Any snow tire (studded or otherwise) needs to be used as a set of four to be safe. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you'll have a vehicle that has a "split" personality. One end of the vehicle won't react and perform the same as the other in the dry, wet, slush and snow conditions you'll encounter before the end of winter. Especially in emergency situations, you'll find that your vehicle will probably understeer in one condition and oversteer in another. It is preferable to keep your vehicles handling as consistently as possible by "matching" all four tires. Our customers who have matched their tires tell us they're glad they made the extra investment in four winter tires (and wheels) so they can accelerate, brake, handle and better control their vehicle through winter's challenges.
Winter Driving Experiences
- Thread starter kevincwelch
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
Any snow tire (studded or otherwise) needs to be used as a set of four to be safe. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you'll have a vehicle that has a "split" personality. One end of the vehicle won't react and perform the same as the other in the dry, wet, slush and snow conditions you'll encounter before the end of winter. Especially in emergency situations, you'll find that your vehicle will probably understeer in one condition and oversteer in another. It is preferable to keep your vehicles handling as consistently as possible by "matching" all four tires. Our customers who have matched their tires tell us they're glad they made the extra investment in four winter tires (and wheels) so they can accelerate, brake, handle and better control their vehicle through winter's challenges.
100% correct. Always use four snow tires. In the most extreme cases, the car won't be drivable on dry roads--the better the winter tire is for winter, the more likely this will happen. Winter tires are made to be very flexible so that they will conform to irregular surfaces and give the best traction.
Since I do not own a MS or X (yet), I'd be curious to know how fast you can go on the highest air suspension setting? Can it be used at full-height to drive at 45mph over a couple of inches of snow on the road? Living in Upstate NY, this is a very common condition.
Thanks.
Thanks.
paco3791
TMC OG
As someone who was originally looking at the air suspension for this very reason I have to say this has been a complete none issue. Even last year when I was on, admittedly new, all seasons in a very bad Chicago winter I had exactly 0 issues even in deep snow with my spring suspension car. The car, and especially the traction control, is just fantastic in the white stuff.
(LMB spouse)
Tuesday all non-essential driving was banned in MA. And today the roads are black. (sad face)
Tuesday all non-essential driving was banned in MA. And today the roads are black. (sad face)
mknox
Well-Known Member
I found it useful in snow one time, and as I recall, the incident occurred with a loaner car, not mine. The snow plow left a small bank at the end of my drive and I was in a hurry so I just drove over it. Well, the car got hung up on it and was stuck. I just raised it to very high and was on my way!
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Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
Today we had 6 inches of heavy, wet snow in Pagosa; 0.6 inch water content. This made for some interesting driving down and up my unplowed driveway. The last mile is about 500' vertical with some pitches at 16%. BTW, I call my place "Hole in the Wall."
Going down was interesting because it is the first time that I have started a drive with no regen limit, but had a limit appear on the way down. I think it was because the battery bottom was dragging the wet snow and the snow was cooling the battery faster than the regen and heater could warm it.
I did a little video on the way back home and up the driveway. The P85D with Nokian Hakka R2's is just amazing in winter driving conditions!
Going down was interesting because it is the first time that I have started a drive with no regen limit, but had a limit appear on the way down. I think it was because the battery bottom was dragging the wet snow and the snow was cooling the battery faster than the regen and heater could warm it.
I did a little video on the way back home and up the driveway. The P85D with Nokian Hakka R2's is just amazing in winter driving conditions!
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You never want to just replace the rear tires with winter tires. Rather all four tires should be the same.
Sorry, Doc and Jerry already addressed this.
evp
Nerd
The Pirelli P7's are absolute hunks of crap. I got stuck not even 10 feet out of our driveway today.
I've been stuck going up a very slight incline leaving a parking lot in compacted snow, not even 2 inches deep.
I've been stuck going up a very slight incline leaving a parking lot in compacted snow, not even 2 inches deep.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
As I said earlier, after driving two miles in such conditions, I think rubbing in snow does suck heat out of the battery. I had no regen limits when I left the garage, and the regen limit was below 30 kW by the time I hit the highway, two miles later. Mine were probably close to worst case conditions with a very wet, heavy snow.
In the very same conditions the Blizzack LM32's are working very well on our P85+.
mknox
Well-Known Member
I'll bet it does! My driveway is only about two car lengths long (and I was too lazy to shovel this morning), so less of an impact for me :wink:
First ice test on the WR-g3 tires today. Someone conveniently watered one of the streets I commute on and it froze--on an uphill grade. I didn't notice anything while accelerating, but the vehicle behind me went for a nice spin.
I wrote about my recent road trip to Taos, NM in the "P85D range and highway battery performance" thread. It's relevant here because I drove through the same storm Cottonwood's recent video documented.
P85D range and highway battery performance - Page 14
P85D range and highway battery performance - Page 14
Mayhemm
Model S P85+ "Lola"
I thought the regen limits in cold weather were due to the battery being too cold, not too hot. How would smearing a cold battery with snow speed up regen limitation removal?
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