Greetings everyone. I'm really enjoying my new (99) Miata. I had the dealer install a new cat converter (thanks Leon!) , under warranty. I did a google search for adding weight for traction (for driving on snow and ice), and came up with nothing. I know my car is well balanced, but I feel I could use some extra traction for snow, and ice driving. Should I use bags of sand? How much weight? I live in Southern Illinois (USA), near St.Louis, MO. We don't normally get much snow, so investing in snow tires will have to wait. Thanks for your advice....jim
I live about 200 miles away in KC, so our weather is much the same. For 12 years I relyed on two sand tubes to get up the hill in front of my house, and then up my driveway. It worked as long as I was careful and did not whip around corners. It only helped about 5% on flat streets in snow or ice. Finally this year I invested in snow tires and it's made all the difference in the world. I don't anymore worry about getting around when I need to....NEVER! I'd suggest the snow tires as a priority....besides, it'll make your expensive, topdown tires last a little longer Jim Jim's Miata Web Page
I have a 2000 and live in MA. I don't do anything but put snow tires on all around. I don't have any problems getting around. In fact just last week we had a very snowy morning. I drove up a hill that a new Volvo was having an enormous amount of trouble getting up. My tires didn't even slip. It's all in the tires :)
None. The $400 you'll spend on a set of four good winter tires mounted on steel wheels is probably less than your collision deductible. Plus, it saves wear on your summer tires.
Adding weight is a net-loss proposition: the increase in traction is more than offset by the difficulty in getting the extra mass moving, let alone getting it to change direction or stop. If you don't think that matters, start counting the number of SUVs in ditches after any snowfall.
Just to add another data point, I never had problems getting around in the Swiss Alps with my MX-5 and good snowtires. On a few rare days with half a metre of overnight snow, chains got me going when Audi Allroads were stuck.
My new Focus turbodiesel has boatloads of torque down low, so much that I often inadvertently spin the tires launching in the wet. Now that winter is here and I have a set of Michelin Alpins, it actually has less of a tendency to spin the wheels in the snow (or I've gotten a little more gentle with the throttle). Anyway, snow tires are quite incredible, especially compared to the hard, knobbly rubber rings we used to throw on the back axle of the family Buick...
6 SUVs last snowstorm, and a few sedans. On a group of roads ranging from local provincial highway to expressways.
One happened as I was slowing down for a traffic light in a blizzard. The guy was making a right turn in a Subaru Outback and had slowed down to a reasonable speed for the turn, and just didn't have the traction. His front wheels were turned to the right, and he just slid straight ahead and up onto the median. No injuries other than to his pride.
Actually, come to think of it, the SO committed a similar error in judgement coming home one night in the Rollerskate. He misjudged the necessary distance between the car and the driveway, and slid right past our house. He had to continue on until reaching a suitable turning point to double back.
I may be inexperienced but I still have my pride :lol:
Extra weight is for pickups and old musclecars (many of which have less than 40% of the weight over the drive wheels). The Miata is 50/50, and weight transfer from pointing uphill makes it even better- you don't need any ballast.
We had terrible ice storms in N Ohio while I was out of town last week, so my 10% slope drive is a sheet of ice- my Miata with four Bridgestone Blizzaks climbed it this evening without a bit of slip
I have not seen a google either. I searched everywhere.
Can't we all. Also for getting decent times in AutoX, I hope.
No, salt. If you get on a slippery slope, you can use the salt to thaw the ice under and in front of your car.
For added traction? Well, the weight on the rear wheels of your Miata is about 1200 lbf or so. If you feel another 30% of weight would be a difference you might notice, add 400 lbm of salt. It should give you a bit more traction, maybe noticeable.
But then, you would *need* more traction to get up that slippery slope since your car is now 400 lbm more massive. Also, it would be more difficult to stop this heavier car. But in St Louis this is less of a concern than in a mountainous area where not stopping in time might mean going off the side of a mountain. And if the brakes are successful in slowing the *front* of the car OK, the heavy *back* wants to come around, which might be awkward if the car next to you is a Ferrari with parts prices more than your insurance coverage. But why would someone who can afford such a Ferrari not spend winter in Florida?
An even better approach might be to use added weight *adaptively*. If the snow is about the ground clearance height of the Miata, adding 400 lbm or so of salt will allow the car bottom to contact the snow, and car adhesion to the road will be *very significantly* increased.
To achieve the same benefit if the snow cover is relatively thin, use 2000 lbm of salt and don't put it too far behind the rear axle.
I can only mimic what everyone else is saying - snow tires. The Miata is one of the most overlooked "snow" cars out there. With the right tires and assuming the snow isn't so deep I'm plowing it (takes about 8" or more) it will go anywhere I'm brave enough to try. Nothing like passing a all wheel drive van going up a steep hill in the little car and just having the driver of the van go absolutely nuts. The weight in the rear is a very temporary solution to starting traction, after that you become a Porsche 911 with the tendency to throw the butt of the car out in every turn. Get some steel wheels and your snow tires of choice and you'll be absolutely amazed at the capabilities of your little car.
Miata Magazine Does not recom. putting weight in the trunk...They said that it really messes up the steering and is unsafe..thay said to only use snows....
Im a ski patroller (by avocation) For the times I drive my miata to the slopes when it snows I use cable chains over regular street tires with ..... no problem. Only when the snow is scooped up into the front 'grill' is there any problem. Only limitation is the 45-50 mph max speed with the cable chains. Price for the SCC cable chains is ~$75.00. NAPA is a distributor and can get them in a few days. They are especially good for black ice when even snow tires arent worth a ......... . Interestingly, the europeans dont use snow tires and usually use cable chains for driving in snow.
Otherwise, I drive my Jeep for the axle deep stuff.
Who told You that Europeans don't use winter tires?? Actually in few countries there's a LAW forcing usage of winter tires! On some mountain roads You have to use chains or studded tires by law - maintenance services keeps roads white in order to preserve natural resources (no salt), and it makes the ride much smoother on chains.
Hmmm, most Czech, Polish, Slovenian and Slovak people that I know, use snow tires. Set of snow tires is most common "gratis" from a dealer, when You (and them) buy a new car.
Salt from road, with first rain, goes into soil sorrounding roads. There's hardly any plant/flora in mountain climate that can survive in NaCl solution.
For educated people definition of phrase "natural resources" include what's grows ON earth, not only what's inside. But I don't blame You. AFAIK You're a citizen of a nation, that sent thousends of soldiers in some crazy but Independent country on the other side of the world, just to keep control of "natural resources".
Israel is not in Europe. Few millions Americans write ,IL every day on envelopes. This mail doesn't go to Israel nor Europe.
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