Prepping new mustang GT for winter

[dave95]

Greetings. I hail from Burlington MA. I think 18x8 OEM wheels are about as small and cheap as you can fit for snow tires without drama. A success pic after driving from Boston to Tremblant Canada in a snow storm to give you some encouragement:

In the past I dailied a lowered V6 Mustang. I was smashing snow and bottoming out pretty often. I would recommend against it for normal people. Vid example:

judging by your video you seemed to have pretty good control of getting the car around the turns even with it wanting to kick out so that’s encouraging for sure, Is the car in this video lowered at all?

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[Dana Pants]

judging by your video you seemed to have pretty good control of getting the car around the turns even with it wanting to kick out so that’s encouraging for sure, Is the car in this video lowered at all?

I have extensive experience not caring if I hit things or spin out. It’s helpful in the snow.

Car in the video was lowered ~1 inch. I took this pic as I walked into the house:

 

[dave95]

I have extensive experience not caring if I hit things or spin out. It’s helpful in the snow.

Car in the video was lowered ~1 inch. I took this pic as I walked into the house:

Awesome thanks for sharing I appreciate it , I think I’ll keep mine stock height for the first winter and see how well i do as a driver in the snow in rear wheel drive . I’m used to all wheel drives like wrx’s mostly

 

[geep81]

I live in Cleveland and have daily driven a GT 6speed for 2 seasons now. I will be upgrading to X-Ice winter tires this season, am tired of struggling/barely making it/white knuckling as much as I've had to.

It's doable on the all-seasons, but I won't be doing that anymore.

 

[dave95]

I live in Cleveland and have daily driven a GT 6speed for 2 seasons now. I will be upgrading to X-Ice winter tires this season, am tired of struggling/barely making it/white knuckling as much as I've had to.

It's doable on the all-seasons, but I won't be doing that anymore.

Thanks and yeah I’m going to get winter tires for it this season I don’t want to take the risk of crashing the thing haha

 

[dave95]

I live in Cleveland and have daily driven a GT 6speed for 2 seasons now. I will be upgrading to X-Ice winter tires this season, am tired of struggling/barely making it/white knuckling as much as I've had to.

It's doable on the all-seasons, but I won't be doing that anymore.

forgot to ask, does your car have lowering springs by any chance, was wondering how much they effect winter driving

 

[geep81]

forgot to ask, does your car have lowering springs by any chance, was wondering how much they effect winter driving

No but I do plan on putting them on next spring. The Ford Performance ones, not a huge drop.

I have had no issues at stock height with snow buildup at all.

 

[Dana Pants]

Snow buildup is not a risk. Getting the car bottom high centered on snow or having to use the front bumper as a plow are the risks. Stock clearance is ~5 inches, ~4 inches is 20% harder. I recommend Nokian studded tires and a shovel in the trunk to give the highest chances of success.

 

[K4fxd]

Studded tires are illegal in lots of places. They tear the road up.

 

[Grimmer]

+1 on 18" wheels being the minimum size.

I have 18" wheels with Blizzak's on them for winter driving. There is almost zero clearance between the wheel and the calipers with the 18" wheels mounted.

The Blizzak's are taller, skinnier and of course softer than my normal tires... It feels like driving on marshmallows.

 

[Bobn57]

I ran my 06GT in the snow from new to around 2016. After that I got tired of changing rims and tires every season and kept it off the road in winter. I bought the best snow tires for all four corners and the cheapest rims from tire rack. The snows were dedicated snow tires, not all season tires. I also put (4) 50lb bags of rock salt in trunk as close to tires/axel. Thing was a beast in the snow. Fortunately I can keep the new GT/CS off the roads in winter.

 

[dave95]

+1 on 18" wheels being the minimum size.

I have 18" wheels with Blizzak's on them for winter driving. There is almost zero clearance between the wheel and the calipers with the 18" wheels mounted.

The Blizzak's are taller, skinnier and of course softer than my normal tires... It feels like driving on marshmallows.

i was thinking of going with blizzak's , what size do you run like a 235 or so?

 

[dave95]

Snow buildup is not a risk. Getting the car bottom high centered on snow or having to use the front bumper as a plow are the risks. Stock clearance is ~5 inches, ~4 inches is 20% harder. I recommend Nokian studded tires and a shovel in the trunk to give the highest chances of success.

i figured lowering it would make packing snow into the fender lining a big issue, but your saying its really more of an issue of clearance which i guess is the usual complication of lowering any car

 

[Grimmer]

i was thinking of going with blizzak's , what size do you run like a 235 or so?

235/50R-18

It was worth it for me to get extra wheels so I just have to swap them out without remounting them. Found the cheapest ones that looked kind of like the factory ones.

 

[Basspro302]

nokian hakkapeliitta r3 is the best winter tire I've ran. I have had blizzaks and x-ice.

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