Author Topic: Winter Tires Review  (Read 112864 times)

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Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #625 on: July 05, 2013, 07:20:12 pm »
Nokian is launching the Hakka R2's this season! Here is the official information from them! There is also a chance of us seeing the Studded Hakka 8 in Canada this year also!(Fingers are double crossed)!!

R2 info - http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=32097385&group=1.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+R2

Hakka 8 info - http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=32097171&group=1.01&name=Nokian%20Hakkapeliitta%208


Nokian Teaser

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Offline kingbird72

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #626 on: July 15, 2013, 08:21:17 pm »
I also have some questions about winter tires, recently I bought a set of used Arctic Claw made by Cooper tire AKA WeatherMaster S/T2. Does anyone on here have any experience with these tires? I got the set for a really good deal at $300.00 and tires still have tread depth of 11/32.

Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #627 on: July 31, 2013, 08:05:55 pm »
I also have some questions about winter tires, recently I bought a set of used Arctic Claw made by Cooper tire AKA WeatherMaster S/T2. Does anyone on here have any experience with these tires? I got the set for a really good deal at $300.00 and tires still have tread depth of 11/32.

Arctic claws are actually made by TBC(Tire, Battery Company out of the US), which makes a large portion of the Cooper tires, etc out there.  They supply 70% of the tier three & tier 2 tires in North America.  They are a decent winter tire, and more suited for rural type conditions such as more snow over ice, etc.  There is nothing wrong with them, but they will not compare to a Nokian, or Michelin for example. 
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Offline munsternoms

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #628 on: August 08, 2013, 03:51:15 pm »
What is the largest tire that can fit on a stock WRX and STI? (I have both)

Offline LilDrunkenSmurf

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #629 on: August 08, 2013, 03:54:49 pm »
315/80/22. With enough work.
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Offline GrantC

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #630 on: August 08, 2013, 04:15:50 pm »
What is the largest tire that can fit on a stock WRX and STI? (I have both)

Of what year, on what wheel, running what suspension?  You know WRX & STI are different bolt patterns, right?  So you're probably not swapping the same set of wheels between them...

Offline Gqshiftdrift

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #631 on: August 20, 2013, 11:11:48 pm »
I run blizzak LM-60 in a 17" package on my 2010 STI they are awesome. I have used them for two seasons and have put about 10 k on them. They grip really well on ice and snow and on dry pavement they feel super grippy. They wear quite well compared to the ws-60 blizzaks I used to run on my 05 mustang GT. Still have about 70% tread left since I started using them and I do like to push the car in the winter on a regular basis. Overall I would recommend these to anyone considering the blizzak LM series from Bridgestone they have been awesome all around. Hope this helps guys.

Offline anomatrix

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #632 on: September 17, 2013, 11:01:57 pm »
I have the Gislaved Nord Frost 5's that I bought from TireTrends.com last fall. Lucky too, they no longer carry them! Absolutely amazing tire, 2nd only to the Nokkian Hakka 2's I had in 2003-2004 for my 03 Toyota Matrix. I find the Nord Frost's are slightly firmer, which works well when hooning around in the snow. Has had no issues with the packed ice we get here in Edmonton, on the few patches of black ice I've found, very predictable slide-to-stop.

TireTrends had them delivered in less than a week!  :o

Offline Unholysavage

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #633 on: September 20, 2013, 11:08:04 pm »
seriously considering a set of Hakka R2s for the money pit, but I'm still thinking about buying a truck. if I do, the STI will be summer-only.

I currently have Continental Contiwinters for the STI and, for lack of a better expression, they suck balls.
lateral grip in snow/slush is terrible, considerably worse than the Goodyear Assurance all-seasons I have on my beater. with any amount of fresh snow or slush on the ground, taking corners at more than a crawl is just asking to slide into a curb.
parking outside overnight is enough to create flatspots...even though the tires are nitrogen filled, and at recommended pressure.   
not all is negative, however: road noise is tolerable.

for winter tires, I rate them a D-.
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Offline JDMMAN

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #634 on: November 04, 2013, 07:22:08 pm »
So I've been driving on the new Hakka R2's for the past week.  They are great so far, low noise and very grippy on ice as well as slices through slush nicely.

Thanks to Yella for hooking me up as part of the GB.

Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #635 on: November 04, 2013, 10:11:25 pm »
So I've been driving on the new Hakka R2's for the past week.  They are great so far, low noise and very grippy on ice as well as slices through slush nicely.

Thanks to Yella for hooking me up as part of the GB.

Glad you like them so far! Just wait till we get some real weather to put them to the test!!
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Offline jvd

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #636 on: November 05, 2013, 07:17:18 am »
Also picked up R2's from Steve.

The ice/snow grip is crazy! Can't wait to see how they do when we get some heavy snowfall.

Thanks again, man!

Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #637 on: November 10, 2013, 08:20:40 pm »
ummm yea... Hakka 7's for the win!  This is why I prefer winter driving over summer driving any time!  Fun in the snow!
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Offline GrantC

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #638 on: November 10, 2013, 08:59:35 pm »
Concur.  I don't feel the 1-week that I would be helped out by studs would be worth the entire winter (less one week) of being annoyed by the sound of studded tires.

^--- I was wrong, so wrong.  My advice is now to just turn up the radio when on dry pavement.

That "one situation" when I felt that was missing out by being on studless tires was on glare ice, particularly sloped glare ice like a parking lot exit from a car wash.

I was mistaken.

They dig into packed snow.  Holy crap on a "this feels like wet pavement" stick they dig in!  Along with every little patch of ice that just one wheel would pass over.

Offline REX

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #639 on: November 10, 2013, 09:14:00 pm »
^--- I was wrong, so wrong.  My advice is now to just turn up the radio when on dry pavement.

That "one situation" when I felt that was missing out by being on studless tires was on glare ice, particularly sloped glare ice like a parking lot exit from a car wash.

I was mistaken.

They dig into packed snow.  Holy crap on a "this feels like wet pavement" stick they dig in!  Along with every little patch of ice that just one wheel would pass over.

Agreed! I drove both my car (hakka r's) and my sisters car (hakka 7 studded) today to compare. Studs really make a much bigger difference than I thought they would even on packed snow. And they aren't as annoying (loud) as I thought they would be on dry pavement. My next set will be studded for sure!

Offline RedndWhite

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #640 on: November 10, 2013, 10:47:03 pm »
I'm on the second season of the Graspics and they're okay, now. They don't like panic/emergency braking on the snow, or regular braking for that matter. Maybe I just need ABS... Nah. And the tires don't like it when I floor it, as I can spin all 4s on packed snow or ice. But they've gotten me out of some deep snow with minimal issues, so they're good for that.

The studded Nokian Nordman 4s on the Jetta (also without ABS) is significantly better for braking, moving, or flooring. I have yet to try them in the deep snow, although that just sounds like a terrible idea.
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Offline Way-do

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #641 on: November 11, 2013, 06:17:13 am »
Anyone have a set of the new Yokohama Ig52s yet?

Offline bigdl

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #642 on: November 11, 2013, 09:58:50 am »
Just wait till you guys drive on a ice lake :P

Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #643 on: November 11, 2013, 02:43:45 pm »
Studded on every vehicle I own for one simple reason....... "How much do you love them?" Enough to give them every possible opportunity to avoid them from being in sticky situations!!
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Offline RockThePylon

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #644 on: November 11, 2013, 02:58:35 pm »
Studded on every vehicle I own for one simple reason....... "How much do you love them?" Enough to give them every possible opportunity to avoid them from being in sticky situations!!

Or, sticky in every situation.
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Offline DubyaRX

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #645 on: November 12, 2013, 02:12:50 am »
I ran a set of Gislaved Nordfrost 5 from Tire Warehouse last 4 winters. They were awesome! Edmonton's potholes sent them to Valhalla with some good tread left. I'm now rollin on Nokian Hakka R2s. Ridiculous grip on slick ice. Thanks Yella and Faz (Edmonton Kal-Tire)!
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Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #646 on: November 12, 2013, 01:59:09 pm »
I ran a set of Gislaved Nordfrost 5 from Tire Warehouse last 4 winters. They were awesome! Edmonton's potholes sent them to Valhalla with some good tread left. I'm now rollin on Nokian Hakka R2s. Ridiculous grip on slick ice. Thanks Yella and Faz (Edmonton Kal-Tire)!

Glad you like them!! Now lets get some real weather here!
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Offline seat safety switch

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #647 on: November 13, 2013, 04:19:49 pm »
They dig into packed snow.  Holy crap on a "this feels like wet pavement" stick they dig in!  Along with every little patch of ice that just one wheel would pass over.
I've had situations where the tire that's on wet pavement spins because the studs have more grip into ice on the other side of the open diff.

It is god damned absurd.

Offline yella

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #648 on: November 16, 2013, 03:41:46 pm »
I have gotten a lot of WTF looks today driving around at the speed limit when most are creeping along..... nothing liek being beside a nice big Ford f350 with 37's on it, and he is revving like a J@ck @ss, and all he did was spin... Subaru with studded nokians  always wins.... dumb choch!
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Offline cha0tik

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Re: Winter Tires Review
« Reply #649 on: November 16, 2013, 04:23:51 pm »
I purchasd a set of Pirelli Sottozeros 240 XL before last winter. They're dubbed as a Winter Performance tire and this can be well seen. The treads are not as deep as your conventional Hakka or Blizzak. However, I have noticed that while they're not as good in deep snow as the 2 aforementioned brands, they really do excel in icy and wet conditions. That's not to say they're completely useless in deeper snow, but the likes of Hakka, Blizzaks and X-Ice will perform better.

Anyone else running a performance winter tire? If so, which brand and how do you like it?
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