Can snow tires cause T/C issues?

Dark_Horse · Dec 1, 2010

Had my first ever pair of snow tires installed on 976 just yesterday, a pair of 245/40/17 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22s. Now, I've never had much experience with winter tires before, but I'm getting a traction control light at or around 70mph, intermittently. Also seems to happen when I'm trying to merge during medium to hard acceleration on flyover ramps. I've never noticed any wheelspin like I have before with summer high performance tires so I'm thinking this could be related to just the tread pattern on these tires. As I recall I've never had t/c issues on the highway like this.

Here's a pic just to give everybody an idea:

So whats everyone's experience with winter tires? Could I just be getting a small amount of wheelspin with these grabby tires or could this be a traction control/computer issue? Any insight appreciated!

40oz · Dec 1, 2010

snow tires aren't really very grabby on dry pavement. They wear quickly in warmer temps because they are a very soft compound but unlike a DOT slick, are not designed for warm temps and dry pavement.

I'm thinking you are breaking loose. Have you ever run summer tires in winter? You can break them loose in 2nd at will on dry pavement below ~35-40F. An all-season will have a wider range of dry pavement traction, it just gives it up to snow tires on snow and ice and to summer tires in warm temps on dry pavement.

I don't know what's happening when you are getting the light at 70mph, so it might be something else. Just be aware that snow tires are not "summer tires for winter," they just rock on snow and ice.

Dark_Horse · Dec 2, 2010

40oz said:
snow tires aren't really very grabby on dry pavement. They wear quickly in warmer temps because they are a very soft compound but unlike a DOT slick, are not designed for warm temps and dry pavement.

I don't know what's happening when you are getting the light at 70mph, so it might be something else. Just be aware that snow tires are not "summer tires for winter," they just rock on snow and ice.

I bet you're right - they haven't really been run in the correct temperature range yet. Here in MO the highs have been in the 40/50s during the day, and 20s at night, and we haven't had any winter storms or lengthy participation yet. Snow is in the forcast for next week that's why I just went ahead and installed them early.

It's just strange that my t/c will kick on in 5th gear while at a consistant 60-75mph range. I wonder how small of wheel spin it takes for the t/c to come on. If its a very small amount, it could be that the tread spacing is causing the loss of traction and the t/c to kick on.

I'm thinking you are breaking loose. Have you ever run summer tires in winter? You can break them loose in 2nd at will on dry pavement below ~35-40F. An all-season will have a wider range of dry pavement traction, it just gives it up to snow tires on snow and ice and to summer tires in warm temps on dry pavement.

I did run summer high performance in the winter last year, and yeah, on the colder days it was easy to get a bit of wheelspin. They worked good up until the first 3"+ of snow, couldn't get any bite out of those v-grooves lol

40oz · Dec 2, 2010

AFAIK, TC kicks in when there is a discrepancy between the left and right tire speeds. I believe it was generally engineered to prevent mishaps at freeway speeds moreso than keep you from doing donuts or burnouts, so it might kick in if one tire goes over loose gravel/salt with a non-sticky tire. IOW, it's more useful and *sensitive* at highway speeds, to keep you in your lane.

Either way, take pictures of your car in snow. I live in Minnesota and drive mine all winter on all-seasons, but keep telling myself I'm going to buy snow tires "one day."

Snow tires are more fun in inclement weather because you have far more control. You are going to be able to overpower the tires whenever, but it does give you unnatural traction on snow/ice.

bhuff30 · Dec 2, 2010

You might want to double check the tire pressures all around. Maybe a low tire is tripping the sensor.

You said pair, so I assume this is on the rear only? What size tires do you have on the front? a 245-40-17 is slightly shorter than stock, so that might be enough difference too.

Dark_Horse · Dec 2, 2010

bhuff30 said:
You might want to double check the tire pressures all around. Maybe a low tire is tripping the sensor.

You said pair, so I assume this is on the rear only? What size tires do you have on the front? a 245-40-17 is slightly shorter than stock, so that might be enough difference too.

Yah I only had the pair installed on the rear, I have my summer high performance in the front - LingLong L688 245/45/17 (cheap ebay SHP tire). I know its beneficial to get them in the front also, but I opted just to install on the rears.

The tech doing the install should have installed them with the correct pressure, but I will double check to make sure.

40oz said:
Either way, take pictures of your car in snow. I live in Minnesota and drive mine all winter on all-seasons, but keep telling myself I'm going to buy snow tires "one day."

Snow tires are more fun in inclement weather because you have far more control. You are going to be able to overpower the tires whenever, but it does give you unnatural traction on snow/ice.

I will do that. I've heard from many people that the Blizzaks outperform many other snow tires and can get out of just about anything. I took a few shots of 976 when a massive ice storm rolled through a couple of years ago. At the time I had my old setup - Nexen N3000s, stock size on all fours - and they actually did pretty decent. The cheap LingLongs that I had on it didn't do anything for me last winter. Anyways, 976 carted me around town and to work while the power was out for almost a week.

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Flghtmstr1 · Dec 3, 2010

Nice photos. I love winter; the Mustang's a blast in the snow with Blizzaks.

silver4.6 · Dec 3, 2010

TC works by measuring the rotational differences between the front and rear wheels, usually allowing a 10% slip before activating. Your tires have different diameters from front to rear, that's what's activating your TC. Look at total diameters or revolutions per mile on the tires.

TRUE BLUE 2294 · Dec 3, 2010

One more thing can be the ABS sensor...I was told its part of the T/C system. There may be dirt on it causing it to kick in when you are travailing at a higher speed.

Maxpowers · Dec 3, 2010

Dark_Horse said:
It's just strange that my t/c will kick on in 5th gear while at a consistant 60-75mph range. I wonder how small of wheel spin it takes for the t/c to come on. If its a very small amount, it could be that the tread spacing is causing the loss of traction and the t/c to kick on.l

The highest I've had mine turn on it shifting into fourth with low tire tread and a small amount of stones on the road. However, it's obviously not your wheels spinning if you are constant in 5th gear and dry conditions.

Does it stay on above 75mph?

Dark_Horse · Dec 3, 2010

silver4.6 said:
TC works by measuring the rotational differences between the front and rear wheels, usually allowing a 10% slip before activating. Your tires have different diameters from front to rear, that's what's activating your TC. Look at total diameters or revolutions per mile on the tires.

Ah yes this must be it! The 5mm difference in the tire treadwall has the computer thinking its wheelspin, thanks for the info silver4.6

I've just been turning the t/c off to get places

Can snow tires cause T/C issues?

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