# Todays justification for winter tyres.



## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Horrendous weather here today in Teesdale high up on the moors, blizzard conditions this morning, I got stuck about half a mile from home in the car trying to get to work.

I had to walk back home and I then took the motorhome instead, I had an important meeting today.

The motorhome went up and down steep snow/slush covered hills where the car got stuck as if it was a summers day, not a wheel spin in sight.

Just got back in now and I will try to retrieve the car.

These winter tyres are amazing.

Paul.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Of course it could have just been the extra weight and larger tyre contact area.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

coppo said:


> Horrendous weather here today in Teesdale high up on the moors, blizzard conditions this morning, I got stuck about half a mile from home in the car trying to get to work.
> Paul.


Since when has being a Ratcatcher been classed as work. 8O


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Spacerunner said:


> Of course it could have just been the extra weight and larger tyre contact area.


It could have been but I very much doubt it.

We have a set of summer tyres which will be put on around April, they spin on gravel and even the slightest bit of dew on grass, have the summers not got the same extra weight and tyre contact area?

Paul.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Tread pattern is the most significant in snow conditions, winter tyres help get grip, but snow clogs up the tread on car tyres, while AT tyres clear most of it out on each turn.

We run a Discovery V8 which is pernanent 4X4 and manual gearbox. In 72000 miles with it over 5-1/2 years we have never fitted winter tyres, and we have to feed our horses daily, whatever the weather, on a 10-mile round trip. The tyres fitted right now are road biased types and firmly summer types.

Driven with care it has always got us where we need to go, and the traction control hardly ever comes on.

On ice, winter tyres should be better, but given a dusting of snow over black ice you would be hard pushed on any tyre.

Remember also that 2+ tonnes of vehicle getting loose on ice or snow can be a real runaway. 

Peter


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## billybilbo (Oct 7, 2007)

*justificaion for winter tyres*

I have just bought a s/h Murvi Morrello and am looking to put it on winter tyres. What make of tyre and size did you use? Did you change all 5 tyres ?


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Peter you will get away with normal road tyres on a permanent 4x4 as long as they have a decent tread pattern, I,m talking about a front wheel drive motorhome, a big difference.

My L200 went everywhere with normal tyres on although they had a good tread pattern on and that wasn't even permanent 4x4, as yours is.

Paul.


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## daffodil (Aug 7, 2014)

listerdiesel said:


> Tread pattern is the most significant in snow conditions, winter tyres help get grip, but snow clogs up the tread on car tyres, while AT tyres clear most of it out on each turn.
> 
> We run a Discovery V8 which is pernanent 4X4 and manual gearbox. In 72000 miles with it over 5-1/2 years we have never fitted winter tyres, and we have to feed our horses daily, whatever the weather, on a 10-mile round trip. The tyres fitted right now are road biased types and firmly summer types.
> 
> ...


Talk about stating the bleeding obvious :lol: :lol:

oh he cant read this cos i am on Ignore :wink:


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## flyinghigh (Dec 10, 2012)

A good comparison between a four wheel drive with summer tyres and a two wheel drive with winter tyres,
Draw you own conclusion !


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

*Re: justificaion for winter tyres*



billybilbo said:


> I have just bought a s/h Murvi Morrello and am looking to put it on winter tyres. What make of tyre and size did you use? Did you change all 5 tyres ?


I used the best ones money can buy. :wink:

Ok I,ll tell you, Continental vanco winter2 tyres, I only bought 4 at £96 each a couple of months ago. I doubt you will get them for that now. I can't remember the size offhand without looking at the invoice and its snowing again out there so I can't nip out.

Paul.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Diesel engines are usually better in slippy conditions if you know how to drive, as you can just let the clutch out and slowly move off, Petrol engines tend to need more revs so slipping the clutch a little while in second or even third will often get you away, failing that, winter socks work really well for just getting unstuck.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Same applies to both our Renault Trafics, never fitted winter tyres, never got stuck in snows or on wet grassy fields etc etc.

It's how you drive them as much as what tyres you have on.

Peter


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## VanFlair (Nov 21, 2009)

if there is snow on the ground winter tyres are amazing, its all down to the little sipes in the tread pattern.

Martin


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

listerdiesel said:


> Same applies to both our Renault Trafics, never fitted winter tyres, never got stuck in snows or on wet grassy fields etc etc.
> 
> It's how you drive them as much as what tyres you have on.
> 
> Peter


Well I totally disagree Peter, to me its 99% tyres.

This is my experience of both cars and motorhomes.

Paul.


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## Gailey (Jul 23, 2013)

What do you think about all weather tyres as opposed to winter tyres?

My daughter, who passed her test in the summer, drives a little diesel Corsa and has a yucky drive to and from college in Kendal each day - don't know whether winter or all weather would be better- I've heard that winter tyres aren't great for normal driving??


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## VanFlair (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Gailey

Winter tyres are fantastic in winter BUT you will loose a bit of steering feel and ultimate grip and they will wear more in the summer, all seasons are a compromise and will be better in winter than summer tyres but not as good as the winter ones.

Best option is a spare set of wheels, after all they are not compulsary in the winter months in the likes of Germany for no reason.

Not only do you get better traction but they stop better as well, something 4x4 drivers forget.

Martin


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## Gailey (Jul 23, 2013)

Thanks Martin, Andy has sourced a spare set of wheels for her - but I was just wondering whether she'd be better off with just those all weather tyres all the time. Will get her the winter ones - I think she needs as much protection as I can give her....helps with my nerves anyway :wink:


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

My new Skoda came with Yokohama tyres fitted. I don't like them and have already had a little wheelspin moving off on wet inclines.

It does not bode well for a bad Winter. 8O


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Stop blaming the tyres, you are a useless driver 747 :lol:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Spacerunner said:


> Of course it could have just been the extra weight and larger tyre contact area.


Why is "larger tyre contact area" a good thing on snow or ice?

It isn't - in fact just the reverse.

Ever seen the width of snow tyres on a WRC rally car? Less than half the width of the tarmac tyres and much narrower even than gravel tyres.

Excess tyre width is the reason why so many modern cars, including so called "4x4s", have such problems in icy and snowy conditions, they just turn into snowboards and slide around.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Spot on Stanner !!!

The best car I have ever driven in snow was...........

A Citroen 2CV, tyres about 3 inches wide with a 600cc engine with no power worth talking about!! Simply brilliant.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Good aren't they !


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Yup - but a little bit underpowered to use as a MH base chassis :lol:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> Spot on Stanner !!!
> 
> The best car I have ever driven in snow was...........
> 
> A Citroen 2CV, tyres about 3 inches wide with a 600cc engine with no power worth talking about!! Simply brilliant.


125mm actually and they were rock hard, almost treadless, Michelin X (not even ZX) but they cut down into the snow and worked.

They were great in mud as well having reverse and first opposite each other in the gearbox gate made "see-sawing" your way out of trouble dead easy.

The perfect example of something being designed for a purpose and doing it well.

I had an Ami6 Estate, a Dyane 4 (fitted with an Ami8 engine - brilliant gearing much better than standard for the bigger (more powerful :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ) engine) and then a 2CV6 followed by a Visa Diesel and a BX Diesel*.

*Owned that one twice, sold it to a friend and then bought it back for my son to use.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

pippin said:


> Yup - but a little bit underpowered to use as a MH base chassis :lol:


TM was talking about winter tyres, not Citroen cv's :lol:

Paul.


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