Looking for the best winter tires you can put on your muscle car?
Not even sure what winter tires are for?
Whichever answer you seek, you are in the right place as we will give you the answer to both!
Today, we will discuss whether or not you should put winter tires on your muscle car. We will first give a general overview of the characteristics of tires, an overview of our top picks of winter tires you can choose from, and then our opinion on the best winter tire for your muscle car.
With that being said, let’s begin.
How do you shop for muscle car tires?
When shopping for tires, the first thing you should understand is tire codes.
So first off, what are tire codes?
Tire codes
Tire codes are molded into the sidewall of every tire and contain information regarding the specific dimensions of the tires including the width of the tire (in mm), the aspect ratio or ratio of height to width, the rim diameter, treadwear/traction and temperature grades, maximum inflation pressure, and load rating.
This makes shopping for a tire easy as all the info you need is embedded in the sides.
Understanding what dimensions your tires are is the first step when planning to shop for winter tires as you want to find tires that fit your car!
The next subject to discuss is tire treads.
Tire threads
The tread of a tire refers to the rubber circumference that makes contact with the ground.
Treads help maintain traction of your car to the ground and are gradually worn off through use.
There are different types of tread patterns designed to fulfill different purposes.
Tires that daily drivers use are designed to allow water to expel from underneath the tire to prevent hydroplaning.
There are off-road tires that allow the rubber to grab a better grip in mud or dirt, and there are also snow tires aka winter tires.
Winter tires are made out of different rubber and have a different tread pattern compared to regular street tires.
Winter tires are made out of softer rubber which allows the treads to compact snow, and toss it out as the tire rotates.
Winter tires allow faster braking in the snow, better performance on ice, and improved acceleration over snow.
If you are someone who lives in the northeast, or any other area that experiences heavy snow during the winter, you may want to outfit your muscle car with winter wheels.
The only downside of winter wheels is that they are more expensive with prices ranging anywhere over $600.
However, the cost can be mitigated if you swap out winter wheels for all-season wheels once winter is over, then they will last you for much longer.
Mounting winter wheels saves money over swapping tires and saves even more money if you prevent an accident that you would have otherwise been in if you didn’t have winter wheels.
Finally, we should discuss branding.
Name brand tires vs Generic brand tires
There are as many tire brands as they are manufacturers of car parts, perhaps even more.
You have the classics: Bridgestone, Good Year, Michelin, Firestone, etc. and then you have less well-known brands.
Branding can be a hit-or-miss, and you will get different results depending on which brand you choose.
Though the most well-known brands are the most popular and may be touted as the most reliable/durable/safest, this may not always be the case.
More often than not, a competitor with a less well-known brand is able to beat a big name through price, quality, aesthetics, or customer service.
In addition, the brand you use for your tires plays an important role in the final look of your muscle car.
But just remember, tires have one job and that is to keep your car connected to the ground.
Regardless of how tires look, you want something that will allow you to drive your car without any handling issues or accidents.
With that being said, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this article and go over our top two recommended winter tires for muscle cars.
Recommended winter tires for muscle cars
Bridgestone Blizzak Winter/Snow tire
The Blizzak is Bridgestone’s top of the line winter tire line-up.
(Check Bridgestone Blizzak Tires Prices On Amazon)
These tires are constructed in the most optimal shape to distribute pressure evenly across the entire surface area of the tire for enhanced performance driving through ice, or snow.
These tires also contain bite particles which are microscopic studs that grips on ice, snow, or slush which increases acceleration, braking, and overall handling. These studs act similarly to cleats on the shoes of soccer players.
The Blizzak’s are coated with a hydrophilic Multi-Cellular compound that also works to enhance traction on the road.
The Blizzak has been the best-selling winter tire for cars big and small and guarantees traction on snow and ice for maximal safety during the winter, and for driving security.
These will be perfect for a dodge challenger, or any other muscle car of similar caliber.
Nokain Nordman 7 Studded Winter Tire
If you want something bigger and badder for your dodge challenger, look no further, the Nordman 7 may be suitable for you.
(Check Nokain Winter Tire Prices On Amazon)
The Nordman 7s are made with studs which is a unique design feature that offers safe and comfortable winter driving.
These studs offer enhanced traction and handling in snow, ice, and slush that other winter tires don’t normally provide.
These tires are designed to remain flexible in lower temperatures to allow constant traction even in freezing temperatures.
The slush edge removes slush and snow from the tire’s contact patch to reduce the risk of hydroplaning and losing control of the car.
The Nordman 7 are Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified.
This is the perfect winter tire that can go along with your dodge challenger or whatever muscle car you drive.
Should you go with the Blizzak or Norman?
Both tires are perfectly acceptable winter tires for any muscle car enthusiast.
These two tires are virtually identical in almost every aspect.
However, where they differ is the fact that the Norman includes studs in the tire whereas the Blizzak does not.
This is reflected in the price point as the Norman is slightly more expensive per tire.
However, great quality comes at a higher price.
Whichever tire may be best for you depends on where you live and your typical snow conditions.
If you live in an area that experiences lots of snow, or blizzards, definitely go with the Norman.
If not, the Blizzard may still be more than enough.
Me, personally, because I live in the northeast, the Normans would be the ones to fit on my Mustang.
