Winter tyres

Mena

None of the roads on the way into work this morning were gritted (to Naas from Newbridge via Athgarven and 2 Mile House).

I didn't notice

5 Series + Winter Snow Tyres = juvenile fun...

spannerism

Ok I'll probably get some smart comments for this :-)

I gonna phone around and see what prices I can get winter snow tyres at.

Is it possible to get 2 tyres? I was thinking of putting them on the 'driving wheels' of my car. I drive a RWD. Would that help or is it recommended to get 4?

Biglad

spannerism wrote: »

Ok I'll probably get some smart comments for this :-)

I gonna phone around and see what prices I can get winter snow tyres at.

Is it possible to get 2 tyres? I was thinking of putting them on the 'driving wheels' of my car. I drive a RWD. Would that help or is it recommended to get 4?

You serious, all of that is discussed at length in this thread. You need 4 and they are sold out in nearly all of Ireland and the UK. One or two places with second hand ones. Where have you been?

Stevie Dakota

Got to test the winter tyres in earnest this morning, driving up the hill to our house in 5 inches of snow. Plenty of spinning tyres but forward progress was no problem. Unheard of in anything other than a 4WD.

By the way, winters only are on the front wheels (FWD), tested emergency braking in a straight line on an empty road, car pulled up dead straight.

spannerism

Biglad wrote: »

You serious, all of that is discussed at length in this thread. You need 4 and they are sold out in nearly all of Ireland and the UK. One or two places with second hand ones. Where have you been?

Thanks...

Thread is a bit difficult to read when it becomes 37 pages long.

No harm in phoning around this morning and see if I can get any.

Matt Simis

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

By the way, winters only are on the front wheels (FWD), tested emergency braking in a straight line on an empty road, car pulled up dead straight.

Interesting feedback, I tested Winters only on the rear of a RWD car and it too seemed to brake quiet straight.

Biglad

spannerism wrote: »

Thanks...

Thread is a bit difficult to read when it becomes 37 pages long.

No harm in phoning around this morning and see if I can get any.

Try Autodepot they carry used stock apaerently and seem to be able to help people out at times...

glaston

spannerism wrote: »

Thanks...

Thread is a bit difficult to read when it becomes 37 pages long.

No harm in phoning around this morning and see if I can get any.

Fast lane tyres on the long mile road has some part worn winters a few days ago, worth checking out....
http://www.goldenpages.ie/Tyres/Fastlane_Tyres/IE_32989523_9999_1001

traco

I have 4 rims and tyres on way from Germany if GLS ever manage to get them here. I would be a lot happier with them fitted as the current summers are leave a lot to be desired even with 4 wheel drive.

Its no problem to get it to go but cornering and stopping are the biggest issues and I would see this as being the most important point / advantage that winters have.

For anyone looking, I couldn't get anything locally so went onto ebay.de and searched. Just put in the actual model number, manufaturers model code worked best for me and then select "Autoreifen & Felgen" from the sub menu on the left to narrow down to just rims and tyres.

Mine were shipped last wednesday so I getting fairly annoyed at this stage but most of europe is suffering so what can you do.

MarksMyName

Biglad wrote: »

You serious, all of that is discussed at length in this thread. You need 4 and they are sold out in nearly all of Ireland and the UK. One or two places with second hand ones. Where have you been?

As someone who's lived and driven around in BC, canada for a whole winter, saying you NEED 4, well that's just rubbish. Two snow tires on the front wheels will give you good steering and braking. If you've a rear wheel drive of course having 4 would be better- but they make much less difference in snow than you might think- negligible I'd say.

my two cents ;-)

Biglad

MarksMyName wrote: »

As someone who's lived and driven around in BC, canada for a whole winter, saying you NEED 4, well that's just rubbish. Two snow tires on the front wheels will give you good steering and braking. If you've a rear wheel drive of course having 4 would be better- but they make much less difference in snow than you might think- negligible I'd say.

my two cents ;-)

No it isn't, and no you don't. Read the thread and watch the tutorial video's where it's all explained in detail.

Edit: have a look at this, also from Canada...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdtAm7RsTmE&feature=related

Biglad

Matt Simis wrote: »

Interesting feedback, I tested Winters only on the rear of a RWD car and it too seemed to brake quiet straight.

I'd say that's quite a logical outcome as most of the stopping power is at the rear in your case which should help in a way to keep the front in line. If the majority of the stopping power is at the front the back would become unstable as it lacks grip.

Stevie Dakota

Biglad wrote: »

No it isn't, and no you don't. Read the thread and watch the tutorial video's where it's all explained in detail.

I wouldn't be so quick to disregard someone with first hand experience. Videos are great but so too is actual driving experience.

Biglad

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I wouldn't be so quick to disregard someone with first hand experience. Videos are great but so too is actual driving experience.

Nothing to do with disregarding, I have first hand experience as well. Lived in cold countries for most of my life, not just a year.

marc1

Some first hand experience:

I drive a Golf and it had the normal 225 / 45 / 17 tyres on it. They just went no where in the snow we had at the start of December. Couln't even get out of the estate! Got stuck on the N11, and at several hills and parking spaces.

I went out yesterday, found some old 15'' Golf steel alloys for 150 EUR on a scrapyard and bought second had winter tyres at www.tyreland.ie for 48 EUR each. What a difference!!! After more snow today I got out of the estate (via a hill) with no problems at all, no slipping, the ABS / ESP barely even jumps in when I break.

The tires are Continental TS790s. Sure it cost me 350 EUR, but I can tell you it was worth it. I drove home last night via the M50 south and scooted by lots of stuck cars...

Main reason I got them is that I have to drive to Donegal on the 23rd... Lets see how that goes.

The guys are tyreland were the only place I found winter tyres in stock, service was a bit slow, but well worth the wait!

conneem-TT

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I wouldn't be so quick to disregard someone with first hand experience. Videos are great but so too is actual driving experience.

I would imagine, although I don't have that much experience, that driving around with 2 winter tyres on the front in bad conditions would be somewhat akin (bit less severe though) to sticking to sticking some biscuit tin lids under the rear wheels in normal weather. The front will have more grip and unbalance the car.

itarumaa

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

By the way, winters only are on the front wheels (FWD), tested emergency braking in a straight line on an empty road, car pulled up dead straight.

Only thing you have to do now is drive a little bit too fast in a roundabout, car understeers and you lift off, rear has summer tyres and you go sideways right away.

Great fun but you should remember this when driving, if you are not used to correcting slides.

Absurdum

My (4) winters were incredible this afternoon, driving on ice, slush, 4 inches of fresh snow and everything in between.

traco

I really wish more people had them fitted. I am over two hours on m50 now and only on the bridge after joining at the Red cow. Problem seems to be cars and trucks stuck at hill under blanch flyover. Winters would greatly help that.

GTE

Decided to go for a small drive with a few inches of fresh snow out.
Beginning to feel how they react to the snow better now.

Over bridges and steep inclines with no bother. Very sure footed at a constant speed and under heavy braking I had the ABS intervene but unlike what happened last year it only kicked in occasionally.

kennyb3

Absurdum wrote: »

My (4) winters were incredible this afternoon, driving on ice, slush, 4 inches of fresh snow and everything in between.

+1, i was the only non 4 by 4 to make it up the hill and into my estate. i pushed 4 fwd cars up another hill before i sailed up no issues. best purchase ever. no sweating about the snow, i can enjoy it now

SV

oh. good. god.

I LOVE WINTER TIRES
Well worth the cash!

Went for a few brake tests earlier on in about 2 inches of snow.
The difference in braking distance from 60km/h was only about 5metres off what it would be in the wet.

as for wheel spin, almost non existant

peasant

So ...all you new believers ....are you proper converts now?

Will you fit them again next winter ..possibly before the first snow falls?

GTE

peasant wrote: »

So ...all you new believers ....are you proper converts now?

Will you fit them again next winter ..possibly before the first snow falls?

Im interested in what a set of full winters would be like next year or the year after. Depends on how my Hankooks wear down.

I have defended the few All Seasons that can cut it in these conditions and I do genuinely believe that my Hankooks have done very very well and are worth a serious consideration but I still wonder what a full Winter would be like. Its more me being curious than anything.

Ill keep an open mind about them but for sure I will probably get my Mams car running on the Hankooks as they would suit her yearly driving perfectly.

No way Id go back to a Summer tyre in the Winter.

johnos1984

peasant wrote: »

Will you fit them again next winter ..possibly before the first snow falls?

Yes I'm a convert and as I got mine on a separate set of alloys(2 for the front) I can pop them on and off as needed.

Best €100 I ever spent

Biglad

Had a new driving experience here today on back roads where compacted snow was loosened by oil lorries driving around with chains on. It leaves a lumpy powder, like driving on tons of course flower. The car was snaking a lot but with steady driving speed (30-40kmhr) and easy on the throttle I never felt I was going to loose control whilst quite a few vehicles without winters could only manage an uncontrolled crawl. Must be one of the hardest surfaces to drive on next to sheet ice.

GTE

Biglad wrote: »

Had a new driving experience here today on back roads where compacted snow was loosened by oil lorries driving around with chains on. It leaves a lumpy powder, like driving on tons of course flower. The car was snaking a lot but with steady driving speed (30-40kmhr) and easy on the throttle I never felt I was going to loose control whilst quite a few vehicles without winters could only manage an uncontrolled crawl. Must be one of the hardest surfaces to drive on next to sheet ice.

My estate was like that after the rubbish trucks did their stuff. You are at mercy of whose tyre grooves are the deepest when all that freezes. If they cross you fall into which ever one is deepest. Fun in an estate. Hell on the roads I could imagine.

Biglad

Another nice one is those little roads up here that are used frequently by tractors, like the one leading to our house, where the tractor tyres stamp their profile in the snow which then freezes up over night, rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, suspension test track

tabby aspreme

Ordered 2 goodyear vector 4 season yesterday, hopefully we will get more snow in 2011 so i can test them:D

Justin10

Thinking of getting four cheap steel rims and putting on 4 part worn winter tyres. I have 17 inch on now but if I got 15s would I need to redo the tracking again?
Also if I take off the winter tyres do I need to redo the wheel balance?