VERY Short Winter Trip on Summer Tires

She lives about 900 feet away. Should I be concerned with possible damage to the tires with a very short and very slow drive to her house?
Seriously? If I posted this question here, I'd get reamed. As to an answer, absolutely you should be concerned. You should call a flatbed to take it over there otherwise the tires may explode. Alternatively, invite some friends over for beer and have them push the car there while you steer. Make sure you ask them AFTER they've had a few, otherwise they won't buy your story why you can't drive it there.
 
If you are that afraid and overthinking too much, why don't you remove the summer tire and install the winter tire.
Put the summer tire in the trunk and drive it there.
If you cannot bring all 4, then do it 1 at a time.

Case closed.
 
This was an absolute gem of a test. It shows that summers can be used in freezing temperatures as long as there's no snow or ice (i.e., dry salted pavement). But yeah, cracking could be an issue if overdone.

 
This was an absolute gem of a test. It shows that summers can be used in freezing temperatures as long as there's no snow or ice
FWIW, the summer tire they used in this test is from a Grand Touring category - very mild mannered. OP most likely has Max Performance tires on his car, which may or may not affect how they grip in freezing temps.
 
Brings back memories, going on 50 years ago. Was a passenger in a 350 mile trip ended up taking about 12 hours. It was a huge snowstorm, we were mostly on I80 going about 35MPH on rather bald summer tires. No one died on that trip.
 
IMO, OP has reason to be concerned and ask the question. His main concern would be cracking, not traction (assuming they handle the common sense issues of snow and ice on the road).

Language from Michelin USA and tire vendors like TireRack have adopted language like this applying directly to the PS4S:
Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Max Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. Compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced.

From what I can tell, this language was never really used before, just the usual "summer tires don't have good traction in the winter" disclaimers, until this:
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/0...er-corvette-owners-complain-of-cracked-tires/

So, OP, you take your chances. It all depends on the weather on that day that you move it, and how warm it is where you're storing your Hellcat before the move (and whether you feel "lucky", and that the bad experiences only happen to other people).

Maybe run a heater in your garage prior to the roll out if your ambient temps are getting into the concerning area. I would expect PS4S to be less vulnerable than even more hardcore tires. Maybe you'll be lucky and it's 50F and sunny.
 
IMO, OP has reason to be concerned and ask the question. His main concern would be cracking, not traction (assuming they handle the common sense issues of snow and ice on the road).

Language from Michelin USA and tire vendors like TireRack have adopted language like this applying directly to the PS4S:


From what I can tell, this language was never really used before, just the usual "summer tires don't have good traction in the winter" disclaimers, until this:
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/0...er-corvette-owners-complain-of-cracked-tires/

So, OP, you take your chances. It all depends on the weather on that day that you move it, and how warm it is where you're storing your Hellcat before the move (and whether you feel "lucky", and that the bad experiences only happen to other people).

Maybe run a heater in your garage prior to the roll out if your ambient temps are getting into the concerning area. I would expect PS4S to be less vulnerable than even more hardcore tires. Maybe you'll be lucky and it's 50F and sunny.
Appreciate your response. Was only concerned about cracking on some expensive tires.
 
People driving true summer tires all winter? Probably not. Though I suppose it might depend on what you mean by winter driving. I take winter driving to mean driving much of the time on fallen snow and ice with temperatures below freezing.

My Volvo was delivered with true summer tires. With the first snowfall I could barely accelerate, stop or turn. I couldn't get up a bridge I hadn't realized had a slope. I somehow managed to get to the Volvo dealer and had snow tires put on winter rims and installed the same day.

One of my colleagues had a similar experience. He bailed out on the way to work because driving was too dangerous. He went home and installed his snow tires.

So could you drive 900 feet on summer tires? Probably, but if the weather is warming up in the next few days, and if the snow on the road is melting, I'd wait for a better day.
 
I drive my hellcat year round on summer pirelli tires. In the winter it gets in the teens here and traction does get iffy at times but I’ve never had a issue or cracking of any tires. Just drove it today actually and it was 30f this morning. Just drive with some common sense and don’t get caught out in any snow…
 
IMO, OP has reason to be concerned and ask the question. His main concern would be cracking, not traction (assuming they handle the common sense issues of snow and ice on the road).

Language from Michelin USA and tire vendors like TireRack have adopted language like this applying directly to the PS4S:


From what I can tell, this language was never really used before, just the usual "summer tires don't have good traction in the winter" disclaimers, until this:
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/0...er-corvette-owners-complain-of-cracked-tires/

So, OP, you take your chances. It all depends on the weather on that day that you move it, and how warm it is where you're storing your Hellcat before the move (and whether you feel "lucky", and that the bad experiences only happen to other people).

Maybe run a heater in your garage prior to the roll out if your ambient temps are getting into the concerning area. I would expect PS4S to be less vulnerable than even more hardcore tires. Maybe you'll be lucky and it's 50F and sunny.

2015 Z06. Per Tire Rack OE tires are:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ZP
Only the Cup tires have a link to " Storing Track & Competition DOT Tires in Cold Temperatures".

Krzyś
 
2015 Z06. Per Tire Rack OE tires are:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ZP
Only the Cup tires have a link to " Storing Track & Competition DOT Tires in Cold Temperatures".

Krzyś

OK, but PS4S still points to this, which is not Track or Competition DOT:

Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Max Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. Compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced.

I'm responding to those who poked fun at OP that the question is justified based on statements made by the manufacturer depending on what temps he expects to see when the transfer takes place.
 
FWIW, the summer tire they used in this test is from a Grand Touring category - very mild mannered. OP most likely has Max Performance tires on his car, which may or may not affect how they grip in freezing temps.

Actually, that Contipremiumcontact 6 replaced Constisportcontact 5.... it's only a grand touring tyre in name, it actually competes with PS4
 
900 Feet? Come on now... tires aren't that fragile. You're fine.

I've known multiple people that have driven dedicated summers (Michelin and Dunlop) through Chicago winters. It's not ideal, it's not smart and if there's snow on the ground, you're screwed... but it's doable.
 
Some tires are that fragile. Probably not the ones the OP asks about but track tires must be handled with care.

Krzys
 
Get them nice and hot with a burnout before you leave, make sure they're warm until you get to your destination :D. You'll be fine even if you daily PS4s in below freezing weather (wouldn't want to floor it though.) If they were Pilot Sport Cup 2s or colder than -40F, I'd be worried with cracking but the PS4s won't.
 
Appreciate your response. Was only concerned about cracking on some expensive tires.
I think almost all the higher grip summer tires have rubber that will crack at lower temperatures, expensive or not. I ran BFG sport comp2's on a few -1, -2C frosty mornings and they were not round for a couple miles... I'm sure at -10C they would crack. They still gripped pretty well, even in the wet around freezing but the odd cold morning means I can't run a summer tire past September.
You shouldn't really store a car on summer tires if it gets below the -7C IMO, put them in bags in the basement, and get some bald all seasons for free and slap them on some steelies.
 
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