First Snow Fall... Santa Fe V6 didnt do so well...

[pare_john]

Originally Posted by AlpineRyder

So we just had our first know fall and after reading all these posts I almost didn't want to leave the house. I'm running the stock Bridgestones and they were fantastic..? 33 psi, I was driving normal not smashing down the gas pedal and again.. I was impressed I won't be buying winter tires this year..
Don't know why everyone are having such issues with them..?

Come and drive in a Montreal winter and tell me the same thing lol

[aelaan]

I agree with John: 4-car crash on icy Arthur Street in Elmira | therecord and this my friends was just a bit of ice when snow melted and the froze over....
I got my winters on, my stock tires started to spin when I pulled past a truck last week on a wet cold road surface, that was my indicator....

[PEACEKEEPER]

Put our Good Year snow and ice tires put back on a couple of weeks ago. We haven't had much snow the last couple of winters but I won't take any chances with my wife and young daughter riding in the car. Snows will always stop sooner than all seasons. The Santa Fe has performed very well in what snow we have had so I'm looking forward to a nice storm to really check it out.

[Sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted by JRunner

Thanks for the replies everyone!

For one not wanting the hassle of having to switch out tires every winter \ spring, is there a recommendation for a tire that fits the stock 18" Limited rims while being the best winter all season tire?

AS others mentioned. Nokian WRG2 SUV Nokian WRG2 SUV . Not cheap by any means but great tires. I had the WRG2 for a couple years as my winter and performed awesome in snow. Once they wore down to 6-7/32" I finished them off as my 3 season. Myself family and friends also had the previous version WR. WR was a little better 3 season, G2 a little better winter but both about the best compromise you'll find.

Can't comment on the Crosscontact LX20 BUT the CrossContact LX is absolutely the WORST tire I ever tried in winter. They should not be sold north of maybe Georgia. Great dry and wet when warm, crappy treadware. If you check Tirerack check WHERE reviews are from.

At the same time my Contintental ExtremeWinterContact's I have now are excellent in winter, good dry and wet and suprisingly very quiet.

[canderson]

FWIW..
The tirerack.com survey for the Continental CrossContact LX shows that, as you have suggested, it's not a good winter performer.

The survey on the Continental CrossContact LX20 shows a very different result. It should be noted that there is no similarity whatsoever in the tread patterns between these two tires. The similarity is in the name alone... perhaps not a good move by Continental's marketing department.

[Sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted by canderson

FWIW..
The tirerack.com survey for the Continental CrossContact LX shows that, as you have suggested, it's not a good winter performer.

The survey on the Continental CrossContact LX20 shows a very different result. It should be noted that there is no similarity whatsoever in the tread patterns between these two tires. The similarity is in the name alone... perhaps not a good move by Continental's marketing department.

Did you look at just the survey or survey AND read all the reviews? Out of 100 reviews only 7 mentioned actually using in them snow (but did rate favorably) but at least one was a Texas rating. The Tirerack testing said (in snow) they were fairly easy to control but somewhat less traction than the Bridgestone dueler 422 and Goodyear Assurance.

I'd also be worried about the only 500k in miles reviewed when MANY of those were a couple hundred which compared tehm to the old worn ones previously on vehicles. When I got mine they had about the same number of miles/reviews.

One noticeable on the reviews was MANY having serious balancing issues and even getting tires replaced for the balance issue.

If you or others get them I wish you the best and hope they are the perfect tire and hopefully you can post back with good recomendations.

One of my past experiences was with Michelin LTX M/S which rated great in snow. My experience was they were ok in snow (on a Ford Explorer) and excellent everywhere else BUT that was because I was used to having 4 dedicated winter tires which provided much beter grip in snow (which they should). I've done my own informal testing with friends at my firehouse with same vehicles, them on newer "all seasons" mine on 2-3 year old snows and even let them drive mine after. All were amazed by the extra grip starting and turning but mainly panic stopping. Didn't impress them enough (except 1) to spend the extra for dedicated spare rims tires but most of them are happy to slip the inspector $20 to pass them pointing out that steel belts sticking through are just like studded tires!

My wife/kids are worth it to me for me to spend the same as my insurance deductible to help keep them out of trouble.

I had posted in one of the forums my experience on the way to work one night. I have to cross a bridge over the Long Island Expressway which has a decent slope/grade to it. 2 of my workers were stuck on the hill with all 4 wheels spinning, sliding back and forth. One has a Nissan Frontier with cap, one a Suburban. I stopped to see if they needed help (in my front wheel drive, stick shift Sonata with the Continental ExtremeWinterContacts on). They said they were fine and would be there soon (work is 1 minute over bridge). I left with no wheel slip starting on the hill and went to work. They showed up 25 minutes later (and late for work) as they both had to turn around and try another route with same conditions, same result. The third bridge they were able to get a running start and just make it over then to work.

To also add that November day when this thread started we had 6 inches of snow here on LI. I didn't have my snows on yet. My Sonata with the very worn (3/32") WRG2's struggled to start and stop and was not confidence inspiring at the least but I made it to work. On the other hand my Sequoia with the CrossContact LX's was stuck in my driveway in 4WD, center diff locked, ESC off. Truck could NOT get out of driveway and actually was sliding backward with all 4 wheel spinning. I tried slow, a little more throttle and even low range gear on transfer case, nothing worked. My driveway has MAYBE a 2-3% slope to it. All 8 snows went on next day and temps went back to the 60's, go figure!

[canderson]

Originally Posted by Sequoiasoon

I'd also be worried about the only 500k in miles reviewed when MANY of those were a couple hundred which compared tehm to the old worn ones previously on vehicles.

Somewhere back when I first posted a note on this tire a month or so ago, I had said that the info was thin so far (confirming your mileage comment here), but due to the high marks this tire was getting, was well worth keeping an eye on. We'll see how it looks again in the Spring after another full winter season of ratings.

One noticeable on the reviews was MANY having serious balancing issues and even getting tires replaced for the balance issue.

Troublesome, but nothing the original owner isn't likely to have seen on the OEM tires. The whole issue of 'road force balancing' has come up quite a number of times in this forum!

I had posted in one of the forums my experience on the way to work one night. I have to cross a bridge over the Long Island Expressway which has a decent slope/grade to it.

Yikes .. commuting the LIE in snow? It's bad enough in dry weather

[Sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted by canderson

Troublesome, but nothing the original owner isn't likely to have seen on the OEM tires. The whole issue of 'road force balancing' has come up quite a number of times in this forum!

What's actually funny was when I bought the crosscontacts they used the "regular" high speed balancer, 1 week later I was back to get the road force done as i also had the vibration issues. I also do experience the flat spotting for the first couple miles still to this day. More in cooler temps.
I had the same issue with the Nokian WRG2's at STS tire. 3 attempts to rebalance and all failed. They were good when done on machine I watched but 1 day later were shaking. I went to a friend who was BMW mechanic. We did them at his shop on a Saturday. For laughs and to check we put them on machine as is. Road force called for almost exact same weights OPPOSITE where those were. We removed and started fresh. 2 had zero weights when done, 2 very minimal grams. they were smooth for the next almost 40k but tread was gone as discussed. Never had them rebalanced. Pay a little more at a shop that has GSP9700 to start!

Originally Posted by canderson

Yikes .. commuting the LIE in snow? It's bad enough in dry weather

I work overnights so not much traffic since I go in at 10pm and back home opposite the "rush". Less plowing going on but LOTS of roadwork delays . Nights with snow lets all the less prepared travel faster so normally they hit concrete dividers and trees instead of other cars and it doesn't back up traffic to much

[canderson]

Amen to the 9700. For those looking for a shop that uses this equipment (and in spite of the price, it's becoming pretty common now), use this site as a starting point:

Hunter GSP9700 Wheel vibration Control System solves wheel vibration and tire pull problems that balancers and aligners can't fix

[cookiedough]

will 235/70/17 tires fit for height on our santa fe's requiring 235/65/17's?

I found a nice set of rims 17x7.5 with 5x114 bolt pattern coming off a 2009 nissan murano for 500 bucks used with bridgestone blizzaks in 235/70/17 vs. what should be 235/65/17. Let me know please since for 500 bucks and 2/3 tread left is a good deal with rims and all mounted already. I think they should, agree????????????????????????