Blizzard hitting Mid-Atlantic..CX5 is ready

This thread was supposed to be about the blizzard. Now it's just another AWD/snow tire pissing contest.
 
This thread was supposed to be about the blizzard. Now it's just another AWD/snow tire pissing contest.

A blizzard without tires to drive through it is just a blizzard. This is a CX-5 forum, you may want to find a weather-watchers forum.
 
This thread was supposed to be about the blizzard. Now it's just another AWD/snow tire pissing contest.

Just a reminder: Don't eat the yellow snow!!!! (piss) (rofl)
 
A blizzard without tires to drive through it is just a blizzard. This is a CX-5 forum, you may want to find a weather-watchers forum.

Says one of the contestants.

I'll watch what I want.
 
Says one of the contestants.


Really it's about sharing experience about what works in blizzards and how the CX-5 performs under adverse conditions. I don't agree that it's a contest. The reason there is so much disinformation is because most people might only see a few days of winter driving each year. It's really hard to become an expert unless you are doing it day in, day out. I have 35 years of extensive winter driving experience, 6 months out of each year that continues right up to yesterday. I'm not bragging, just disclosing the experience that my knowledge is based upon. And I'm willing to share my extensive experience to dispel the many myths about winter driving. Some people here really get it. Others only seem to know the "rules of thumb" they have heard repeatedly.

I'll watch what I want.

Good. It looks like you have made your choice.
 
I'm a firm believer of dedicated winter tires and rims!
I live in one of the hardest hit areas. Our CX5 is tucked into the garage until Monday, when my wife will use it to get to her job as a nurse. My winter preps are a set of Sport Edition rims with 235/65R18 Blizzaks. No problems.

I snapped a few pics earlier today. The CX5, my truck (2WD with 4 Firestone Winterforce snow tires), and the old jeep- which isn't going anywhere for awhile!




 
Heck of a dump in a mass populated region. I'm all too familiar with this and more in the mountains here in the NW.

Stay safe!!
 
Here are some pics of what I drove through today. Not terrible but definitely not easy to get through. But I got through just fine with my awd and stock original tires. We got about 20". I'm pretty impressed with the cx5. The one pic is actually of a hill. It goes down. Hard to see but did fine going up it.
jijlac.jpg

2ebvlp5.jpg
 
Also, to further derail that thread with some actually pretty useful information .....I don't remember the source ....might have been one of the European auto magazines. Anyway, they tested different scenarios for best traction / acceleration in the snow. Consensus was that 50% slip or in other words wheels spinning 50% faster than resulting indicated speed of the vehicle, produce best acceleration/traction in the snow. My butt dyno seem to confirm that. Even when tire slips, it still generates some friction ....more friction in a given unit of time will produce more acceleration ....sometimes you need locked diff. and smart , snail paced acceleration ....sometimes especially on snow ...letting those tires spin a little faster will get you out of the hole more efficiently.

They also tested different front to rear ratio in subaru STI and as could be predicted - front biased AWD with open center differential actually worked best. Rear wheels contribution obviously increases with the incline of the road
 
IMO: Just turn off TCS of you find traction isn't sufficient. I can bring my G35x to a stall in heavy snow depth with a floored accelerator. No wheel spin will occur in default mode with TCS on. I am referring to situations that you are essentially stuck in the snow.. nothing else.

EDIT: That being said... I have yet to find something that will get my ATTESA E-TS stuck (Similar to system in Porsche 959)
 
Last edited:
Here's something. For the last few months my grandfather's staying with us due to health reasons. He was in WWII and was in some of the coldest parts of the world during his fighting days. Yesterday when I had to mandatory travel that 27 miles, it seems he was in the garage. He now told me he did what he USED to do back during WWII days. It seems he DEFLATED my tires. I don't know why or till what level, the TPMS did not kick in but here's the kicker - as per him, they used to do it when drving in severe snow and it drastically helps in traction.

As you might realize by now, I am totally novice when it comes to snow driving. So asking - is it really the case? Maybe that's why my OEM tires held up? He's saying (his exact words): "The Dingos had it, Humvees have it.. don't worry - it works"
 
Here's something. For the last few months my grandfather's staying with us due to health reasons. He was in WWII and was in some of the coldest parts of the world during his fighting days. Yesterday when I had to mandatory travel that 27 miles, it seems he was in the garage. He now told me he did what he USED to do back during WWII days. It seems he DEFLATED my tires. I don't know why or till what level, the TPMS did not kick in but here's the kicker - as per him, they used to do it when drving in severe snow and it drastically helps in traction.

As you might realize by now, I am totally novice when it comes to snow driving. So asking - is it really the case? Maybe that's why my OEM tires held up? He's saying (his exact words): "The Dingos had it, Humvees have it.. don't worry - it works"


I know in sand that can help but never really heard of that in snow. Usually good traction like snow tires and narrow are best in the snow.
 
Here's something. For the last few months my grandfather's staying with us due to health reasons. He was in WWII and was in some of the coldest parts of the world during his fighting days. Yesterday when I had to mandatory travel that 27 miles, it seems he was in the garage. He now told me he did what he USED to do back during WWII days. It seems he DEFLATED my tires. I don't know why or till what level, the TPMS did not kick in but here's the kicker - as per him, they used to do it when drving in severe snow and it drastically helps in traction.

As you might realize by now, I am totally novice when it comes to snow driving. So asking - is it really the case? Maybe that's why my OEM tires held up? He's saying (his exact words): "The Dingos had it, Humvees have it.. don't worry - it works"

It was mandatory with the old bias-ply tires to deflate them in the cold and snow. Radials have a much softer sidewall construction for a more effective contact patch and do not benefit as much (if at all). Take them too low and the traction gets worse because of the way the contact patch deforms. In the summer and winter I run about 2 psi. above the door sticker. If you need more traction on snow you can bring them down to the door sticker pressure or a bit below. I wouldn't go more than 2-4 psi below and do not drive fast on under-inflated tires. Different model tires will respond a bit differently to under-inflation but, since I run winter tires I've never needed the additional traction. When I've lowered them below spec on my 17" equipped CX-5 (just for testing purposes) I could feel the traction become worse, not better, at just a few pounds under the door sticker. On a CX-5 equipped with 19" wheels there is less leeway for lowering pressure unless you don't care about your rims.
 
Last edited:
deflating tires is a common and obvious 1st choice during Ice trials. Guys driving in no-studs-winter tire category pretty much all deflate tires by default. Once ice is ripped/shaved by studded cars ...it's much easier but if you try to put your car with even brand new snow tires with anything over 25PSI on clean ice ....you are not going anywhere. Difference between road worthy 32+ and frozen lake worthy 25- is dramatic. F/R bias with tire pressure is art in itself and depends greatly on type of AWD. I went as low as 22PSI witch made world of a difference in snow covered ice and especially clear ice. I don't do that on the road because deflating and inflating tires again and again is PITA but 25PSI would be a very good all around start for end of the world blizzard type conditions ....don't worry, nothing will happen to your tires. Especially in deep snow you are pretty much floating over all any any but biggest bumps. I can see myself going easly as low as 20PSI in slick as s*** uphill conditions
 
Maybe I am just thinking from big tire truck tires..but those are anything but advantageous in the snow.

EDIT: I used to chuckle how far my dad I could get in the back county with narrow, fully inflated, bias-ply re-tread snow tires. Guys would have these massive wide mud tires and would be chaining up. We never needed to chain up.
 
Last edited:
Took my wife to dinner in Boston Saturday night for our 27th Anniversary. Boston had 6 inches of snow but you had to watch out for the drifted parts because of the wind. My snow tires have not arrived yet so we went with the OEM Toyo's still on. I am SO impressed with the handling of the CX-5! I passed two Subaru's creeping on the way in..the car was solid all the way in and all the way back. We had to valet park and the kid who took it told me after he brought it out that it was really cool to drive...
Can't wait to get my Blizzak's on..!!
Well done, Mazda!
 
Back