Winter Tires... The time is coming

[Egon Spengler]

Wondering which tire everyone recommends for the winter. I had WS60 Blizzaks last winter and I liked them, but I burned them off very quickly. Let me know what you recommends. Below is my grand marauder winter set-up
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/7/8/6/6/FullView.jpg

[Ms. Denmark]

I bought Blizzacks and will be using them for the first time this year. They were purchased from a member who sold his car and had used them for one season. How long did yours hold up?

[ctrlraven]

I followed suit from Dragcity with going taller and wider tires.
Winterforce M/S 235/70-16 (Front) and 255/70-16 (Rear) mounted on 16" CVPI steelies.
It took a little while to get used to them cause I had to take things a lot easier but it gives the car a nice soft ride, lots of traction during dry weather times, going through snow is a breeze as the larger tires also sit the car up higher by an inch.

They do not rub either! A lot of my friends called it the UAP "Urban Assault Panther". It's going to look really weird now with them on and my cowl hood. lol
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/ctrlraven/marauder/PHOT0049Medium.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/ctrlraven/marauder/PHOT0051Large.jpg

[Egon Spengler]

I was thinking winter force

My blizzaks were rotated and are all almost bald... they worked great when they had tread... but it was my first year with the car and I liked to spin the tires!!! It was my own fault

[Aren Jay]

I have Winterforce on 16" alloys.

The work good, but have a bit of a shimmer when cornering.
Then again they are pretty skinny.

215/65/16 front
225/70/16 rear

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/6/9/8/3/snowtiresandwheels006.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/6/9/8/3/Marauder20081.jpg
bottom picture is with BFG Summer tires and Normal Rims.

[rayjay]

I used studded Winterforce on the rear and non on the front. Worked quite well. My rears would probably do another "light snow" season, but she'll be hibernating from now on. Actually, there is no such thing here. I have to get snows for my DD now. Coopers, studded x4.

[ctrlraven]

Yeah I really like the Winterforce tires, I put them on one of my other vehicles and worked great for what little snow we got but the normal road traveling they were fine.

[jdando]

18" Hankook IceBears have worked well for me.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/icefishingmm2.jpg

Here are a few other hardy Minnesotans:help:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/meninblack.jpg

Snow tires of choice;

left to right
18" Hankook
16" Goodyears
Stock :eek:
Stock :eek:

[ctrlraven]

Was that out on the ice?

[Got Diesel?]

We do amazing things here in Minnesoota, like drive on water. It's almost Godly...

I don't see my new car out there, he must not hang out with the lake crowd?

[bob6364]

Winterforce here going on a 2nd season look as good as new...

[O's Fan Rich]

I keep mine in the garage all winter.
Winter time is modification time. Get a winter beater and modify your car during the cold, blustery days of winter.

[O's Fan Rich]

Oh.... another good thing to do is , before winter hits, get in your Marauder and drive to your winter home in Southern Florida!

[Egon Spengler]

I am probably going to keep the better of the blizzaks on the front and try the winter forces out on the back... I put 200 lbs in the trunk too and that seems to help alot

[Eric91Z]

I ran the Pirelli Scorpion Snow & Ice for three winters on 16" steelies - 2 winters on the Marauder and 1 on the Crown Vic. They were in a 215 and 235 combination so the TC on the Marauder wasn't affected.

One of the rears was showing some wear down the center, but the fronts were still good. I decided to pick up 4 new Blizzak WS-60's in the stock 225/60-16 (Crown Vic) size so I can have the same size all around and be able to rotate. I really hope they don't wear too quickly as others have noted. At least they are on the CVPI and not likely to wear out from spinning tires on dry pavement...

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

This is the only reasonable solution!!

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/shylin01/2003%20Mercury%20Marauder/NewCamaroandhousepics010.jpg

[QWK SVT]

Since new, I've been using Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 Winterbiters for snow shoes. 225/60-16 for the fronts, and 235/65-16 for the backs. Discontinued now, and very similar to the WS-60's others have mentioned.

I have replaced the rears (last year), but the fronts still have LOTS of tread left, and certainly wouldn't complain about tread life, considering it is a winter tire, and the type of driving I do. It will be at least another 2 winters before I'm in need, again.

http://www.qwksvt.com/Marauder_Files/Snows/Ready4Snow.jpg

[CRUZTAKER]

I got 4 seasons out of my WSxx Blizzacks.

Bear in mind, that series of Blizzack is the softest of the Blizzacks and is the best for deep snow and heavy ice conditions. They are prefered as well if one does little high speed driving.

I now use YSxx Blizzacks which are noticably firmer with a longer tread life. They are only a few points lower in the deep snow/ ice quality rating, but are extremely, and noticably better on the freeway at higher speeds.
No vehicle wander at speed with these.

[Ms. Denmark]

18" Hankook IceBears have worked well for me.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/icefishingmm2.jpg

Here are a few other hardy Minnesotans:help:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/meninblack.jpg

Snow tires of choice;

left to right
18" Hankook
16" Goodyears
Stock :eek:
Stock :eek:Hey! You guys look great out there. Ice fishing?

[tjg442]

Looked hard, decided on 16" steel police rims (Ford dealer).
"Cooper" CTS non directional tires...215-70-16 front 1.10 ratio tire
235-70-16 rear radious! Well
within specs.
"Blzzak" o.k. ? if I lived in Alaska, Greenland, or Iceland. However our roads are plowed, and salted "UGGH" and most of the time are not completely snow covered. Plus the tread on the "Blizzak", and the soft rubber compound that is used won't last very long ! Plus, it's for winter only, and stored in the summer, and it has 70000 mile wear factor. So I'm looking at quite a few years from this set up. Let you know how it works after next week when I put them on. Now to find 50's Merc lugnut caps with a logo that will fit the steel police rims !!! Oh yeh, "Auto Zone" 20 lug nuts also.....Enjoy, hope this helps...tjg442

[GetMeMyStogie]

This is the only reasonable solution!!

Hmmm. Depends on who you ask.
Leave the car at home and walk 13km (about 8 miles) to work or take public transit when it's -20 below (Celcius, that is) with 30 cm of snow on the ground... Might be reasonable to some people, but to many, I suspect, that's just crazy talk!

[badroadrunner]

What size 16's are on the second hearty minnisotians car, and is it a 300a or a 300b. I would like to follow his lead for the winter.

[abobrytzke]

I used Michelin Artic Aplin (the set recomended here several years ago) for one season. They did work great. They are for sale, since I sold the car to a warmer home.

http://mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48640

[Digital Man]

Can someone confirm on the recommended size of those Firestone Winterforce? I see two in the posts. According to TireRack they recommend the following. Thanks.

Front:215/65-16Rear: 225/70-16

[rayjay]

Can someone confirm on the recommended size of those Firestone Winterforce? I see two in the posts. According to TireRack they recommend the following. Thanks.

Front:215/65-16Rear: 225/70-16

Thats the correct sizes. Ran them for 4 winters, last 2 with studded rears. I could have gone another season with the rears. Worked very well, even where I live.

[freakstatus]

I use Michelin X-Ice on 16" steelies. Climbs up hills in the snow no prob.

[gilby04]

[QUOTE=jdando;673709]18" Hankook IceBears have worked well for me.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/icefishingmm2.jpg



Out of curiosity, are you running snow tires only on the rear ?

[rayjay]

We run Hankook 404 snows on the wifes Passat. They work very well and are going into their third season with plenty of tread remaining.

[jdando]

Out of curiosity, are you running snow tires only on the rear ?

Nope, I run them on all four. 235/50/18 front, 255/55/18 rear. The traction control still works great with this set up.

jeremy

[gilby04]

Nope, I run them on all four. 235/50/18 front, 255/55/18 rear. The traction control still works great with this set up.

jeremy


Thanks for your reply.
Just one last query...Do the rears exhibit the same center wear problem as does the OEM rears ?

[Digital Man]

So noone has snow tires in stock in Ontario. What the....?:bs:

My "guy" said the only thing he can get his hands on are Continental ContiCrossContact Winter (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ContiCrossContact+Wi nter&index=2&vehicleSearch=true&frontTire=165TR6CCW&rearTire=27HR6CCW&place=2&minLoad=S). Can anyone confirm if they are good or comparable to say, Winterforce or X-Ice?

I checked Tirerack, but they are one of the only sets that don't have a survey chart? :shake:

[Dragcity]

They don't look so good for deep snow to me.... But what do I know?

Go to a Firestone Dealer and see if they have the Winterfoce in stock. They probably do. I use what is used on trucks. Yes they are big, and heavy. But they work well. My recomendation:

Go to Firestone, bring them the four new 16" wheels and tell them to put P235/70R-16 on two wheels and P265/70R-16 on the other two wheels. Static balance - no weights on outer rim. Make sure the Tire rotation marks are correct for one on each side of the car.

They'll be confused as to why you want two different sizes, go ahead and explain it, but they won't get it.

I think I paid $75 and $77 respectively.

Remember, They are really big tires and won't fit in your trunk.

[Hack Goby]

Jeez guys I have pirelli ice and snows with less than 3k on them for $375.00 Someone come get them.

[jdando]

Thanks for your reply.
Just one last query...Do the rears exhibit the same center wear problem as does the OEM rears ?

Pretty much, they are wearing more in the center :(

I do avoid doing any burnouts with these tires so they have lasted three seasons.

jeremy