what are you talking about????? Who told you this????

R1 and R2 conditions do not require chains on AWD/4WD passenger vehicles under 6500 pounds if you have MS or Snow tires.

R3 does......I have a feeling there are less than 10 people that have driven in R3 conditions (me being one) as we rarely see them in california....roads are usually closed at that point. The few folks here from the east coast probably have.

You are however required to carry chains at all times in snow country....though I never have and have never been asked.

 

from my experiences, having the right tire doesnt matter that much to the cal trans guys. They see subaru and wave you past. any tire with decent grooves will get you by. I even had chains with my car if they checked.

i was in a heavy storm going the backway to kirkwood from jackson, which took about 2+ hours and they waved me past with street tires, they mightve been M+S but i think they were just economy tires.

 

thats great for you, I still personally would not run street/summer tires at all in the snow, its a recipe for crashing

awd is useful in limited traction conditions, it doesnt mean jack in 0 traction conditions

 

Not in CA, all the law says is that you have to have M+S stamped on your sidewall and a minimum tread depth. But as stated previously, you usually just get waved on if you have a Subaru. The roads to Tahoe are almost always closed before an R3 condition is declared, requiring 4WD's to have chains. And quite honestly, it's for everyones good that they do shut the roads down in conditions like that.

 

for sure, im getting an M+S set for rally and snow.

the other was on my moms wagon with new cheap tires with no ratings on them, i just knew they had some ***** with big gaps in them. I put chains on the front on the way back and they didnt seem to help at all. I broke one testing out the brakes when i went to take them off. they were the cable ones with beads on them.

but i dont think that this topic should keep anyone from buying the tires they want. If you dont think they will do as well in the snow as others, just get some chains.

 

chains on one axle of an awd car??

 

all seaseons good in snow:

- bfg KDWS (least expensive)
- pzero nero m+s
- nokian WR
- kumho ASX

those are all better in the snow than proxes4 and 512

or just get a set of performance winter tires to have good snow traction, but not so good dry. i.e. snow tires that people run all year round:

- Dunlop wintersport M3
- Hankook icebar W300

 

the kuhmos are actually the cheapest

 

Question for you guys running different tires in teh winter, do you guys have a shop take off the tire from your rim or do you guys have 2 sets of rims with different tires on them and just switch it and torque it on yourself?

 

I had summer tires on all last season...but I never really pushed it at the check points. I guess they may not even check since it's a suby.

I had chains for all 4 tires.

I just ordered Dunlop M3s from the tirerack. I have a spare set of rotas to put them on, so I'll have two complete wheel sets. I have air tools so a quick swap is cake.

I don't know what the "r" rating for storms are, but I spent 3 winters in MI and drove 100 miles daily. I've seen some bad conditions. One time I was on a 5 lane freeway and I had no idea which lane i was in or if I was still in a lane...that was scary.

 

Just as a heads up....there is a chance I might be able to put together a group buy on the pzero's with a friend of mine. I have him pricing Pzero Nero, Toyo P4's, Blizzak LM-25's.

First two in 225/45/17, 235/45/17 and the blizzaks at 225/55/16

 

+1 for 235/45/17

Current best pricing I have

~580OTD for the p zero neros (mounted, balanced, tax all included)

~450OTD for the kuhmo ASX (mounted, balanced, tax all included)

 

thanks that gives me a reference point.

 

+1 for the falken ziex-512 on being cheap and good in snow/ wet surfaces sound like the right tire for wat your looking for, good price good traction, still drive very causious in the snow its a whole nother ball game