sajohnson

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This YouTube channel is very good. The guy is an engineer and does a very good job of researching and explaining things.

In this video he compares summer/all-season/winter tires, and FWD/RWD/AWD:


Very useful info.
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RSH

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No, you don't need AWD.
With a good set of winter tires on a FWD or RWD vehicle they will work just fine in the snow and better than an AWD with normal or sport type tires.
 


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sajohnson

sajohnson

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No, you don't need AWD.
With a good set of winter tires on a FWD or RWD vehicle they will work just fine in the snow and better than an AWD with normal or sport type tires.
Testify! :cool:

On another thread I mentioned the test that C&D magazine did years ago. They put winter tires on a FWD Altima and all-season tires on a 4WD Pathfinder (all tires good Dunlops) and ran them on a snow-covered road course.

The Altima was better at: stopping, steering, cornering, and lap time.

The Pathfinder had the edge in acceleration and hill climbing.

So unless a person lives, or expect to drive, where there are steep hills, the FWD car with winter tires is the better choice.

Of course, that leaves out the option of the Pathfinder (or other AWD/FWD vehicle) with winter tires, which clearly is the best option (but may not be necessary).

We have several inches of snow predicted for Saturday, so we're looking forward to doing some testing with the Badlands, but it just has the OE tires on it, so it's a bit crippled. We don't have to drive in the snow (both retired) so I haven't bought winter tires for it.
 
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AndyMac204

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the BS is my first AWD vehicle. Prior to this, all Honda Civics, Honda Fit. Front wheel drive and good snow tires do wonders.
 

TCBSport

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No, you don't need AWD.
With a good set of winter tires on a FWD or RWD vehicle they will work just fine in the snow and better than an AWD with normal or sport type tires.
My Dad had a 1968 Ford 2WD truck with a POSI rear and great snow tires that made it up more snowy/icy hills than 4WD vehicles did back in the day.
 

Mark S.

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My Dad had a 1968 Ford 2WD truck with a POSI rear and great snow tires that made it up more snowy/icy hills than 4WD vehicles did back in the day.
An experienced driver in a two-wheel drive vehicle can go much farther in the snow than an inexperienced driver with 4WD. My Dad's philosophy was 4WD should be reserved for emergencies; i.e., if you think you need 4WD to get somewhere then you shouldn't go unless it's an emergency.

That said, I'm glad I have a 4WD vehicle, especially one that manages the drivetrain for me. I AM an experienced driver, and I can go a lot farther in the snow in my car than another experienced driver in a two-wheel drive vehicle.
 
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Mwittke5857

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No, you don't need AWD.
With a good set of winter tires on a FWD or RWD vehicle they will work just fine in the snow and better than an AWD with normal or sport type tires.
Not so much after a knee-deep lake effect snow storm in Buffalo NY! Been there, done that, I'll stick with my 4-wheel drive thank you very much
 


Stircrazy

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No, you don't need AWD.
With a good set of winter tires on a FWD or RWD vehicle they will work just fine in the snow and better than an AWD with normal or sport type tires.
why would you not compare to a AWD that has winter tires also. I agree winter tires make a difference, on a rear wheel drive or any wheel. I live in the mountains and drive one of the worst highways for snow and ice every day to get to work and back, and when I started I had just a rear wheel drive truck and more than a few times I was going up the hills sideways, but I made it. then I bought a front wheel drive car for commuting and it was night and day to the rear wheel, I thought I hit the jackpot haha... but finally after 370000km I traded it in on the bronco sport and have 3 peek mountain snowflake rated tires on it and I can tell you hands down it is so much better than the car for accelerating from a stop and maintaining no wheel spin going up icy hills. frequently I have to maneuver around 20 to 30 spun out rigs taking a path that resembles a maze, with the front wheel drive if you stopped it was hard to get moving again, last week with the bronco sport and winter tires it was like driving on dry pavement.
 
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sajohnson

sajohnson

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why would you not compare to a AWD that has winter tires also. I agree winter tires make a difference, on a rear wheel drive or any wheel. I live in the mountains and drive one of the worst highways for snow and ice every day to get to work and back, and when I started I had just a rear wheel drive truck and more than a few times I was going up the hills sideways, but I made it. then I bought a front wheel drive car for commuting and it was night and day to the rear wheel, I thought I hit the jackpot haha... but finally after 370000km I traded it in on the bronco sport and have 3 peek mountain snowflake rated tires on it and I can tell you hands down it is so much better than the car for accelerating from a stop and maintaining no wheel spin going up icy hills. frequently I have to maneuver around 20 to 30 spun out rigs taking a path that resembles a maze, with the front wheel drive if you stopped it was hard to get moving again, last week with the bronco sport and winter tires it was like driving on dry pavement.
Which tires do you have?
 

RSH

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why would you not compare to a AWD that has winter tires also. I agree winter tires make a difference, on a rear wheel drive or any wheel. I live in the mountains and drive one of the worst highways for snow and ice every day to get to work and back, and when I started I had just a rear wheel drive truck and more than a few times I was going up the hills sideways, but I made it. then I bought a front wheel drive car for commuting and it was night and day to the rear wheel, I thought I hit the jackpot haha... but finally after 370000km I traded it in on the bronco sport and have 3 peek mountain snowflake rated tires on it and I can tell you hands down it is so much better than the car for accelerating from a stop and maintaining no wheel spin going up icy hills. frequently I have to maneuver around 20 to 30 spun out rigs taking a path that resembles a maze, with the front wheel drive if you stopped it was hard to get moving again, last week with the bronco sport and winter tires it was like driving on dry pavement.
People did get around before the 1980's using mainly 2WD, there weren't that many FWD or AWD vehicles available at the time like there are today and 4WD was typically relegated primarily to pickup trucks and Jeeps yet people still went about there business.
While FWD, AWD and 4WD can make driving in snow easier you can still get by with 2WD when properly equipped, sometimes that meant putting sand bags in the trunk or in the bed of a pickup to help with traction.
 
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sajohnson

sajohnson

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People did get around before the 1980's using mainly 2WD, there weren't that many FWD or AWD vehicles available at the time like there are today and 4WD was typically relegated primarily to pickup trucks and Jeeps yet people still went about there business.
While FWD, AWD and 4WD can make driving in snow easier you can still get by with 2WD when properly equipped, sometimes that meant putting sand bags in the trunk or in the bed of a pickup to help with traction.
Exactly.

I had a stripped 1985 Toyota "Truck". So basic it did not have: 1) a passenger side mirror, 2) a radio, 3) a dimming rearview mirror! Manual steering. 4 speed trans.

It was 2WD and needless to say, it had an open diff. In the winter I'd put about 300-350 pounds of weight in back, close to the tailgate and it did pretty well with just Michelin LTX M&S tires. When the snow was deep I put chains on the rear tires and it would go practically anywhere. Periodically we got nor'easter storms that, if they tracked right, could dump up to 2-3 feet of snow. The deepest snow I drove through was about 16-18". The truck did fine. In fact I had to slow down because the front end was pushing snow and it was flying up over the hood and coating the windshield.

Part of the weight was a floor jack. I carried it because it made installing and removing chains easier. Often, I'd only need chains to get out of our lane and down to the highway. It's a snow emergency route so it was usually in pretty good shape. So that meant installing the chains at home, driving a little over a mile, and removing them. Sometimes the same deal at work. As long as the roads were snow covered I'd usually leave them on. One fun aspect of it was when we get heavy snow, very few people drive anywhere, so I often had the roads to myself -- kinda like a typical car ad. :cool:
 

Mwittke5857

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why would you not compare to a AWD that has winter tires also. I agree winter tires make a difference, on a rear wheel drive or any wheel. I live in the mountains and drive one of the worst highways for snow and ice every day to get to work and back, and when I started I had just a rear wheel drive truck and more than a few times I was going up the hills sideways, but I made it. then I bought a front wheel drive car for commuting and it was night and day to the rear wheel, I thought I hit the jackpot haha... but finally after 370000km I traded it in on the bronco sport and have 3 peek mountain snowflake rated tires on it and I can tell you hands down it is so much better than the car for accelerating from a stop and maintaining no wheel spin going up icy hills. frequently I have to maneuver around 20 to 30 spun out rigs taking a path that resembles a maze, with the front wheel drive if you stopped it was hard to get moving again, last week with the bronco sport and winter tires it was like driving on dry pavement.
It's also nice NOT needing to shovel that 3 foot plow drift the county was so gracious to deposit at the end of my driveway anymore. 4-wheel drive for the win!!
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