I always run winters in 215 60 16 on steels rather than the summer 225 50 17 on alloys
It have found it more comfortable over corrugated snow etc and this excellent video shows why.
Coming home at Easter the winters are always a bit more loose when pressing on through the Jura, but that is I think the softer compound at play in the higher temps, plus a bit more wall flex.
I am about the get some ATs (Nokian with 3 mountain logo) on a 4x4 build and will definitely go with the narrower tyre option.
And indeed stay within the recommended tyres and rims for the car, so stay within the legally certificated OEM.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
This isn’t news, it’s old news, decades-old news! The thinner tyre was always supposed to dig down deeper.
I got bored listening to this bloke, do let us know what his conclusion was!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@James the Last, You say that, but honestly, one of the best vehicles I have ever driven in deep snow was a Moggy minor. I keep my Landy 2a on its original 6" wheels and tyres for similar reasons.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@thecramps, I thought that thin tyres was what I was promoting; slightly confused by either me or by you! Go the Moggie, it will always win over a fat-tyred SUV. Particularly with a couple of sacks of potatoes in the car.
Yes I know it's old news but the video is a good overview of the evidence, including the printing of the contact patch, and the special carcass of the BGs. And the test of different deformation patterns is good too.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@James the Last, It was. I misrepresented you. Sorry.
After all it is free
After all it is free
And plus 1 the sack of spuds in the boot
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You misrepresented the spuds? Shame on you!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@James the Last, Accepted
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
James the Last wrote:
This isn’t news, it’s old news, decades-old news! The thinner tyre was always supposed to dig down deeper.
This - also thinner tyre easier to move snow to the sides as there would be less snow to move.
Winter rally cars always have narrower tyres fitted
Not bothered to watch the vid
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
What I think must be the proper winter alloys I have for my car are 16" 7j and the original wheels are 18" 8J, I have been through a set of conti winter contacts and now on vredestein wintracs and despite it being rwd it always surprises me just how well it handles snow and ice. I have never had to fit chains but always assumed that the higher profile tyre and more clearance between the spring on the inside would be helpful in that regard.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
James the Last wrote:
This isn’t news, it’s old news, decades-old news! The thinner tyre was always supposed to dig down deeper.
I got bored listening to this bloke, do let us know what his conclusion was!
So you know everything James, and the world revolves around you. What about a bit of forum etiquette? There are some of us out there who don't know about these things.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
A good content and with objective view @valais2, showing thorough approach in how he makes the enquiry as to what is really in place.
Quote:
And indeed stay within the recommended tyres and rims for the car, so stay within the legally certificated OEM.
Just as much about keeping the crash structures in their homologation and tested configuration, as opposed to pure tyre practicalities. Obviously with potential interaction against other vehicle structures in the event of accident.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@ski3, indeed...and having played with some pretty mad tyre-wheel combinations in the distant past on GT6s and TR6s, some wrecked the handling - wrong offset etc - I can see why the insurance companies get nervous the moment you are outside the certificated sizes.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It depends on the depth of snow, I have experienced a situation on deep compacted snow where a vehicle with wide, all season tyres, rode on the surface & coped better than a vehicle with narrower winter tyres that sank into the snow & struggled.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I lost interest as soon as he started talking in inches and tyre was spelled with an "i"
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Common knowledge isn’t it that narrow tyres have better traction on snow ? The best vehicle I’ve ever seen is a Citroen 2cv. Very narrow tyres, very light car and good clearance. Unstoppable with studded tyres.
@tangowaggon, well tyre is the more modern spelling. Tire was the original spelling as it was the attire worn by the wheel.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
In a previous life I was lucky enough to go on a winter tyre test in the frozen wastes of northern Sweden. We had FWD, 4WD and RWD passenger cars all equipped with same winter tyres in the correct size per vehicle. We had uphill, downhill, braking, acceleration and steering tests plus a rally stage. We did some tests summer v winters as well where the main takeaway, as I'm sure you know, is that a 2WD on winters is generally heaps better than a 4WD on summers (unless the 2WD is a powerful rear-driven BMW or Mercedes in which case maybe stay home ). To cut a very long story short "it depends" - skinny tyres on a lighter car can be great unless the surface is soft and you sink in more. A lightweight FWD car on winters is pretty good regardless of tyre width. IME the correct sized winter tyres on a 4WD is pretty-much unstoppable driven sensibly so I see no reason to mess around with tyre sizes. I have chains that are purely for show.
@Phantom Phil, interesting...nice insights...I have driven on winter tyres since 2002 and have experienced their evolution - from pretty bad formulations to the current amazing sets of tyres. I have carried chains for years and never needed to use them despite riding everything from 20cms of undriven fresh to corrugated ice - and was interested in recent tests which showed winters to be superior to chains.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Richard_Sideways wrote:
@tangowaggon, well tyre is the more modern spelling. Tire was the original spelling as it was the attire worn by the wheel.
True - also wasnt Tyre the port from which rubber was exported ? As well as a way from mixing the word tire to mean exhausted ?
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Poster: A snowHead
