WINTER TYRES

[cactikid]

Ice Driving in 911 Rally Cars - /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS - YouTube

learn when to give up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJVF1VGUkFA

[Canker_Canison]

Nooooooooooooooooooo, all bollacks as I said snow, ice nothing can grip roads its all illusions, if we were to talk about soft tyres Michelin tyres have been around for over 50 years, remember fire, water, and cold has its limitation.

You're wrong.

As previously mentioned, the compound in the winter tyres is different to standard tyres. At low temp (usually below 5C) standard tyres harden slightly, this has an effect similar to changing the rubber to plastic. Not good for grip in any conditions.

Winter tyre compounds stay softer at low temps, so continue to grip in bad conditions. Grip on ice is still better than on standard tyres, how much grip depends on your car, speed & driving style.

Try going for a walk in icy conditions. First use shoes with a cheap smooth plastic type rubber sole, then do it again in snow boots with a good rubber sole.

Yes, spikes help. But how often do you drive on untreated roads? Since your speed is very limited when using chains or spikes on treated roads.

Hell, next you'll be telling us there's no difference between budget tyres & Toyo track tyres.

[benny/9]

what about countries where they have real winter weather Russia/Sweden/Alaska where winter usual needs chains fitted on wheels not like the uk where 1/2" of slush stops the country. winter driving is a art, not the usual aggressive crap we see on the roads, idiots here have far less control in first class summer weather and cause far more accidents than any winter road conditions. where bad weather is more of a problem than it is in the uk. the law should give stronger penalties if bad driving is the cause of skidding and injury to other road users, like a five year ban

[onanmai]

I put winter tyres on my Vectra between October and March every year and they do make a difference. I live on hill, its not very steep but its enough to stop me getting up it when it snows, it also doesn't help that people in Britain don't know how to drive in the snow so even when i do manage to get a run up i'm usually stopped in my tracks by some knob who thinks that if you rev the crap out of the car that it will go up the hill.

A few years ago when we had quite bad snow i decided that since my front tyres were getting a bit low on tread to replace them with some cheapo Hoo Flung dung winter tyres from China. I purchased a pair of Goodride SW-602 tyres to go on the front and the difference it made to grip on both compacted and loose snow was better when compared them to the Avon summer tyres that were on the car before. They don't make much difference to grip on black ice but on Snow they do help. I can get up the hill to my house quite easily now, even if i have to stop i can usually get it going again which is something that didn't happen with the Avon summer tyres.

Just remember that most Insurance companies class fitting winter tyres as a modification so you need to let them know as it may invalidate your insurance if you are involved in an accident. Most just note it down and make no change to your premium, other may increase your premium.

[super jumbe]

Just remember that most Insurance companies class fitting winter tyres as a modification so you need to let them know as it may invalidate your insurance if you are involved in an accident. Most just note it down and make no change to your premium, other may increase your premium.

You would think it may benefit the insurance company for having less accident on the snow for having snow tyres but its not been 100% proven, only been around few years why they should not rise the premium for some thing not 100% tested, another point I would say is that you must be very expert to drive a car on the snow even if you are driving on chain if you accelerate fast you may end up hitting a park car.

[Canker_Canison]

If you have reduced the chances of crashing in winter, the insurance companies have to find other ways to increase your premium.

I love driving in snow. Never used winter tyres, not yet.

For many many years I've been driving big engined rear wheel drive auto's. Winter is just so much fun.

There's a carpark where the boy racers like to use the outer area for handbrake turns. It really upsets them when a rear wheeled car goes past sideways spraying them with snow.

Winter driving involves understanding your car, it's grip levels & how it responds when pushed to the limits of that grip. Front wheeled cars understeer & wash out on corners, rear wheeled cars oversteer & kick the back end out. I can take my rear drive car around corners & roundabouts faster than when I'm in a front wheel drive car in bad weather. It is easier to correct a slide in a rear wheel drive car while maintaining speed & control.
This is where most of the population get everything wrong. They think that putting winter tyres on will save them. They only work to a given limit. Even some of my friends don't understand how tyres work & that the maximum grip is shared between straight, cornering & lateral forces.
If you're carrying to much speed into a corner, you will be needing a change of underwear. It doesn't matter how good the tyres are, speed and momentum can always pass the grip levels.

On trying to get up inclines in the snow... There's a great challenging road just outside of my local area. I try to get up there when we get the first covering of snow.
Slow incline to a cattle grid, the gradient increases to a 90 degree left turn before leveling off slightly. Then there's another 1:4 rise.
Coming down is a lot scarier than going up. I don't always make it to the top. But the only vehicles that pass my attempt are four wheel drive off roaders.
The most annoying time was when I had a good run up & got my momentum right... then a volvo stopped in front of me & tried to crawl up in first gear. It was a lost cause. I had to J turn on a single laned road using the weight of the engine to swing the front around.

[ifred]

My method to increase grip by 100% .....stay at home, put feet up live another day for sure

[Meat-Head]

canker mate, nice one for you 'some time ago' was folloing a 3 series bmw on on face value, with no warning 'hung a right' into a hedge, in the rain too much power

Once upon a time had an insurancse company that REFUSED to insure anything with a roll cage, do what you like, but no cage, reason been they think you drive like a tawt because they know you 'can't get hurt'

[flyins]

snow tyre debate

I now changing this debate, sack the tyres and just deal with it properly

[BlueBox]

last year i had them on the mercedes they where great going uphills onside roads

[xant14]

what about countries where they have real winter weather Russia/Sweden/Alaska where winter usual needs chains fitted on wheels not like the uk where 1/2" of slush stops the country. winter driving is a art, not the usual aggressive crap we see on the roads, idiots here have far less control in first class summer weather and cause far more accidents than any winter road conditions. where bad weather is more of a problem than it is in the uk. the law should give stronger penalties if bad driving is the cause of skidding and injury to other road users, like a five year ban

Scandinavian countries never use chains! maybe in an emergency. They use winter tyres, studded (Dubb) or unstudded. By law from Dec 1st(2 month grace) to April 1st(1 week grace). Studded are ace, driving on white ice is like driving on tarmac..ish, still be careful. The problem with studded is you are limited to Scandinavian countries only... and UK funny enough (as a visitor) but cannot drive through Germany.