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Why thin snow tires?

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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 07:36 AM
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Default Why thin snow tires?

Winter's coming in a few months and I'll be buying some snow tires. I heard that thinner tires are better than wider ones for snow. Why is that? Wouldnt more contact surface provide better traction?
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 07:37 AM
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Thinner tires cut thru the snow better.
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 07:43 AM
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Wider tires give more floatation which allows you to slide easier
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 07:45 AM
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Rally cars use some really skinny tires on snow courses. It looks dorky, but grips good.
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 07:49 AM
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Ever seen a snowshoe? Wider rides on top of the snow, a more narrow tire will cut in
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 09:06 AM
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Easier to cut through the snow and slush to get to a tractive surface.
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 09:54 AM
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As people said you want to be as close to the road as possible. Wider tires are great for dry traction, but for snow you don't want to be "on top of the snow" you want to cut through it. Like wider tires during a rain storm. You will hydroplane easier.

You want as skinny tire as possible when it snows. And as much siping as you can get on the snow tire. Siping helps so the tire has as much grippy "fingers" grasping at the road and also helps to keep the tire clean from debris. Also deeper treads help too so snow doesn't gather in the tread and cause you to loose more traction.

So my Civic Si comes with 195/55x15" I would actually get 185/65x15" snow tires.
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 10:40 AM
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185's sound good then, thanks~
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 9600baud
185's sound good then, thanks~
Well before you buy them make sure they are the same size as stock. I'm pretty sure it is when I looked it up last year.

Then when you get your tires you can do this in 3' of snow
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Old Sep 16, 2005 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by CivicSiRacer
Well before you buy them make sure they are the same size as stock. I'm pretty sure it is when I looked it up last year.

Then when you get your tires you can do this in 3' of snow
That looks like fun.

I learned someting new today h:
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