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Winter Tyres

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
altis wrote:
Not such a daft solution.

If this really is for winter use then you'd probably be better off with narrower tyres and rims anyway as this will give you better grip in snow - as well as better fuel economy. You'll need to juggle the sizes to make sure you end up with the same outer diameter but that's easy to do using the online calculator about 2/3 of the way down this page:
http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg4.html
There's loads of other useful info there too.

Oh, and don't forget to tell your insurance company too 'cos this will be non-standard equipment and may invalidate your insurance unless you pay more. Remarkably, the same may apply if you just fit winter tyres to your standard rims!


If your insurance company let you,when I told the insurance that I wanted to drop a rim size from 16" to 15" to allow snow tyres and chains the insurance underwriters told me they would invalidate the policy at any cost. Even though it's the manufacturers advice on how to get enough clearence for snowchains!

If you get the same speed rated tyres in M+S on standard rims do you really have to tell the insurance? It's no different in many respects to getting another brand?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
betterinblack wrote:
If you get the same speed rated tyres in M+S on standard rims do you really have to tell the insurance? It's no different in many respects to getting another brand?

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=42714
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 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?
altis wrote:
betterinblack wrote:
If you get the same speed rated tyres in M+S on standard rims do you really have to tell the insurance? It's no different in many respects to getting another brand?

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=42714


I've read through that posting (I think I did before as well) but was there ever an actual answer to Boris (and my question) of leaving the standard rims and putting on the same spec in a winter tyre?
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I have a Merc E55 which puts out 500bhp through wide rear tyres....probably the worst of all worlds in the snow.
I put Vredestein Wintrac extremes on it last winter just before the weather turn to snow, I had no problems at all in some very trying conditions.
They are back on now as I needed new tyres and dry performance is great as well.
It is great passing stranded cars who are looking and wondering how you are still moving!



Your old girl has got three years on mine!

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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Used Nokian WR G2 last year.Bought it through mytyres.co.uk in December. Mounted 'em on a spare set of 16" alloys rather than trying to replace the factory fitted 17" run-flats (Works out much cheaper this way. Just make sure that you get the calculations right/Check with the car manufacturer and inform insurers) .

Excellent performance on my BMW 5 series (note that its a rear wheel drive). Did 6000+ miles in northern Czech republic last winter when it was snowing by bucketloads and country roads were always covered by a layer of ice. Can vouch that the Finns know how to make winter tyres. Wink
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Thing to be careful of going down a rim size is clearance over the brakes.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Spyderman wrote:
Thing to be careful of going down a rim size is clearance over the brakes.

and invalidating waranty and perhaps insurance.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
KSK, good to know....I ordered a set of those a few days ago from the same place.

Boredsurfing, all those reasons were why I reluctantly bought a set of the Nokians.
We recently had to replace our car (after some berk knocked it just enough to be an insurance write-off).
Same car, just a few years younger, but in the meantime they have gone fron 16" to 17" as standard. I asked the RAC Warranty and Insurance Co and they got very iffy about buying a set of 16" rims and using the set of Dunlops I already have.
Reluctantly I bought a full set of Nokians which are designed as All Season so will probably leave them on all year round.

End result:

I have a set of hardly used Dunlop M3 Sport winter tyres (I may need to double check that is the exact description) in 205/55/16.
Loads and loads of tread left, they were only on for 2.5 months and not many miles used (they were delivered early January 2010, and fitted that day....that night was The Snow Fall!!)
Surrey for collection
New set cost about £500....£250 gets them.
Brilliant tyre...go read some reviews...
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 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.
Chattonmill, Series 1 looks great, would be nice to see some period rubber on it though.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I can't remember what winter tyres I've got on my car now, but they were the ones Spyderman recommended to me at the time whatever they were. I put them on in Nov 2008 I think and they've been on ever since Embarassed . They were fantastic on the snowy road up to my chalet in Tignes when other cars were stopping to put chains on so I was very happy. Have to say they are bloomin' excellent in the wet weather we so often have in the UK too, they were much better when having to stop in the rain than my previous 'ordinary' tyres so I left them on. I don't do an awful amount of mileage these days so saw no need to get a second set of wheels and swap them every 6 months. I haven't noticed a difference in fuel consumption particularly.

Spyderman, when I come to replace the front two as they will probably go first, will I need to buy some more winter tyres to match the back or won't it matter? This thread has made me wonder about that now.....I don't mind having winter ones again but what's best if I never have a second set of wheels? Puzzled
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Just ordered some Nokian from my tyres, to replace some bought in 2004! god knows how many miles on the old ones. Cost in 04 £65 cost now £82.
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 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.
VolklAttivaS5, As long as you don't mix Summer & Winter tyres, you can use a different brand. Bear in mind that Winter tyres should be replaced long before they approach the legal limit, as they really lose their effectiveness as tread depth reduces. Best to put the new tyres on the back and swap the old back tyres to the front. The tyres I recommended you are still available from www.mytyres.co.uk
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 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
My Dunlops are sold to a snowHead.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
VolklAttivaS5,

Same brand & model on the same axle is common practise here in Austria. The new winter tyres should be put on the back for two reasons -

1) You don't want the rear breaking away and the front normally has traction control (front wheel drive cars) anyway.

2) The rubber compound normally lasts for around 5 years and tyres wear a lot slower on the undriven wheels (rear on front wheel drive). Putting the already part worn tyres on the front from the rear wheels means you get maximum use out of the tyres before you have to change them.


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 4-10-10 15:24; edited 1 time in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
"when I come to replace the front two as they will probably go first, will I need to buy some more winter tyres to match the back or won't it matter? This thread has made me wonder about that now.....I don't mind having winter ones again but what's best if I never have a second set of wheels? "

So why not rotate the tyres so they all wear out at the same time?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
snowrider wrote:


So why not rotate the tyres so they all wear out at the same time?


Too damned expensive!

As my garage (or if you do it yourself) change my wheels, they mark on the outer side wall where it came from: FL FR RR RL (or in German VL VR HL HR). This means that for as long as a pair are still safe (and as someone pointed out this does mean more than above the legal thickness) the tyres are mounted newest on the non-driving axle. It extends their life and helps you save money.

Also having them mounted in the same position as pairs you can identify reasons for abnormal wear much faster.

I will be having my switched next month, probably while I'm on holiday from work as I don't need the car that time.

wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Spyderman, DB, ok thanks for that.
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 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?
Does anybody have any experience of or opinion on Bridgestone Blizzak dm-v1?

I spend 6 months a year up in the mountains so need some good tyres. I am looking for tyres sized 235/65/17 for a Land Rover Freelander if that makes any difference.

These could be other options if people think these would be better: http://www.oponeo.fr/pneus/hiver/4x4/235/65/r17/

Many thanks.
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ADAC 2010 winter tyre tests in 225/45R17 (as close as it gets):

http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/reifen/winterreifen/2010_Winterreifen_Test_225_45_R17.aspx?ComponentId=40334&SourcePageId=31821
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DB, thanks from me too. I might need 2 new ones this winter and would have put them on the front (drive) wheels. Instead, will do as you suggest.
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Whenever I've needed new front tyres on my car in the past (have never put them on myself) and got them from a tyre fitter here they've always moved the back ones to the front and put the new ones on the back so that tallies with the advice here. When my front winter tyres need replacing I can just get some more tyres from mytyres.co.uk again and get a tyre fitter to do the shifting around for me. They (mytyres) usually deliver them to certain establishments in the UK for them to then fit them on for you, anyway IIRC.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

Does anyone use these on a "normal" car here in the UK, and if they do, what happens if you use them through the year. These are not the stud tyres, just the tyres described as winter tyres on websites.


I used Vredestein Quatrac 3 on my '96 4 x 4 Mondeo (normal?!)and they were very good in last years snow in the UK and also performed faultlessly in the trip to St Anton the previous year. No noticeable wear or noise problems, just came down 10 on width and up on profile to keep the revs per mile about the same.

They are, however, all weather tyres.

I have since replaced the Mondeo with an X type 4 x 4 on which I will use the same tyre or maybe the Nokian WR G2, which is highly rated but a tad more expensive. It is interesting to note that it appears that full-on winter tyres seem to be more expensive than all weathers.

If you are worried about using winter tyres all year round, I feel all weather tyres offer a good compromise. Both manufacturers also include the mountain and snowflake symbol which qualifies them as having the requirements of some EU countries legislation as a genuine winter tyre.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Have fantastic experience with Pirelli Snowsport tyres.
They were amazing in the Alps and just as good in the uk. Left them on the vehicle all through the summer and no wear problems.
Far better grip in the rain too!
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