don't even come close

The old M + S designation was completely arbitrary and not based on any true standards. A "smooth" all season tire could carry M + S on the sidewall.

Most winter tires perform the same on snow, whether studded or studless. On shiny glare ice, studs have a clear advantage. I've tried quite a few winter tires over the decades, including the Blizzak, but have always found a premium studded tire performs best in real winter conditions

There are threads regarding tire chains on the Prius. Due to very limited clearance in the fenderwell, you must use caution using chains with a Prius

This isn't just a Prius issue. Many new vehicles have limited fenderwell clearance, using chains could cause a lot of damage

 

I have a set of Laclede chains. Laclede Passenger Car Traction Prodcuts
They are extremely easy to put on and take off. They have saved my arse several times when I used them on my '05 with the awful TC.

I've just put 15" wheels and Michelins on my Gen III. We're leaving for Chicago in a few minutes so I might be getting a chance to use them.

Heres hoping the Gen III will be a better snow car than the '05 was.

 

Those look like high quality chains. Thanks for the link, think I'll try a set for my FJ

 

I would be careful with chains as the wheel clearance is minimal. a loose chain could do a lot of damage.

 

really with the stud less ice and snow tires like the Blizzak and the Michelin Xice Xi2 you would have to have real extreme conditions where you would need chains.

 

Or live in a neighborhood with steep hills, curves, lots of ice, and mInimal plowing.

 

Still don't think you would need chains with stud less ice and snow tires like I mentioned before. Especially not on the gen 3 and doubtful on the gen 2.

I don't shovel my driveway which is steep 20 degree incline and even with a Bridgestone RE960 AS pole position all season tire I still get up my drive.

 

Just my opinion of course, but with the low ground clearance, if the conditions are bad enough that even studded winter tires wont work then the conditions are such that the ground clearance will get youand the cahins will be useless anyway. You will be hung up because the car will be hung up due to the depth of the snow.

 

Shall we agree to disagree?

Or must we have a duel? (-:

 

Just disagree is fine with me. I have owned Blizzacks, know what they can do and cant see ever needing chains unless I lived in some of the mountainous states like Colorado, Montana etc and had a vehicle with enough ground clearance to use them in really deep stuff.

 

Mindmachine,

Do please remember there are roadways where chains or other traction devices (e.g.: cables or spiders) are required if you wish to proceed. The approach to the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 and various mountain passes around Tahoe come immediately to mind. The highway patrol don't care how many wheels are driving, nor do they care what kind of tires you have on your vehicle. At times, snow tires or chains are required and at others, it's chains or turn around and go home.

 

Sure if you need to go where they are required by law I understand that senario, but that's not what I am talking about.

 

Nice report from Consumer Reports but I found another Tire Rack head-to-head comparison video where the Michelins fell short of the Continental Extreme Winter Contact...I'll post it if I can find it again.

 

Here it is...the Nov 09 Tire Rack video comparing Michelin X-Ice head-to-head with Bridgestone Blizzaks and Continental Extreme Winter Contacts:

 

Oops!

 

Very interesting comment from that Tire Rack test done in Sweden: most Traction Control systems do NOT allow enough wheelspin to maximize traction. For example, the tires they tested peaked their traction at between 45-75% wheel spin, but they claimed most Traction Control systems allow far less wheelspin

 

Agreed. It almost seems like a variable controller on the Traction Control would be handy depending on tires and conditions. Another sub-program for the computer.