4 snow tires

Front wheel drive vehicles just track a lot better with snows all around instead of just on the front. What I mean is the rear part of the vehicle is more likely to follow the front part. Without snow tires the rear end is more likely to break free. Make no mistake, it can still break free with the snow tires on. It's just less likely.

 

I've driven cars with very good winter tires on the front, and std tires on the rear. You go around a corner on any slippery road, and the rear end breaks free and you are now in a spin.
More to winter driving than just getting thru the snow. Spinning out will happen definitely if all four tires do not have approximately the same traction. And they don't, with good winters on the front and all season on the back.

 

On older cars without ABS, VSC, etc., any great differences in traction during hard panic braking will tend to cause the tires with the best grip to become the rear tires, regardless of where they are mounted on the car. Most drivers do very poorly when the end they want to be the front, suddenly tries to become the rear.

Emergency handling is much more predictable when all the tires have similar grip.

 

You need 4 tires. Don't use different tires with different grip characteristics, leading to different brake front-to-rear balance, and ultimately, poorer braking performance.

 

I also agree with the above replies. Did it firsthand with my CRX some years ago. And that wasn't anything as severe as winter tires vs. normal, it was just putting the worn out ones on the rear. Was heading down the highway at about 70mph in some slushy ruts, felt the rear a bit loose, and then WOOSH I was spinning through the median. AMAZINGLY didn't hit anything, and with the good tires on the front it pulled itself out. NOT something I would recommend.

If you're dead set on not buying more than two snow tires, put them on the rear. Won't help you get anywhere, but will be more likely to keep you on the road. Or else put them on the front and never drive more than 5mph...

Car and Driver did a test of it once. It took a LOT of practice before they could get at all used to the quick oversteer... And that was on a skidpad, not roads...

Levi

 

The Rubber Association of Canada, and the Government of Canada, produced this series of videos that outline why its dangerous to have only 2 winter tires

Be Tire Smart – Play Your P.A.R.T. - Videos

Some very dramatic spinouts

 

wow.. very interesting...I'm glad I have four winter tires. Thanks for the link jayman

 

Now you know why I run these factory studded tires on all 4 wheels!







Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 SUV

At the very least, I can get out of the way when some idiot is sliding towards me. Not sure why folks think 4x4's can have traction on ice, with bald tires