Buying snow tires - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

LS1Hawk · 12-05-2007, 07:56 PM

I'm thinking of getting snow tires for my Cobalt. Is it necessary to get them on all four, or just get them for the drive wheels?

misterjuice · 12-05-2007, 08:14 PM

for maximum performance, get all 4...but i'm cheap so i've only gotten them for the drive wheel....i have all season in the back.

BonzoHansen · 12-05-2007, 08:59 PM

Hands down 4 - if you use 2 in the front you will create an oversteer condition. I'd recommend 4 for all cars, but just the rears on a RWD may be passible. I still like the balance of 4.

Get a set mounted on cheap steel wheels from tire rack. You'll save $$ in the long run by not having to pay for mount & balance every time.

I always preferred michelin, dunlop and pirelli snows. Never liked blizzaks - wore out too fast. Wasn't a big fan of the toyo snows I had either - the dunlops I had were better. And no studs in NJ - there is no use for them here.

JL8Jeff · 12-05-2007, 09:04 PM

For the amount of snow we get, I wouldn't bother. I thought about it when I drove my 93 Indy Pace Car every day but kept thinking the tires would take a beating on dry pavement and I didn't want to keep swapping wheels/tires depending on the forecast. So I saved the money and didn't buy them. Best decision I ever made. If we get 6+ inches of snow, you're going nowhere with the car even if it has snow tires. Anything less than 4" and the roads aren't that bad. I drove my SS home in that 4-5" sleet storm last winter and made it without any problems. I drove my supercharged 93 in the snow a couple of times without problems as well(other than 15 mph at the max).

BonzoHansen · 12-05-2007, 09:24 PM

No way - with 4 snows my civic would blast through up to 12" of snow - more then that became a ground clearance issue. I took it to vermont every other week skiing for years. Snows offer better wet weather traction too. Plus them northerners get more snow.

GP99GT · 12-05-2007, 09:30 PM

ive been looking into the same thing for my saturn. the tires i have are all seasons, same i had on my old grand prix which went everywhere in the snow...but the saturn just has no weight to it.

BonzoHansen · 12-05-2007, 09:40 PM

Mounted snows are nice too because then if you have nice wheels they do not get abused by road salt, and your 'summer tires' last longer (timewise). Oh, and that is another benefit, you car run summer tires and not stupid compromise all season tires (tires that do nothing particularly well).

On my civic in the summer I ran slightly larger pirelli P6s. Not the current crapola a/s version, but the old summer version (OE on cars like 911s). Car handled awesome as long as the temp was above 45*. Below that and they thumped and hollered like the old gatorbacks did in the cold. And lost a lot of 'sticky'. I swear gatorbacks below freezing developed their own ice. I could slide my TA like it was wet on a dry 20* day (until they heated up) LOL.

LS1Hawk · 12-05-2007, 09:53 PM

Another question...My Cobalt has 18s. Is it okay to go down to 16s? As Bonzo said, another reason I want to do snows is so my regular wheels don't get ruined in the bad weather. And it would be cheaper if I get the tires on a smaller size wheel. Just might feel like I'm driving a truck though.

GP99GT · 12-05-2007, 10:03 PM

you can go down to 16s as long as the brakes will clear....i'd check on a cobalt board if youre on one. i'd sure hope they'd fit, buying 17 or 18 inch wheels/tires gets pretty expensive.

BonzoHansen · 12-05-2007, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1Hawk

Another question...My Cobalt has 18s. Is it okay to go down to 16s? As Bonzo said, another reason I want to do snows is so my regular wheels don't get ruined in the bad weather. And it would be cheaper if I get the tires on a smaller size wheel. Just might feel like I'm driving a truck though.

Go down to chevy and find out if the brakes are different. If not, drop to 17s. 16s is too much of a drop, IMO. I might bet eithe way the 17s would fit. The snows will already handle poorly compared to the regular hoops. Just keep the tire OD the same. A little narrower width is actually better, but that OD is critical for computers.

CALL (not the web, email, etc) tire rack and ask them. See what they recommend. IMO, if they recommend something and it does not fit, they would hve to make good.

LS1Hawk · 12-05-2007, 10:54 PM

The SS models have 4-wheel discs, all other Cobalts have front discs/rear drums. I'll probably call my dealer anyway and see what they recommend.

BonzoHansen · 12-05-2007, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1Hawk

The SS models have 4-wheel discs, all other Cobalts have front discs/rear drums. I'll probably call my dealer anyway and see what they recommend.

Ask first if the front brakes are the same in both models - I bet they are.

They will likely recommend staying with the same size.

GP99GT · 12-06-2007, 06:28 AM

friggin tire rack says they dont have steel wheels for my saturn...wtf

LS1Hawk · 12-06-2007, 07:14 AM

Found a pic of an SS with snows. These look like 16s right? It's the non supercharged SS, but they have the same breaks.

BonzoHansen · 12-06-2007, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP99GT

friggin tire rack says they dont have steel wheels for my saturn...wtf

Did you call? I find too many websites are lacking.

WildBillyT · 12-06-2007, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1Hawk

Found a pic of an SS with snows. These look like 16s right? It's the non supercharged SS, but they have the same breaks.

Yeah, looks like a 16" donut.

I'd go with all 4 wheels as well for the reasons Bonzo mentioned. You don't want to mess with the balance of traction in your car.

I run BFG KDWS's and they have been pretty solid. Actually, the KDW (non snow) tires were fine in the snow too until they started getting low.

LS1Hawk · 12-06-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

Yeah, looks like a 16" donut.

I'd go with all 4 wheels as well for the reasons Bonzo mentioned. You don't want to mess with the balance of traction in your car.

I run BFG KDWS's and they have been pretty solid. Actually, the KDW (non snow) tires were fine in the snow too until they started getting low.

Yeah, I actually just talked to the guy that owns this car and he said they're 16s with 205/60. But I'm going to stick with 215 because that's what my regular tires are.

BonzoHansen · 12-06-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1Hawk

Yeah, I actually just talked to the guy that owns this car and he said they're 16s with 205/60. But I'm going to stick with 215 because that's what my regular tires are.

Remember OD is important.

DaSkinnyGuy · 12-06-2007, 11:51 AM

if ur getting new rubber get all four,

bubba428 · 12-06-2007, 11:51 AM

I don't think it matters once the treads are packed with snow.

LS1Hawk · 12-06-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Remember OD is important.

When you say OD you mean the outside diameter which is the height of the sidewall, correct? My stock tires are 45.

JL8Jeff · 12-06-2007, 05:56 PM

A 215 vs a 205 on a 16" wheel is a minimal height difference and the computer won't really know. The 205 would probably be better in the snow because the narrower footprint will have an easier time getting through the snow to the road surface if possible. I ran 215 Eagle GT+4's on my old 89 Cavalier Z24 and never had a problem driving in the snow. I climbed some pretty decent snow covered roads in Vermont too. I really don't think you need snow tires/wheels but if you're really looking to protect your stock rims then I guess it's a good reason. You'll hate the way they ride 95% of the time unless you plan on swapping them back and forth depending on the weather.

SteveR · 12-06-2007, 06:09 PM

dont take chances.......

BonzoHansen · 12-06-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1Hawk

When you say OD you mean the outside diameter which is the height of the sidewall, correct? My stock tires are 45.

No, that is the aspect ratio. Your sidewall is 45% of the section width of your tire (ie 215, etc.).

OD = Overall diameter

http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCal...?action=submit

For instance, my 77 has 245/60/15 tires, which have an OD of 26.57"
A 215/45/18 (making up a size) is 25.61"

What ever tire size you buy really needs to be +/-2% of your stock tire.

trashman01 · 12-06-2007, 10:21 PM

throw 2 snows on the front get the winterforce tires, my dad had them and drove from new milford to poughkeepise/norwalk every day, they lasted at least 5 years and 50K and when we totaled the car they had 1/3 life left. also that 4 tires thing is more of a mind thing. 2 snows on the front drive tires are fine. if its really bad out ur not gonna be going fast enough to slide the *** end out