Initially for a thread that got locked, but the articles seemed good so I start a new one. AWD / 4WD will probably get closer scrutiny next season as it does cost some mileage. A reasonable tradeoff for some might be dedicated winter tires vs AWD all year.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/traction2006.htm
Traction 2006: Giant winter traction test
We brought together 15 current model vehicles and an equal number of drivers, and ran them through two 1.2-kilometre tracks, a slalom course, and an attached emergency braking area. Our speeds for these exercises were maximum 40 km/h for the slalom and braking, and maximum 60 km/h for the tracks.
Our vehicles were fitted with original equipment all-season tires or in some cases, winter tires. Two of the vehicles arrived with both, and we were able to change the tires from all-seasons to winter tires mid-day, and compare the results.
Conclusions
It's the tires, stupid! Well, something like that. Of all the tests and exercises we conducted during Traction 2006, vehicles with winter tires stopped one-to-two car lengths before vehicles with all-season tires, and they provided better grip in the corners.
http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Features/article_239.shtml
With all these reasons to switch to Green Diamonds for winter driving, one thing had yet to be determined, whether or not any of these improvements could be attributed to the tiny carbide granules embedded in the tread.
The one place where this question could be answered was on solid ice. So I went where I could be guaranteed a true ice driving test. Lake Sinissippi, in Hustisford, Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin Autosport Group’s Ice Trials II. A timed rally cross held in the middle of a frozen lake. I had the opportunity to see every level of tire on the 50+ cars that came out to the lake to race. From WRX’s running the Stock RE92’s to full rally prepped Mitsubishi Eclipse with Ice Studs. Watching the cars run with ice studs was amazing. They looked like they were running on gravel. They had unbelievable amounts of traction. I had no aspirations of this much control. However, I found that I had enough traction to launch and accelerate without too much spinning of the tires. Turning on this clean ice was challenging at any substantial speed, but at lower speeds I was able to control the car with reasonable confidence. Drivers running normal snow tread tires reported more control trouble that those who were running Green Diamond’s didn’t experience. Those who were running all-season tires had to drive painfully slow in order not to spin off the course. In the end, there was a noticeable advantage to the Green Diamonds vs. normal snow tires. While no substitute for fully studded tires, you can legally drive on Green Diamonds in areas where studded or chained tires are not allowed.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/traction2006.htm
Traction 2006: Giant winter traction test
We brought together 15 current model vehicles and an equal number of drivers, and ran them through two 1.2-kilometre tracks, a slalom course, and an attached emergency braking area. Our speeds for these exercises were maximum 40 km/h for the slalom and braking, and maximum 60 km/h for the tracks.
Our vehicles were fitted with original equipment all-season tires or in some cases, winter tires. Two of the vehicles arrived with both, and we were able to change the tires from all-seasons to winter tires mid-day, and compare the results.
Conclusions
It's the tires, stupid! Well, something like that. Of all the tests and exercises we conducted during Traction 2006, vehicles with winter tires stopped one-to-two car lengths before vehicles with all-season tires, and they provided better grip in the corners.
http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Features/article_239.shtml
With all these reasons to switch to Green Diamonds for winter driving, one thing had yet to be determined, whether or not any of these improvements could be attributed to the tiny carbide granules embedded in the tread.
The one place where this question could be answered was on solid ice. So I went where I could be guaranteed a true ice driving test. Lake Sinissippi, in Hustisford, Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin Autosport Group’s Ice Trials II. A timed rally cross held in the middle of a frozen lake. I had the opportunity to see every level of tire on the 50+ cars that came out to the lake to race. From WRX’s running the Stock RE92’s to full rally prepped Mitsubishi Eclipse with Ice Studs. Watching the cars run with ice studs was amazing. They looked like they were running on gravel. They had unbelievable amounts of traction. I had no aspirations of this much control. However, I found that I had enough traction to launch and accelerate without too much spinning of the tires. Turning on this clean ice was challenging at any substantial speed, but at lower speeds I was able to control the car with reasonable confidence. Drivers running normal snow tread tires reported more control trouble that those who were running Green Diamond’s didn’t experience. Those who were running all-season tires had to drive painfully slow in order not to spin off the course. In the end, there was a noticeable advantage to the Green Diamonds vs. normal snow tires. While no substitute for fully studded tires, you can legally drive on Green Diamonds in areas where studded or chained tires are not allowed.
