[midwesterner]

Its been about 50-60 degrees in Chicago. I am thinking of putting my 19' summer wheels on. Too early?

FYI I recently moved to Chicago so I have little experience in this area....

[kyleb350]

My rule of thumb is that as soon as the daily low temps rise above the mid 30s, I can put my summers on

[ragingclue]

I was going to put mine on this weekend, but we've got highs in the 40's and rain coming next week so I think I might wait a week or two longer. At this point, it's just personal preference.

[BTM]

Probably get it done next week.

[UdubBadger]

April 1st or later... March still too unpredictable. Just enjoy running the soft rubber on a warm day like today, you'll easily get a few extra tenths of G's in the corners.

[anerbe]

i switch mine once the 7 day forecast averages 50+

warm weather running of your winter tires will accelerate wear on them. They are too soft.

I'll take the chance of an overnight frost - just take it real easy on the road the next morning.

I switched to my summer wheels/tires yesterday. They feel awesome!

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

April 1st or later... March still too unpredictable. Just enjoy running the soft rubber on a warm day like today, you'll easily get a few extra tenths of G's in the corners.

Sort of - you'll get the benefit of the softer rubber vs. a summer compound being hard in the cold, but your tread stiffness is much lower in the winter tire vs. summer tire so you lose a lot of response. Typically temps above 45, the winter compound becomes too soft, where the blocks roll over their corners, reducing the contact patch.

[3lusive]

Taking the winters off tomorrow

[Ricer X]

mine have been off for two weeks due to some special circumstances and I've been fine.

[MuttGrunt]

My vote is to wait another two weeks. Summer tires are generally rated for temps over 55 degrees, and the majority of the day the temperature is still below that.

Run summer tires in cold weather and you'll wear them down too fast.
Run winter tires in warm weather and you'll wear them down too fast.

A downside of what I otherwise consider the best place to be in the US: the MidWest

[Daya]

I was going to swap out my winters next week but I decided to pull the trigger on new wheels and the new Michelin Pilot Super Sports, which won't make it to the states until Mid-April so I am stuck on my winters for the next month.

No biggie, though, the new SS have been getting rave reviews in the dry and wet along with a 300 treadwear rating

[jaco]

took mine off saturday.

[joyride]

I don't really worry about the weather to much, but i give the cities some time to fill the pot holes so I don't mess up the summer wheels.

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by Daya

I was going to swap out my winters next week but I decided to pull the trigger on new wheels and the new Michelin Pilot Super Sports, which won't make it to the states until Mid-April so I am stuck on my winters for the next month.

No biggie, though, the new SS have been getting rave reviews in the dry and wet along with a 300 treadwear rating

Very curious how those new SS ride. Give us a review when you can!

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by MuttGrunt

Run summer tires in cold weather and you'll wear them down too fast.

Curious why you say this. Summer compounds are harder than winter compounds. Summers compounds turn into rocks during the winter, which makes them useless, yet they will not wear as fast. Only wear I expect you'll get is due to mileage.

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by anerbe

Curious why you say this. Summer compounds are harder than winter compounds. Summers compounds turn into rocks during the winter, which makes them useless, yet they will not wear as fast. Only wear I expect you'll get is due to mileage.

makes sense to me. you ever rub 2 rocks together? they grind each other down. probably the same thing here, the compound is so hard it just starts wearing away.

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

makes sense to me. you ever rub 2 rocks together? they grind each other down. probably the same thing here, the compound is so hard it just starts wearing away.

I get your reasoning.

I would just think a soft rock grinding against a hard rock would wear down faster than a hard rock against a hard rock.

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by anerbe

I get your reasoning.

I would just think a soft rock grinding against a hard rock would wear down faster than a hard rock against a hard rock.

soft = pliable so less friction

earth science wasn't my strong suit

[BTM]

You would turn this into a thread about being rock hard Seth :RTFM:

[UdubBadger]

Wait till al jumps in and explains the flexibily principles of being soft all the time.

[BTM]

Yea when I was explaining to him the extreme rigidity of the penis car he just kept muttering something about a slinky jerk

[MuttGrunt]

Originally Posted by anerbe

Curious why you say this. Summer compounds are harder than winter compounds. Summers compounds turn into rocks during the winter, which makes them useless, yet they will not wear as fast. Only wear I expect you'll get is due to mileage.

Very true, but when Winter tires are used in warm climates, they can be too soft. Imagine a tire made out of super soft compound like silly puddy: you can guess how that wouldn't hold up very well. Winter tires used in warmer weather are known to chunk off rubber.

BTW, Summer tires aren't just useless because they're too hard in cold weather, they wear down extra fast too. I drove back to Metro-Detroit from Fort Bragg N.C. for Thanksgiving and my tires went completely bald in that one trip (originally had about 50% tread left, and these were my stock Bridgestone RE050's).