Does anyone have any experience using summer tires in the winter. I'm not talking about snow, just below 32 degrees F. All the tire sites say not to use summer tires if the temperature drops below 32. A bunch of baloney ?

 

Yes...it's like driving on tires made of wood. Below 32 degrees you can have ice which summer tires don't handle either...at all. All tire sites say it because it's true

Bruce

 

Traction is the word. It feels like your driving on marbles. No traction squirmy feeling. I had my tires siped. Great improvement from stock tires.

 

I drove with summer tires for a few years during the winter. No traction at all. I could do NASCAR donuts without losing any tread all day long. Not very safe outside of total utility driving without any sport.

That being said, it can be done, just keep reminding yourself of what you are driving on while you drive and you can get A to B. If any snow drops; forget it.

 

Most tires today are so-called 'four season' rather than true summer tires. If that's what you've got, many people up here in the frozen north use them year round with acceptable results, excepting snow accumulations of more than a few inches.

 

Don't run sumer's in the winter. And depending on the environment, 4 season's 'aren't'.
As a past military man, rally driver and someone who really enjoys the long winding road, I convey this with many millions of miles of experience.

Is you safety really worth gambling the thousand bucks in good rubber?


Cheers!

 

Once you talk temps below freezing your better off pulling the tires in favor of a much softer compound that holds its pliability well in to the sub-temps. Summer tires will never soften, and most likely get you killed in that environment.

Here in Washington state (rain capitol of the west coast) the only time I put on my winter set is when freezing temps or snow and ice are in the forecast. That's when your glad you invested in summer/winter set of rims.

2cents
Vince