"why haven't you swapped out your winter tires?"

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 06/17/2018 at 14:18 • Filed to: None

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Let me tell you why

With the dunlop Star Specs, the limit of grip was so far above my driving ability that I could never even come close to approaching it unless I was offroad. These snow tires? I can lock the brakes up and slide like it’s nothing. Burn rubber on mid corner acceleration. Powerslide with out even a hint of unlawful speed. Left foot braking now serves a purpose. I as a driver have to do more, because I don’t have the safety net that is super sticky rubber on an underpowered car.

Basically, these tires—that are *technically* atrocious for summer canyon carving—are helping me improve as a driver due to their much lower limits. They’re also just a barrel of fun!

Due to cramped interior space, there is no possible way for me to heel-toe at the moment. Instead, I’ve been left foot braking to upset the car and brake the back end loose around turns while keeping revs high. I’m still far from good at it, but I’ve definitely been faster than when I just blipping the throttle on downshifts and then trying to quickly move my right foot back to the go pedal.

The only issue with the winter meats, is the shredded rubber! Cleaning that shit off my Miata is a massive pain. Fortunately I’ve come up with a solution. Before any hard driving on pavement, I find some dirt and slide around. This covers the Miata in a protective layer of mud, so when burnt rubber comes flying off the tires later on, it doesn’t stick to the metal. Genius right?

Well, there you have it. The reason I’m still riding around on winters. Now if you excuse me, I’m off to find some dirt roads

MM54 > AestheticsInMotion 06/17/2018 at 14:31

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The snow tires I have for the crown vic are incredible in the mud. Awful on the highway though.

I hadn’t anticipated still having that car into summer, so I never took the snows off it in spring. After suffering with the very loud very tread-squirmy ride, I noticed they were starting to crack and grit up around the tread blocks from overheating, so I put the summers back on (which are junk but do fine) about 2 weeks ago.

sony1492 > AestheticsInMotion 06/17/2018 at 14:33

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Alternative way of doing the same thing: A no name Chinese tire that cost $50, almost no grip at the limit, no remores from melting them, dosent smell like burnt rubber as much as it smells like popcorn(really depends on the brand but whatever) 

Echo51 > sony1492 06/17/2018 at 14:35

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Tbf i’ve considered getting an older, cheap, not really any kind of power RWD car and just buying cheap used tyres that have legal tread and nothing more, just for the cheap, fun hoons :P

AestheticsInMotion > sony1492 06/17/2018 at 14:36

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I’ve considered this, but I’d still want a set of winter tires, and a set of good grippy tires, and I have zero space already.

Some day I’ll definitely go the cheap Chinese tires route.

AestheticsInMotion > MM54 06/17/2018 at 14:39

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Hmm, I’m going to check mine now that you said that. Honestly I don’t THINK these have been any louder than my summers, but it’s hard to tell with how loud everything else is on this car. And the crazy thing is, after installing the beefy front and rear sways, this thing corners incredibly flat and responds quickly (right up untill the tires lose traction).

Still haven’t found a pickup?

sony1492 > Echo51 06/17/2018 at 14:45

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This route works, I’ve gone through 4 rear tires this year (waiting on my next 2) in less than 5000 miles. So far mounting and balancing has cost almost as much as the tires.

MM54 > AestheticsInMotion 06/17/2018 at 15:03

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Nah, I’ve hardly even been looking. I’m going to have to head south, which I don’t have time for this month. Hopefully early July I’ll figure something out.

Echo51 > sony1492 06/17/2018 at 15:04

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Have the gear to mount+balance myself, and cheap tyres with tread but of questionable quality or age seems plentiful around here if you’re okay with plenty of sidewall. Now just to find the rwd car :D

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > AestheticsInMotion 06/17/2018 at 15:30

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See that’s why I’m hesitant to get sticky tires on a fun car like ours! During a competition sure, but street driving nah.

Also out of curiosity have you tried getting an fm pedal extender and using the side of your foot for downshifting?? I taught myself. I think there’s a video of senna doing it that way in an nsx

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AestheticsInMotion 06/17/2018 at 19:39

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Lol you are nuts, but in a good way I suppose. It’s too hot here for winter tires to survive even one day of driving! And that’s in the “winter”. Pretty sure I couldn’t even get to a canyon on a hot summer day before having no rubber left. Clearly the better solution is to just drive faster, then the grip problem will still occur with the sticky tires. Generally I like having grip 100% of the time though, it just means I can drive a lot further into the limits without having to go over them. And it means the tires actually work on the track. The star specs are holding up well after two track days. We shall see after the next two in July...

AestheticsInMotion > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/17/2018 at 22:31

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Seem to do fine in 85° days, I’m reaaaaally hoping it doesn’t get any hotter than that though.

The problem with going faster is it becomes much more difficult to save myself when things go wrong. I WANT to be driving right on the limit, so I can become more familiar with it. Just did a 200 half canyon carving/half rallyx drive and good god that was a blast. I’m constantly amazed how much abuse this thing can take

pip bip - choose Corrour > AestheticsInMotion 06/18/2018 at 04:50

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the benefits of living here in Australia, no winter tyres to worry about

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AestheticsInMotion 06/18/2018 at 10:19

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I laugh every time I bounce off the rev limiter in the Miata or slide it around a turn. It’s just so much fun to abuse and beat the shit out of. It was hilarious to me talking to some others at a track day. In MUCH more expensive cars talking about taking it easy and not breaking their cars. Meanwhile I am just driving the car to the limit and beyond the whole day. While I was still getting passed by those people because Miatas are slow, I was surely having more fun!

Nauraushaun > AestheticsInMotion 06/19/2018 at 03:41

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The other issue is that if something unexpected happens in front of you, you’re gonna hit it.

Less grip is fun but don’t lose sight of the drawbacks.