"Too Soon, Junior."

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
04/05/2016 at 16:34 • Filed to: None

It’s my fault. Having been born, raised, and living in New England my whole life, I should’ve known better than to switch from my winter wheels and snow tires to my summer wheels with summer tires in late March. The frequent days of warm temperatures led me to mistakenly believe that after a rather easy winter, we were all done with the white slippery stuff. And my Michelin Pilot Super Sports totally transform my BRZ with their high grip and precise responsiveness to my control inputs. I couldn’t resist. And switching to tires that absolutely can not handle snow is precisely what caused the snowstorms that hit the northeastern US this past week. So to all of you, I apologize.

Read on Right Foot Down or continue below

I tried to swap back to my snow tires after the storm dropped 6" of snow on us. Unfortunately, on the second wheel I worked on, the lug nut began feeling tighter a couple of turns after coming loose from the wheel. This was the same feeling I felt just before snapping a wheel stud after the local dealer rotated my tires just before !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I aborted the mission, torqued all of the lug nuts back to spec, and put the other summer wheel back on. I didn’t have any more wheel studs to to replace it if I broke it, nor was I about to get any at that time of night. BRZ/FR-S/86 wheel studs are known to be fairly weak and not hold up well to repeated wheel swaps. I ordered up a full set of 20 aftermarket replacements to solve this problem, which is now becoming a regular thing. But it doesn’t solve the problem of snow and Pilot Super Sports. Though we got plowed out, there was still a layer of packed snow on top of the pavement, and overnight temperatures were too cold to melt it. It was going to be an interesting commute the next morning.

Thanks to cold temperatures overnight, conditions hadn’t changed the following morning. I knew that the main roads were fine, so with some fear and trepidation I backed out of the garage onto the snow. I managed to do my walking pace three-point turn just fine. (There isn’t enough space to try a Rockford, and even if there was I probably would’ve spun into the trees anyway.) Naturally, just as I started driving down the hill, my wife came up the driveway after completing a school run. I tried backing up to give her space, but on the extremely gentle slope I was on all I managed to do was spin the wheels. It was useless. My wife pulled over onto the lawn, which her !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! tackled easily, and allowed me to roll downhill to leave. Rolling was about the maximum speed that I felt safe.

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Pulling out of my driveway, I feared that someone would come around the blind curve too fast and slam into me before I could ever so slowly accelerate through my left turn. But I made it, and putting stability control into VSC Sport allowed enough wheelspin and sideways action for the car to actually move while still preventing me from sliding off the road. I then proceeded at half impulse power of my normal speed on a very mixed surface of wet pavement and loose and packed snow.

How horrible are the otherwise awesome Pilot Super Sports in such conditions? Slow, unless you have no clue how to drive, a death wish, or both. The sensation was quite similar to how the Mustang’s Pirelli P Zeros felt on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . In both cases, the tires felt like they were floating loosely on top of the surface rather than digging in and getting a grip. And in both cases, I was using summer tires for something they were absolutely not designed to do. But by keeping my speed down (relatively speaking, in the Mustang) and not asking the tires for more than they were capable of delivering I managed to keep the car on the road.

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As soon as I got to the highway, I was fine. Roads were well treated and just wet. The back roads I took closer to the office had a little snow scattered here and there, but nothing like at home, except for the semi-private road my office is on. I must’ve looked like a complete hooligan entering the lot sideways with a bunch of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , even at walking speed. Fortunately the lot itself was plowed better than the road and down to bare pavement.

I was concerned about getting back up the driveway when I got home since temperatures were to remain below freezing, but the sun is much stronger in April than in January, and its power melted the remaining snow in the driveway despite the cold temperatures. It’s supposed to warm up mid-week, and soon this latest snow will be completely gone. I’ll be able to replace my wheel studs at my convenience, and certainly before the next !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! event I bring my BRZ to. But I’ve learned my lesson. Next March, when unseasonably warm temperatures tempt me to put the summer tires on and make my car fun again, I’ll think back to today and tell myself, “Too soon, junior.”

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DISCUSSION (21)

WhiskeyGolf > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 16:42

Yeah even in Ottawa I debated what to do about the tires, since I drove 1200+ km over the last 2 weekends. In the end I kept the winters on and I’m glad I did: despite departing the city in 13C weather on Friday, by my Sunday afternoon return trip, it was -5C and snowing. For sure I removed some life in the tires by driving in the warm, but they’re a wear item and better safe than sorry!

Justin Hughes > WhiskeyGolf
04/05/2016 at 16:49

That’s what I should’ve done. But I couldn’t resist the warm temperatures and summer tire performance calling to me. I’ll be stronger next time.

cazzyodo > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 16:50

I was to blame 2 weeks ago.

My friend was to blame last week.

You’re this week.

I feel like such a n00b but am at least in decent company.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 16:59

Kinja'd!!!

My ZII Star Specs held up decently well to a track day with snow.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:01

My summers are stored at my parents house, which is 3 hrs away in MD(I’m in north NJ). I am putting them on this weekend and praying to the gods of hoonage that there will be no more frozen precipitation.

Steve in Manhattan > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:01

Climate change means just that - barely above freezing when I went to Fairway today. First week of April in Manhattan usually means a light jacket at most. Took a thick hoodie and a shell jacket to get there without being really cold. We might have a hotter than normal summer, which means it’ll be worse than DC where I grew up. I hate being hot.

The steam heat in my building usually goes off mid-March. It’s still on. Had to shut off the radiator in the bedroom though - so much noise.

Justin Hughes > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
04/05/2016 at 17:02

Back in the day I ran Dunlop SP8000s on my Miata for a late March track day at Lime Rock. Even on the warm-up lap I was drifting - by accident!

Justin Hughes > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
04/05/2016 at 17:02

If there is, I’ll blame you this time!

CPT Speedbump > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:03

I never took my summer’s off here in Colorado..the joys of having a 4x4 in the driveway and putting the Z in the garage for winter ;)

buford-t-justice > WhiskeyGolf
04/05/2016 at 17:04

And Ottawa is supposed to be getting snow tomorow. I was looking at getting mine switched over Saturday but it’s still looks too cold for the Goodyear eagle f1

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:07

Sounds like driving on Primacy HPs lol

I’m still shocked that a guy in a BRZ was able to do a rallyx on a frozen lake with Prius tires. Idk how he even got moving.

Kailand09 > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:25

Yeah i did it a couple weeks ago and couldn't get into the incline to my work's parking lot

gin-san - shitpost specialist > WhiskeyGolf
04/05/2016 at 17:25

I’m in Ottawa, too; I was thinking of swapping my Blizzaks off for my all-seasons but I’m glad I didn’t. Since I’m going out of country for a couple of weeks I’m gonna get them switched when I come back in the last week of April. Blizzaks gave zero fucks even when we got those 50cm snowfalls - I can’t say enough good things about them.

Besides, the all-season label for my tires is overly optimistic. I lose a lot of confidence even if the asphalt is wet, let alone cold and with snow. They’re just acceptable when it’s warm and dry. I can’t wait until I wear them out so I can ditch these garbage Pirellis for something decent.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:27

switching to tires that absolutely can not handle snow is precisely what caused the snowstorms that hit the northeastern US this past week. So to all of you, I apologize.

I washed, waxed, and detailed my cars. The Cougar got a hand wax and was ready for car show season. I’d been wiping her down with the duster to keep her that way. Then it snowed. TWICE.

At least the Mustang is garaged and I have other commuters. Still, all the effort I put forth was wiped away.....

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:47

Don't worry it will be around 60 tomorrow, but watch out for the freezing rain Friday

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Justin Hughes
04/05/2016 at 17:55

I refuse to accept blame. I will pass it on to someone else. We’ll have to find another J. Hughes to take the blame

WhiskeyGolf > gin-san - shitpost specialist
04/05/2016 at 18:10

My all seasons have stood up to a few track days at Calabogie so far, but I’m still happy to have winters.

If you’re looking to get together with some of the Ottawa area people, some of us go the local rallies in May and occasionally the Calabogie GT later in the summer.

Justin Hughes > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
04/05/2016 at 21:06

We’ll find one on Facebook. There are a few out there.

ateamfan42 > Justin Hughes
04/08/2016 at 10:32

And all this week, I thought *I* was to blame, for the same transgression.

After driving around most of the “winter” that consisted of 60 degF days (with winter tires), as soon as my new wheels arrived, I got the summer tires mounted/balanced and put them on the Miata Sunday. That promptly unleashed the snowstorm on Monday. and freezing temps the rest of the week. (I drove the MS6, still with snows.)

Justin Hughes > ateamfan42
04/08/2016 at 10:39

OK, I’ll be happy to share the blame with you. :)

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Justin Hughes
04/10/2016 at 15:47

So, we are going to need to find one because it was snowing WHILE I was putting the summer tires on my car. Thankfully none of it was sticking and it was all gone before I left to go home, but still.