Winter tyres

[optima21]

How do you find them in the winter months?

not had any issues so far and they do give you more confidence that using summer tyres in winter, but if I think its bad, Im in a lucky position that I can walk rather than drive.

 

[bricol]

One things that needs mentioning is tyre width.
Snow is sadly pretty rare in the UK but rain isn't. Modern cars with very wide tyres are very prone to aquaplaning. The cars I usually drive have 245 width tyres. New with plenty of tread or bald slicks makes no difference. They aquaplane like crazy even at low speeds.
I have driven new Range Rovers in wet weather - just as bad. Tyres are 275 width!

I am currently driving a very exotic vehicle - a Mercedes Sprinter! It has skinny tyres and it NEVER aquaplanes - feels so much better in the wet.

So the moral of the story.

Don't just fit winter tyres - come down a size or two in width.

And it is perfectly safe to do. Cars come with all sorts of wheel/tyre options. The Insignia varies between 225 and 245 - the 225 understeer a bit on dry roads but for winter are much better.

I was once invited to an offroad day at Eastnor Castle by Land Rover. The new Range Rover had just been launched and was awesome. I noticed the ones we drove on the road were fitted with 275s but the ones we used offroad were 255s.

I had a Dolomite Sprint on decent 155s . . . only car I have aquaplaned any distance in - it got up on the water and away we went - I luckily had just the right amount of corrective lock on when we landed . . .

Can't think of anything else I've had that's noticeably aquaplaned. Slipped and slid, but not lost contact. I don't tend to run tyres down the wear bars though. Replace them in plenty of time.

 

[fizzy]

I had a Dolomite Sprint on decent 155s . . . only car I have aquaplaned any distance in - it got up on the water and away we went - I luckily had just the right amount of corrective lock on when we landed . . .

Can't think of anything else I've had that's noticeably aquaplaned. Slipped and slid, but not lost contact. I don't tend to run tyres down the wear bars though. Replace them in plenty of time.

Modern wide tyres are a nightmare. Along with the new surface on the M4 in our area.
Way too smooth.
Wheelspinning up a motorway hill in 5th gear at 40mph is worrying

 

[Hood]

I aquaplaned many years ago when I rode my bike, in the dark, into a 2ft deep flood. The bike didn't aquaplane though, it was only me

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Don't just fit winter tyres - come down a size or two in width.

Fine if the replacement wheel/tyre combo will fit over the discs.

 

[TechnicAl]

I had a Dolomite Sprint on decent 155s . . . only car I have aquaplaned any distance in - it got up on the water and away we went - I luckily had just the right amount of corrective lock on when we landed . . .

Can't think of anything else I've had that's noticeably aquaplaned. Slipped and slid, but not lost contact. I don't tend to run tyres down the wear bars though. Replace them in plenty of time.

I had a Dolomite Sprint....never really had chance to aquaplane....it caught fire

 

[fizzy]

Fine if the replacement wheel/tyre combo will fit over the discs.

Width not diameter

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Width not diameter

You're suggesting narrower tyres on the same rims?

 

[fizzy]

You're suggesting narrower tyres on the same rims?

Yes.
An 8" rim will take 215 to 245.

 

[northwest]

Yes.
An 8" rim will take 215 to 245.

Always best to go down a width or two with full on snow tyres, exponentially increases effectiveness. Not so sure about all season tyres though.

 

[arther dailey]

agree with fizzy, years back one of the rally teams changed to narrower tyres on one stage and wiped every one else easily as they were getting more traction, it seems a lot of people get all terrain AT tyres confused for mud and snow MS , dont know the differance presume its tread pattern and winter compound made to flex in extreme cold more so.