neilschelly

iTrader: (2)

I know a higher-than-recommended tire pressure in the dry makes for much nicer traction and a lower-than-recommended tire pressure in deep mud or dirt makes for better traction, but what about in the snow? Is there a general rule for snowy driving that makes for best stop-and/go traction to keep me from plowing into someone?
-N

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (25)

Traction in winter depends a bit more on compound, design, and tread depth. You want a narrower path for snow, ice, or rain. Reducing the pressure will flatten the tire out and create a wider path making it a bit harder to tread debris. I would stick to the manufacture recommended pressures.

neilschelly

iTrader: (2)

So then, if anything, higher pressures would help then? Lowering them to 35psi all around seemed to help me out last night from 40/35psi. I was considering going down a little more as well, bringing the rears down to 30 perhaps. That's still all above the manufacturer recommended numbers I think anyway.

Anyway, if there are no general relations between winter and air pressure, I'll just keep adjusting and seeing what works.
-N

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (25)

Yeah there's really no ideal pressure for winter tires since the cars they are on require differ pressures. I would play with it a bit (not going below what Mits recc, and not exceeding the tires max psi) and see what happens.