[s-cars] Winter tires - minimum tread depth

[Lee Levitt]

Mark,

If you hear a knock on the door and a couple of guys have a jacket that ties
in the back for you to try on, don't fight it. Just go with the flow.

The downside is that it's tough to type with this jacket on, the good news
is that your wallet is safe! :)

Lee

> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces+lee=wheelman.com at audifans.com 
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces+lee=wheelman.com at audifans.com] On 
> Behalf Of Mark Strangways
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 9:18 AM
> To: mlped at qwest.net; 'S-Car-List at Audifans.Com'
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Winter tires - minimum tread depth
> 
> Mike,
> 
> You could of course have 2 sets of winters...
> Some nice expensive snow and ice trashing skinnies for the 
> "Ice Events", and a set of last years "Ice Event" tires or  
> somewhat cheaper yet safe tire mounted on separate rims. 
> Somewhat like we do for track tires.
> It could be a new trend, summer high performance tires, 
> summer track "R" 
> compound tires, winter performance tires, and winter "Track" 
> tires. Most people thing we are already crazy for running Ice 
> Events and the such, this should just drive the nail home.
> 
> The next problem is finding a house with more Sq.Ft in the 
> garage then the actual house to store all those tires and 
> rims and misc over bits and pieces.
> 
> Mark
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "mlp" <mlped at qwest.net>
> To: "'Tony Curran'" <tony.curran at sympatico.ca>; 
> "'S-Car-List at Audifans.Com'" 
> <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 9:58 PM
> Subject: RE: [s-cars] Winter tires - minimum tread depth
> 
> 
> Two, maybe three things at least t consider.  According to 
> our local Nokia
> supplier,
> 
> 1.  There are age factors to consider, as well as tread 
> depths.  Depending
> on what kind of rubber your winter tire is made of, age &/or 
> oxidation and
> the manner in which the tire has been stored, affects the winter tire
> compound, some more than others.  One of those YMMV things.
> 
> 2.  Like with water and resistance to hydroplaning, tread 
> depth performance
> isn't a linear function.  A half worn, or more probably a 
> 3/4trs worn tire
> may have a lot less foul weather traction left in it than 
> "3/4ths" when it
> comes to "loose" snow, and my guess is that will also be different for
> polished ice.  Other than probably no "special" low temperature rubber
> compound left on well worn tires, my understanding has been 
> the more rubber
> you can put down on a polished piece of ice, the better off you would,
> generally speaking, be.  No idea if that's universally true, 
> but it seems to
> me the ersatz "Zamboni" the University of Denver used way 
> back when on the
> DU hockey arena, ran on what essentially looked like slicks.
> 
> 3.  I think some tires, i.e. the older Blizzaks for example, 
> were "built to
> wear out."  The "special" rubber ice compound, which was 
> rather soft, didn't
> run all the way through the tread.  I've no idea how many, if 
> any other tire
> manufactures did or still do the same; or even if this is 
> true of the newer
> Blizzaks.  Good luck finding a truly knowledgeable tire sales 
> person who
> will be able to provide you with reliable information on this.
> 
> I know my views on snow tires have certainly evolved from the 
> "Can a save a
> $buck and squeeze one more season out of these tire" to 
> "Steamboat's really
> a lot of fun, have these tires lost their edge for STOPPING 
> (and cornering)
> on ICE."  For me, while getting stuck is, or would be a pain 
> in the butt.
> Being unable to stop, and sliding into something hard, is a 
> really, really,
> really big pain in the ass.
> 
> With the Quattro, I find myself not so very worried in most 
> cases about
> being able to get moving.  But I am a lot more concerned 
> about stopping
> ability.  Personally, I find myself leaning towards changing 
> tires out,
> regardless of tread depth, if it looks like the winter tire 
> compound layer
> is compromised.  I wish I knew of a magic objective yardstick 
> for making
> that determination.  I find myself at the mercy of (1) the 
> seat of my pants,
> and (2) a trusty local winter tire wholesaler who I prefer to 
> believe will
> give me honest advice.
> 
> Cheers
> Mike
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: s-car-list On Behalf Of Tony Curran
> >
> >Just put on my winter tires which are probably on their last
> >season. What is the minimum recommended tread depth?
> >
> >TIA
> >
> >Tony
> >96 S6
> >
> 
> 
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