 Cooper Weathermaster ST. Click image to enlarge |
By Michael Clark
We all experience tests in life, with wide variances in their degree of difficulty. I don’t have the doctorate to prove it, though I firmly believe that the latest skins on the MX-minus 5 snow tire tester were subjected to stressors akin to a Harvard entrance exam. Much like I experienced in Grade 12 math class.
It all started with another visit to the Main Street Sturgeon Tire location in Winnipeg. This time out, Ed Thibedeau and his crew would be installing a set of Cooper Weather-Master S/T 2’s. These skins would have considerable bite, thanks to two rows of metal studs on each tire.
You don’t tend to hear much about the grind of studs on city streets these days. “They’re only recommended if you do a lot of city driving,” said Thibedeau. They are still legal in Manitoba, with fitment allowed from the end of October straight through till April 30th. They are not the friend of city infrastructure. Ice-gripping rubber compounds probably sound a lot more pleasing to the council chamber than increased resurfacing budgets. Most private parkades won’t even let you in if you’re wearing them.
When you think about city streets, the studs make perfect sense. The UV rays can quickly scrub a highway clean, but concrete shadows and tree cover prolong the melting process. Most drivers are smart enough to search outside the ruts for stopping traction at intersections. Try as they might, there are still numerous instances where all bets are off, such as a water main break.
The ST-2’s use a proprietary tri-polymer blend tread compound, designed to provide the flexibility needed for winter use, as well as dry and wet traction. The tread channels are thick for easy snow toss, with slightly-staggered tread block placement for a case of the Grabbies. The stud attachment holes have been redesigned for better retention; you won’t make any friends by sending them hurtling into the windscreen of the car behind you. Due to fitment availability, the MX-5 wore 225/45R17’s on the factory alloys; two sizes up in height. It does throw the speedometer out about 5 km/h, with the trade-off being an extra smidge of ground clearance. Little did I know how soon I would be needing it.
It’s a good thing I don’t have to shout when I type about studded tires; driving with them on bare pavement in a soft-topped car will remind you of the incessant howl of a burnt-out wheel bearing. The hum is a little easier to handle after a few days, with the highway speed pitch strangely tolerable. On ice, the studs have noticeable grip qualities, especially under braking conditions. You’ll hear them gnashing at the ice sheet, in search of the concrete below. What you don’t hear is the chunka-thunka of the ABS being engaged.
Cornering was another matter entirely. When pushed, the studs were easily overwhelmed, more so than any rubber-only skins to date. As I wrestled through the Dorks of Hazzard oversteer, I remembered Thibedeau’s words; “I have them on my truck,” said the Kenobi-esque vision. Nice light sabre, Ed. A truck. Trucks are heavy. MX-5’s are 1134 kilograms; a smidge more than a metric ton. The outward placement of the wheels means minimal overhangs, which translates into minimal downforce on the studs. As you may recall, I’ve decided against any added trunk weight for evaluation purposes. The MX-5 was effectively wearing skates. My Maple Leafs jersey didn’t seem to help.
The advantage to the youthful age of the tires and studs were that the studs could be removed with minimal difficulty. Once out, the Weather-Masters grew new grip, with massive throttle dollops required to recreate the 45-degree angle that I had called driving during Stud Week. It’s important to point out that studs can only be installed on new tires. Once removed, they can’t be re-inserted.
It was only a matter of time until a large dump of the White and the Frosty would be descending on these parts. Luckily, I was in the thick of it. The recent 30-odd centimetres of accumulation hit while I was visiting in the Cooks Creek area, north of Winnipeg. Apparently, looking out the window wasn’t high on the agenda.
By the time I hit Highway 44 West, the familiar two-lane footprint was down to a pair of serpentine ruts. The ST-2’s chunky tread blocks were just the thing to claw my way to Lockport. The handling was a little Skidoo-ish, thanks to a large aerodynamic plate that protects the front suspension. The plate also keeps snow from piling into the engine compartment, which can freeze up the most hardy of mills, even snapping off fan belts, a lesson learned with Floyd, my long-dead ‘65 Valiant. The HID lamps work exceptionally well at peering through the flurries. A little too well; I’m up to 27 turn-off-your-highbeams flashes from motorists who haven’t kept up on engineering trends.
As snow tire pricing goes, the ST-2’s are more of a light door dimple to the pocketbook than a full-out wallet dent. Priced at $150.24 each in Winnipeg (your price may vary.), plus installation and studding, the ST-2’s prove that a winter tire upgrade is within the reach of most consumers. As for the question of stud or not to stud, one can always try them first to discern any benefit. Keep the evaluation period brief, and if they are to be removed, remember that it is a hands-on process that can easily take up to two hours in a busy shop. A box of donuts wouldn’t hurt.
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