Managing tires for the upcoming ski season

[tiredguy]

Hello,

I am seeking advice for managing my tires this winter.

I live in the SF bay area and plan to make 10 round trips to Lake Tahoe (Incline Village, Nevada) this coming winter between the months of late December and late March.

My vehicle is a 2000 Lexus RX300 AWD, very similar to a Highlander. Tire size is 225/70-16.

My current tires are Cooper CS5 Grand Touring.

I just took a tread gauge and took 4 measurements per tire, one measurement per groove (grooves are the spaces between adjacent tread ribs). Measurements are listed from inside to outside. This is what I got.


Front Right

6/32 inside groove

8/32

8/32

7/32 outside groove

Left Front

7/32 inside groove

8/32

8/32

7.5/32 outside groove

Right Rear

7/32 inside groove

7.5/32

7.5/32

7/32 outside groove

Left Rear

7/32 inside groove

8/32

8/32

7/32 outside groove


I just purchased 4 new Kumho Crugen HT51 tires. They are All Season tires with the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating. I have not mounted the tires yet.

I also have 4 full size steel wheels for the vehicle sitting in my garage.

For next season late Dec - late March should I:

1. Leave the current tires on the vehicle assuming the amount of tread listed above will safely get me through the winter.

2. Mount the new Kumho Crugen HT51 tires on the alloy wheels that are currently on the car and dispose the Cooper CS5s.

3. Mount the new Kumho Crugen HT51 on the 4 steel wheels and put them on the vehicle for the Dec through March months, and put them in storage in the off season?

4. Other?

Thanks!

 

[edyvw]

Get Michelin Latitude Xi2 winter tires. They are good in dry, wet, but also in snow and ice. Take them off in March or April.

 

[Oro_O]

I spent a lot of time commuting NYC to northerm VT to ski, then also living in northern VT several years. I have experience with summer/winter tires, as well as all-time northern/mild climate needs.

I am unsure why you bought the Kumho tires - the specs on your Coopers are good. My experience with the CS5 is that it's a fabulous all-season (thought not a dedicated snow) tire. Those measurements give a few years more life. The Kumho is in no way superior from what I can tell, and tread depth is not going to be the biggest thing here given you have decent depth.

I would have just bought chains for the rear if I had a doubt. I also have that same Lexus drive train in another car (albeit later U151 5 speed, not that 4). Those tires, the AWD, will work for all but the worst, then you snap on chains. Easy-peasy. The extra depth of the new tires is not going to make the difference when you really need it (serious ice, etc).

The Kumho's just aren't buying you anything extra (fine tires, not against Kumho), really. You can measure those depths again in spring and they'll only be like 1/32nd lower. Shelve the Kumho's for two years would be my suggestion Or trade them in if you can and get dedicate snows for winter. A mild climate like yours (or mine), run the snows all winter and the all-seasons all summer. best of both worlds (I used to do that, too).

 

[tiredguy]

Originally Posted by Or
I spent a lot of time commuting NYC to northerm VT to ski, then also living in northern VT several years. I have experience with summer/winter tires, as well as all-time northern/mild climate needs.

I am unsure why you bought the Kumho tires - the specs on your Coopers are good. My experience with the CS5 is that it's a fabulous all-season (thought not a dedicated snow) tire. Those measurements give a few years more life. The Kumho is in no way superior from what I can tell, and tread depth is not going to be the biggest thing here given you have decent depth.

I would have just bought chains for the rear if I had a doubt. I also have that same Lexus drive train in another car (albeit later U151 5 speed, not that 4). Those tires, the AWD, will work for all but the worst, then you snap on chains. Easy-peasy. The extra depth of the new tires is not going to make the difference when you really need it (serious ice, etc).

The Kumho's just aren't buying you anything extra (fine tires, not against Kumho), really. You can measure those depths again in spring and they'll only be like 1/32nd lower. Shelve the Kumho's for two years would be my suggestion Or trade them in if you can and get dedicate snows for winter. A mild climate like yours (or mine), run the snows all winter and the all-seasons all summer. best of both worlds (I used to do that, too).


Thanks for the response. I got the Kumhos because they had the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, were all sesason tires and got a great deal on them. $335 for the set of 4.

I was thinking the extra tread depth and the 3PMSF raing would give me an advantage compared to the CS5s I have now.

Chains for the rear are not an option for this vehicle. The owners manual states not to put them on the rear. I believe there are clearance issues.

I posted earlier in the year about getting snow tires and running them in the winter only and the feedback was not to as snow tires are for temps 45 and below and 85% of my driving from the SF bay area to Lake Tahoe will be in warmer conditions. What was recommended was a All Season that had good snow properties or a All Terrain tire.

 

[CharBaby]

3. Mount the new Kumho Crugen HT51 on the 4 steel wheels and put them on the vehicle for the Dec through March months, and put them in storage in the off season?

 

[eljefino]

I'd [3] mount those snow tires up and use them. Don't you have mountain passes that require chains, snowflake-tires, and/or AWD? Having those tires on may make you legal when you otherwise wouldn't be.

 

[Pelican]

I just purchased 4 new Kumho Crugen HT51 tires. They are All Season tires with the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating. I have not mounted the tires yet./quote]

Just so that we are all on the same page, what you call "all seasons with a 3 Peak Mountain" are called ALL WEATHER in North America.

 

[krzyss]

A note from TireRack:

Note: While non-winter tires featuring the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol provide additional longitudinal snow traction beyond what all-season (M+S) tires not bearing the symbol can deliver, they do not match the capability of a true winter tire in all adverse weather conditions.

KrzyÅ›

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I'd throw them on the steelies and use them only for your mountain trips. When you're back, swap back to the all seasons. You should be able to get quite a few years out of them.

Do you have to carry chains or traction ropes where you go?

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted by tiredguy
1. Leave the current tires on the vehicle assuming the amount of tread listed above will safely get me through the winter.

There's lots more to tire performance and safety in winter months than just tread depth. Don't be so focused on it.

 

[CharBaby]

I'd keep the Kumho's on from Dec-Mar and remove them ASAP after your last trip.
Putting them on & off after each ski trip will get old real fast. Just use'em!

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
I'd keep the Kumho's on from Dec-Mar and remove them ASAP after your last trip.
Putting them on & off after each ski trip will get old real fast. Just use'em!


Exactly. And used Coopers with a 6.4 snow rating or new Kumhos with an 8.8 snow rating on Tire Rack I know which I'd have on. Don't drive like you're autocrossing for the 3 months you have the Kumhos on and you'll be set for years.

 

[tiredguy]

Originally Posted by eljefino
I'd [3] mount those snow tires up and use them. Don't you have mountain passes that require chains, snowflake-tires, and/or AWD? Having those tires on may make you legal when you otherwise wouldn't be.

Yes, Highway 80 Donner Pass often requires chains, however they are only required for AWD vehicles when its get to R3. If DOnner Pass ever get to R3 they close the road until it drops to R2 conditions.

See R1 R2 and R3 requirements here:
https://dot.ca.gov/travel/winter-driving-tips/chain-controls

 

[tiredguy]

Thanks but the HT51s have much better winter snow performance

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uiv_s635QIVlyCtBh2h8QAjEAAYASAAEgIDpvD_BwE&tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Crugen+HT51&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI0uiv_s635QIVlyCtBh2h8QAjEAAYASAAEgIDpvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!386488835957!b!!g!!&gclsrc=aw.ds&&affiliate=HM5


https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Cooper&tireModel=CS5+Grand+Touring

 

[Donald]

Get snow tires. Significantly better than any all season.

Or run mud & snow all year long. (The downside is noise).

 

[tiredguy]

Originally Posted by Donald
Get snow tires. Significantly better than any all season.

Or run mud & snow all year long. (The downside is noise).

Thanks for the post.

I had a long thread earlier in the year about getting snow tires. If that is what you mean by winter tires however 80%+ of my driving will be in temps well above 45F. I was told by many not to bother with winter tires because of the poor properties of the winter tires in warmer temps. Today in the SF bay it will be 90F

 

[krzyss]

Winter tires in SF area just to drive to the mountains is not good.
Weekend winter tire set or dedicated vehicle ;-)

Check all weather kind (Crossclimate+, WR G4 or similar).

KrzyÅ›

 

[Donald]

So how about some mud & snow tires for the winter? They have an aggressive tread but the rubber is not soft like a true snow tire so they can be run in any temp.

Rent a car with snows.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted by Donald
So how about some mud & snow tires for the winter? They have an aggressive tread but the rubber is not soft like a true snow tire so they can be run in any temp.

Rent a car with snows.


Mud & Snow is just a tread to void ratio requirement. Winter tires are already M+S.

 

[EdwardC]

I would do option #3. I remember your original post and I think you made a great choice with an "All Weather" tire.

I would run the Kumhos during the winter months only, then switch back to the Coopers. The nice thing about that is that you can probably wear the Coopers down a little further than you would if you didn't have the 2nd set. Once the Coopers are worn, get another set of All Weather tires and make those the dedicated winter tires.