i'm thinking of going to tahoe for the first time soon. i doubt i'm going to go much, so i'm thinking of not purchasing snow tires, and instead using chains

i'm using 225/50/16 kumho MX on a stock WRX wagon

am i asking for trouble to go up with those tires plus chains?

 

well as long as you got chains your straight..but i doubt you will need it today..when are you headin out..the weather is crazy now..one day rain..next day sun

 

awesome thanks. that's what i needed to hear. i'm heading out mar 1 when my friends come visit from NYC

i need to get something (snow tires or chains) because kumho mx are for sure not going to cut it... i got caught in a late snowfall in NJ on falken azenis RT215 last year and that was the scariest 20mile i've ever driven

 

ummmm.... i thought it said in out owners MANUEL.
absolutely no chains!!!! umm we got awd chains are not needed.
an yeah falken azenis in snow omg not a good idea ....someone please correct me if im wrong

 

are u intending on running chains on all 4 wheels?

 

NO, do NOT go to Tahoe on Summer tires!!!!!!!!!!

 

Chains REALLY suck, no fun at all, messy and not good for your center differential.

And what smurf said is so true...

Here's what the Tire Rack says about the MX;
"The Ecsta MX is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice."

Do yourself a favor and get a set of cheap M+S rated all-seasons or pony up for a set of real snow tires.

Sumitomo's HTR+ are cheap and don't suck too bad- March is a ways out you should have time to work something out.

Wrecking your own car is one thing, but sliding into someone else because you thought you could "get away" with going into the mountains on summer tires is just messed up.

 

dont buy regular chains, look for a set of these

cable style chains are lower profile so they dont hit your fender if youre lowered, and are slim enough to not mess with your differential. as far as the owners manual saying no chains...i call bs, but just dont use old fashioned chains. dont go up this weekend on mx's alone though, theres supposed to be a lot of snow on saturday i think, and theyll probably have checkpoints out. awd should get you by though.

 

pick up a used set of RE92s on stock wheels for cheap

 

that's great info thanks. i'm definitely not going up on MX's alone.. that would be just asking to die i think

i'm having a hard time justifying $276 to get a set of snow tires that I'm probably only going to use twice. $53 cables is more like it though

 

chains

*shakes head*

 

BUY USED RE92S

THe problem is not the tread, its the compound. In freezing weather your tires will turn rock hard. Are you going to put chains on all 4 wheels and look like a douche bag?

Seriously...awd car..snow...put all-seasons on it. The entire point of buy an awd car in the first place is to not have to stop to put on chains

 

+1

I just said the same thing in the snowboarding thread.

 

but when everyones stranded behind that icy hill, the AWD with chains will be the first one out, while everyone else has to spend the night in the car.

 

First, forget about looks. You can look like a douche as you drive by the cool guy who is stuck in a snowbank, or under a snow plow

I just returned from Tahoe after the first foot of snow in 2 weeks, and my RE-960 all seasons did great. I bought them for the higher treadwear rating, and their decent capability on snow and ice....and I am glad I spent the extra $$.

Everyone was driving slow, as they should be, so there was no issue. I was waved right through as soon as they spied the Subie badge and all season tires I am sure many of you had similar experiences last Sunday or Monday.

Having said that, I will be purchasing a set of low profile chains to keep in my car just in case.

The part above about compound is completely true. It is also a good reason to avoid dedicated snow tires for anything but dedicated snow driving (and some gravel runs ). The compound is WAY too soft for anything over 40 degrees, and you will chew them apart FAST.

AWD is great, but having an open front diff and so-so center diff limits us WRX guys in the snow and ice. Don't rely on it alone, and you will be better off.