Charliew Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Wondering how my subi will go in the snow it is 1991 loyale wagon, 4 door, 2wd 1.8 non turbo 5spd. I bought a set or cables for the front. I`m wondering how you think it will do/what would you do, as in Cables all the way around, just studded tires or what. I will soon be upgrading but we have snow coming right now. Thanks for reading. I guess that can be my intro as well. I`m charliew and I learned to drive in a brand new 1979 brat. So that gets me in the club assume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj7291993 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 My dad's got an 88 gl with fwd 5-speed. It does alright, but I would recommend studded tires, and some weight in the back, as these Subarus weigh NOTHING. Aside from that, as long as you know how to drive a stick in the snow, you should be fine. Just remember that weight thing when stopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 snow tires do wonders! at least a FWD subaru has equal length axles, and no torque steer when the wheels slip, like a lot of transverse engine cars. and just because its not a 4wd subaru doesnt mean that it wont do better than all front wheel drive cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1982gl4 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Get some good tire and you will be set! If I can make it through a Vermont winter with a Tercel (unpleasant FWD garbage) then you should have no problem with a FWD Subaru. I would have taken one any day over that Toyota..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I must be insane then.My daily driver is RWD with a welded rear diff and it does just fine in the snow.Then again I live in the mountains and FWD sucks on the steep hills around here. any 2wd car will be fine in the snow as long as you know how to drive it and have snow tires. Why would you put weight in the back of a FWD subaru wagon?Thats more weight working against your front tires.I don't even put weight in the back of my RWD vehicles. RWD cars: 1993 volvo 240- welded diff,1982 datsun 200sx-open for now.Both cars are manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennyt Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Snow tires, studless or studded, and you will be fine. Don't put weight in the back, that will only hurt traction going up hill and stability going downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC493 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 It's a Subaru, 2wd 4wd or AWD it'll do good. A couple weeks ago I took my 93 Loyale sedan 2wd in the snow it went right threw a foot of powder no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (unpleasant FWD garbage) then you should have no problem with a FWD Subaru. I would have taken one any day over that Toyota..... unequal axles. break traction, and the car walks to the side of the road. I experienced this in a toyota corolla, and a hyundai elantra. New snow tires almos corrected the torque walk in the elantra, but it was still present if i romped it enough. I was most impressed driving a saab 900 in the snow, it was stick straight and true like any subaru i have ever had, and it has equal length axles. subaru was a good design, based on fwd anyway, with all of the motor entirely forward of the front axles. subaru pioneered FWD at least in the american market, save for the duesenberg and the toronado/riviera, when most japanese vehicles were still rear drive at the time. Hence the U.S. Ski Team sponsorship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1982gl4 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 unequal axles. break traction, and the car walks to the side of the road. I experienced this in a toyota corolla, and a hyundai elantra. New snow tires almos corrected the torque walk in the elantra, but it was still present if i romped it enough.. It was more useless in the fact that it went through rod bearings and oil pumps like no one's business and for a free car it cost me a ton of $, but it went okay due to really good tires. The car was just bad, not it being FWD that part I didn't mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 torque steer can certainly be fun in a FWD. You should feel it in my old SHO Taurus:eek: Even with good sticky summer tires, it has enough balls to bring on the torque steer on dry pavement. I have a good set of winter tires for it too, and drive it on occasion. But I dont let the wife drive it.... 260hp, 8k rpm red-line, FWD, 3200lb sedan, and no ABS Uh... no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 +1 quality snows or studded tires are amazing. honestly a modestly driven FWD with high quality snows/studs is going to be not much different in most commuter situations than a 4WD with average all seasons. as always speed and care is important no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 honestly a modestly driven FWD with high quality snows/studs is going to be not much different in most commuter situations than a 4WD with average all seasons. Absolutely. Good tires is everything. And if you live in an area that gets a decent amount of snow, you really need to have at least two sets of rubber for it. Summer and winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 not all FWD vehicles are good in the snow.I had a 93 legacy 4d sedan that was Fail wheel drive.even with brand new snows it wouldn't make it up any the hills around here.The car understeered badly so you would loose all of your speed/momentum coming into a corner.Then the poor thing would struggle for every inch of forward movement out of the corners.Even in 5th gear it would overload the front tires and you would start slowing down.It was common to have the car going less than walking speed up a hill. I remember thinking that I never had any problems like that in my RWD's so I switched over and haven't looked back. however .*some* fwds are good in the snow.my first car was an 87 saab 900S and it would happily push snow up to the headlights on summer tires... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charliew Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Well the hill I live on is about the steepest around. I only had time to get a set of cables for the front. Headed up hill had to slow for corners and we did the fight each inch of the way. However we diddnt have to walk so it was better than nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81EA81 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I dont want to be the one to ask a common sence question, but what do you mean by torque steer on front wheel drives, Are you saying how the front end can pull side to side when your tires are spinning in deep snow. BTW we just got about 10" of snow plus high winds which equal nice snow drifts and my 86 Brat ripped it up everywhere, never had one problem at all, I never came close to getting stuck, It was a blast!. My friend in his 88 Toyota Corola got stuck left and right it was pretty funny when he got stuck in a little snow drift coming into his driveway and I was able to push through with ease. BUt when it comes to snow just remember to take it easy and make sure to slow down way before you have to stop because you might not be abel to and you could end up smashin your lovely Subaru:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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