2005 GT Snow tires

With winter fast approaching, I'd like to replace the stock tires on my 2005 Mustang GT with studded snow tires.

Has anyone installed snow tires on a 2005 GT? Any recommendations or things to look for when purchasing?

Thanks.

Reply to
Steve
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I recommend getting four, not two. Snows on the rear help you start, snows on the front help you turn; I've found both functions rather comforting.

I've had a full set of snows for my '98 GT from the winter of '98, and I change over twice a year; in my hilly, snowy, town -- north of Boston -- I consider snows essential. {If I had the $ and the garage space, I'd get a winter beater instead.}

Reply to
Bob Willard

I have a set of 4 snow tires I change over to around this time of year. Studded in the rear. Traction is great in the winter. You can also get the Blizzak studless snows. I heard they are good too. Fred

89 LX 5.0
Reply to
Fred V.

Even the best snow tires aren't going to make the GT very safe in the snow. You can try something like the Dunlop Wintersport M3 which I've found to be great in the snow, but that's still not going to do much for the mustang in slick driving conditions. My advise is to get yourself an AWD beater for the winter weather. 8-)

Reply to
Ritz

One more thing... weight. I add a couple of sand bags in the trunk over the driving wheels. Fred

89 LX 5.0
Reply to
Fred V.

Studded tires provide additional grip on ice only. No improvement at all on snow. And worse traction than a standard all season tire on wet and dry pavement. You don't say where you drive, but studded snows may be a bad idea. Get as skinny a tire as you can fit on the stock rims. Skinny tires cut through the snow for a better bite. Big fat toboggan tires just slide across the top. When I lived in upstate NY, I used Kelly Tires for snows. They are well built and reasonably priced. They seemed to work excellent through the winter, never had a traction problem in my '88 T-Bird.

Reply to
.boB

I'm not sure that's really necessary, Steve. You're up around Franconia? Expecting a lot of snow this year?

I've driven Mustangs almost my entire adult life (that's a long time), and have never used snows. I like to put fresh tires on the car in late autumn, so I've got maximum tread for the winter, and it's worked out just fine.

Just plan your trips to use the main thoroughfares as much as possible, and avoid those snow-covered tertiary roads. Take it nice and easy and you'll do fine. (Driving in snow can actually be fun.)

dwight (Of course, here in West Chester I'm hoping that they still plow the roads when it snows... )

Reply to
dwight

Thanks Bob.

SE PA. I did a little shopping, and can't find anyone who sells studded winter tires. Seems they're all going the "studless" way, so it might not be an option in this size anyway.

Reply to
Steve

Well, Dwight, ya never know how much snow we'll get up here. (Although you've sort of freaked me out on this location thing!)

I actually work down near your way, so tertiary roads are the norm, since the rest are pretty much gridlocked all the time - even when it's sunny.

Reply to
Steve

Thanks Fred. I used to remember all this stuff when it was the norm ... weights, bag of cat litter, shovel, etc. Oh well. :o)

Reply to
Steve

Sorry, nasty habit. Your IP address is showing, which pretty much narrows down your location. (My own clearly shows West Chester.) When people ask about winter driving, I like to know where they live. Makes a big difference.

It's the price we pay. Given enough warning, the back roads are usually pretty well cleared, too, so don't worry overmuch about it. I've driven my '93 5.0 through 12 winters now, and it's only had to sit a total of four days. Yes, I've had to sit in nonmoving traffic on occasion, just to stay on a well-paved path, but the car does well in a light snow. Plan ahead, and try never to have to stop on an uphill stretch!

Ironically, the most trouble I've been in happened on a back road with only about 1/2" of wet snow. I had zero traction, and every movement slid my car closer to the edge of the road and a 5-foot dropoff. But within a half hour, a couple of trash-truck snowplows came my way and I was able to maneuver into a freshly plowed roadway. Half an inch... Give me 6 inches of powder any day.

dwight

Reply to
dwight

Thanks Dwight.

I grew up in the mountains of NE/North Central PA, so I learned to drive in snow with rear wheel drive right away. But that was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

November issue of Consumer Reports has article about tires. Studded tires are not as good on ice as tires without studs if the tires are designed to perform well on ice. Manufacturers put millions of tiny volcanic glass particles in the tire tread which works well on ice.

Reply to
westwindwood2003

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