I am looking for a good winter tire. I am looking to race in a winter rally and might look for a studable tire like the Pirelli Winter 160 S Plus. Any comments or suggestions? I know there is much debate on studded VS non-studded but I have not tried either so if you have I would like to hear what you have to say. I would still need o be able to drive to and from the race on the tires so a compromise is necessary I think. Also, I am looking at getting a narrower rim for the winter rallys any advice would be appreciated!

Oh also is there a half decent mud flap that doesn’t require much drilling of my car? : )

 

Just curious but are you rallying? Or daily driving?
I just want to know if you have had success running non-studded tiers in a winter rally?

Thanks for the info I will check those out! : )

 

I've posted my Blizzak LM22 pics.. The tire is so soft and sticky, it's easilly a better tire for comfort and handling compared to the stock RE92s. Which is good cause they are a whole lot more expensive than the RE92s. As for ice/snow/slush, I have no other performance snow tires to compare them to, but they stick like mad and when they do slip it's very controlled and feels great.

I did an AWD doughut on a frozen ice/snow packed parking lot.. Not only did the LM22s keep the car in a nearly perfect circular path with no drifting, but they also started to burn! That's right, they are so soft that they were burning in snow and ice.

Also, on long trips the fresh tires really cook! I drove for about 4 hours straight and when I hoped out of the car to get gas it smelled like the rubber stench from a tire store!

There's a zoomed in pic of the crazy tread pattern in my original post:

https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...&threadid=3487

I've got just over 3000kms on them and while I need to get them off the car due to tread-wear, I will have them on next year without question.

 

Kool!

I might have to mount them on a second set of rims and put them on when I finish the 8 hour drive to British Columbia for the rally and then put them back in the trunk on the way home as the Canadian Rockies haven’t had much snow this year!

From what you say I could get out there with a set of bald tiers on dry pavement! ; )
But they sound good!

 

Yes that would be the best option.. If it came down to it, and you're not lazy, you could just toss them on if road conditions got bad.

I'm considering leaving the tires on my stock rims and getting some 17" wheels and tires for summer.. That way I too can flip them off and on at will..

Where's this rally event in BC? I would love to come check it out as I am a BC resident.. I figure if I watch enough events I might pick something up and gain some skill on the track. It will be awhile before I graduate myself from spectator though... I love my car too much to ruin it with my lack of experience.

EDIT: Let me know how easilly you get your tires.. I had to go through a song and dance waiting for all 4 of my tires to be shipped from parts of Canada to me. I refuse to belive there was such an extreme shortage..

 

I apparently can't get them! They are all out! I have to try a couple more places though.

www.rallybc.com

http://www.rallybc.com/archives/2002/2002_tbird.html

It is my first one the TSD rallys look good to me as they are set speed rallys so accuracy not stupidity win! : )

It's my first just going around for fun! : )

Not much spectator places from what I heard so I am going to just go around with my girl friend. Come on out it will be good for a laugh. Two guys in the fastest cars going the slowest! : )

 

Well, thank you every one, for your advice I am going to try out a set of Toyo Gerit HT 205 55 16 on the stock 16" rim. Right now they are 40% off! $730.00 Canadian installed taxes etc all incl.
One of the Rally BC guys recommended them as that is what they use on there pro rally car. I think it's a Lancer (he could be out to sabotage me!)
; )
I will use them in the BC Rally and let you all know what I think and how much of my car has to be replaced! : )

 

Well, after the recommendation from a British Columbia Rallyer I got the Toyo Garit HT's! All 4 mounted tax in $730 Canadian! OK Tire

They are pretty good took about 30 minutes to get an idea of how they ride. It's been -22 here for the past couple days and snowey so it has been great fun. Even went down some farm roads. They slide a fair amount but they are slow controlled slides very nice in the turns with a little release of the throttle to slide the back end around a little or at speed to blip the throttle to break the back end loose. Very fun! : ) Two lain gravel road with snow coverage 90 degree turns at 65 Kmh and that was being very conservative! Try that with the stock rubber!

Ice is still ice though!