Miata Mailing List: October 1995, Message #19
sponsored by



     


   From: dread@acs.bu.edu (Andrew P. Miller)
Subject: Re: Winter driving
   Date: Sun, 1 Oct 1995 18:34:32 -0400

At 4:02 PM 10/1/95, Richard Dekker wrote:
>On Sun, 1 Oct 1995, Michael Garozzo wrote:
>
>>   The practice of adding trunk weight has been around for several years
>> and has been recommended in Miata Mag. letters.  I do not recall ever
>> seeing a negative regarding this on the net.  Actually just the opposite
>> has been said.  With such a light rear end additional weight assists
>> traction.  Adding weight in front of the rear axel would mean either
>> carrying a passenger or sand in the passenger seat.  A possiblity.
>> I would add that reducing tire pressure has also been mentioned as
>> increasing traction in snow conditions.
-------------------snip-----------------------------snip---------------
>> On Sat, 30 Sep 1995, Richard Dekker wrote:
>>
>> > Do not put sand bags in your trunk!  This is a very dangerous habit to
>> > get into.

-------------------snip-----------------------------snip---------------
and:

>I agree with you on the lower tire pressure.  When I'm on the lake
>competing I deflate the tires down to about 20psi.  This helps them
>envelope any sufrace changes and maintain grip.  This is obviously too
>low for the street, but 26psi whould be ok as long as you're not piling
>on the highway miles.

If I remember correctly, the word "pendulum" was used in the mag and in
some posts on the list in describing the effect of sandbagging a Miata.
There is little question that the best thing you can do is to get great
snow tires. As for the appropriate tire pressure, I've heard both sides.
Lower pressure gets you a wider footprint (which in some cases = better
traction). However, with the last several pairs of snow tires I've
purchased, the tire salesman has always recommended the narrower tires
(apparently they are less likely to "float" and will cut through the snow
better). I don't know... they seem to work well for me through the Boston
winters. I used to have a CJ-5 that had obscenely wide tires that were
horrible in snow and mud. I switched to stock width Yokohamas and it was
like I was Traction King!

Just a thought...
-Andrew (Traction King)

==================================================
== dread@acs.bu.edu  ==    Andrew P. Miller     ==
==================================================
== Boston University == Department of Sociology ==
==================================================
==  "Wake up and live !" - Robert Nesta Marley  ==
==================================================