1LT RS and Snow

[Grape Ape]

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

I'd like to put a vote against all seasons, get some proper winter tires.

All season tires are a compromise for areas where you get very little snow, very rarely and don't want to bother with a second set. If you are going to bother, go all out.

[Grape Ape]

Originally Posted by chevy dude

I ordered my Camaro with a Automatic,which would be better for winter driving.I do believe the Auto has "traction control",and that electronically controls engine rpm and wheel speed,kinda like ABS for your rear wheels.

I disagree, a stick has a few advantages in snow & ice:

It doesn't push. I've driven tow trucks (Ford and Chevy) that would lockup the front tires while the rear tires were still pushing the truck forward (slowly, even up hill, on freshly compacted snow). That was 10 years ago and I'm sure the Camaro will do better, but I doubt it is as good as shifting into neutral (which got pretty old in the auto wreckers).

You can compression brake more smoothly which gives you your best balance of braking and steering.

I usually leave my Bronco in 2-Hi until their is 5-6 inches of power or slush when 4-Hi steers a little better. If you have a light touch you shouldn't have any trouble getting started, and if you do it is easier to rock out with a stick.

[Beau Tie]

Originally Posted by westvanGT

Not sure how its going to work with Camaro, but when I got my mustang there were always people selling there stock rims after they
picked up a set of aftermarket rims. I picked up a set of rims off of a GT and mounted snows on them so I can just switch them over myself...
granted here in vancouver we don't even get that much snow, but I still
think its worth it to save your other set of rims from the road salt and grime...

Good call. Used LT1 and LS wheels/tires for sale. Never thought of that.

Originally Posted by chevy dude

I too was concerned about this issue(I live in the metro Detroit area).I have a 1LT/RS Camaro on order.Originally i was gonna order the 6-speed manual,but my Camaro will also be a daily driver,and a manual does not work well in the snow on a RWD vehicle.
I ordered my Camaro with a Automatic,which would be better for winter driving.I do believe the Auto has "traction control",and that electronically controls engine rpm and wheel speed,kinda like ABS for your rear wheels.

The manual has ABS, Stabilitrac and Traction Control as well.

Originally Posted by 1camaro70

go to Tirerack.com this fall and order a set of four mounted snow tires, they let you pick rims and choice of tires, my Infiniti G35 Coupe (rear wheel Drive) does fine in Pennsylvania.

Noted. Thank you. That is a good option as well. Great great info.

Originally Posted by Grape Ape

All season tires are a compromise for areas where you get very little snow, very rarely and don't want to bother with a second set. If you are going to bother, go all out.

So get snow tires?

Originally Posted by Number 3

Hope that helps. Others probably have better ideas about winter tires, but if you want to keep the TPM, you need to keep the wheel on the car. The TPMs may or may not be interchangeable, but if you were changing the TPM you would

riginally Posted by Beau Tie My question to you all is, snow. I am ordering the 1LT with the RS package, and it will have to tackle the winter here in Wisonsin (unfortunately, the wife approved the car purchase, but not a beater purchase). So it is what it is.

What is my best option?

1. Are there all season tires available for me to swap out on the 20 inch wheels each season that I can buy? I could take my car to a local shop and have them take off the summer tires and put on the all season tires for the winter.

Yes, all of the CTF cars with the 20" wheels were delivered with Snow and Ice tires. Mrs. Number 3s SS was just swapped back to the summer Pirellis in April

2. Could I buy the generic LS rally wheels and all season tires when I order my car, and just store them and then I could swap them out in my garage when I need them?

You could probably buy them from the dealer, but not sure. I'd just swap the rubber, but I can understand the desire to just change tires, which is easier to do yourself. On and SS this might be a problem due to the larger brakes, on an LT, you should be ok.

3. Are there any other cheaper alternatives?

As I said, for me I'd just swap the rubber seasonally. I would price out a cheaper aluminum aftermarket wheel to compare to the dealer price for the steel rally wheels, center cap and trim rings. You might find you can get a nice aluminium wheel for close to that price. Not sure though about prices. Or you could just run steelies with no trim. But you would have to change out the TPM to do this.

I thought I read on a post here that someone had no issues driving their camaro in the snow, but I don't know if they had the RS or SS package with the summer tires, or if they had a standard LS/1LT.

We drove Number 3 all winter with the stock all seasons and no problems. The ice and snow on the SS did pretty well also, but only drove it in the snow a few times.

And will any of the above changes screw up the speedo, the tire pressure monitors, etc?

If you change wheels keeping your all seaons on, you will lose your tire pressure monitor. That is why changing the rubber would be a better choice. As far as speedo, you'd have to check the rolling radius for the 20 vs. 18. Probably close though. But still that is why I'd just change the rubber out twice a year.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Number 3. What do you mean by CTF and they CAME WITH snow and Ice tires?

I am seeing lots of options here. So, finding 20" snow tires for existing rims, or buying some used all season Camaro rims/tires later this fall seems to be a common idea.

[bluch]

CTF is "Captured Test Fleet". Some GM employees get to drive Camaros before production officially started. For short and long term testing.

[Beau Tie]

ohhh...good to know. Thanks! So they probably were given "testing" tires and wheels as well then.

[Zabo]

IMO, being a Lake Effect Michigander, I'd say just go with a used set of 4 1LT Bavarian 18s with snow tires. Probably the easier alternative to the charliefox that are the steelies. I'm most likely going to do this on my Camaro once I purchase it (If I'm still stuck in Kalamazoo by then, that is).

Mind you this will end up the winter beater in 5-7 years (ZOMGWTFBBQ) so I've got no qualms about the grime. I'm going to be SS/Z28 shopping by then anyway.

[Teleplayer]

I have a set of wheels with winter tires for my Bonneville. Switching the wheels twice a year is a hassle, but changing the rubber is insanity.


Getting the 4 tires to a shop would be a pain, they won't fit in the Camaro.
If you change the rubber you have to pay for mounting and balancing each time, as well as put your rims to the mercy of the kid running the tire machine. Bad idea.

[SleepWarz]

Originally Posted by Teleplayer

I have a set of wheels with winter tires for my Bonneville. Switching the wheels twice a year is a hassle, but changing the rubber is insanity.


Getting the 4 tires to a shop would be a pain, they won't fit in the Camaro.
If you change the rubber you have to pay for mounting and balancing each time, as well as put your rims to the mercy of the kid running the tire machine. Bad idea.

Unless you have a good tire guy that you've been going to for years. =)

My plan is to get a separate set of rims for the snow tires. Or park it during the snow.

[chevy dude]

Read my post here...http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23264

I'm not going with snow tires,rather all-season tiresThat coupled with traction control,I should be alright?

[joepitt]

I'm 55 and grew up driving muscle and other rear wheel drive cars in Colorado. It is MUCH different then front wheel. If you have to drive get 4, not 2, snow tires. The rear ones make you go, but without the front snows you may not be able to stear properly. Oh yeah, keep you foot VERY light on the gas. If possible get a front wheel drive beater to drive in snow and ice.