winter tyres

[gasman1]

does anyone swap their normal tyres for winter ones when the weather takes a turn for the worst and how much difference in grip does it have ?. it might save me buying 4x4

[Morgion]

I live in Finland where it's enforced by law to use winter tyres during December, Janyary and February. Studded tyres can be used from November to March, traction tyres year-round (although it's not recommended because of the decreased fuel economy). During this period any cars that don't have winter tyres on can't be driven.

I've driven with summer tyres when there was snow and ice, and after swapping to studded tires, the feeling of control increased tenfold. Almost all skidding went away.

My BMW's tyres are so wide it'd be no use to have studded tyres because they wouldn't sink deep enough for the studs to grip ice/road, so I have traction tyres instead. Haven't driven with them yet because I've only had the car for a month or so, but winter is coming...

So I really recommend swapping winter tyres on for the winter months when there's slippy snow and ice on the ground, unless you particularly fancy finding yourself and your car from the bottom of some ditch.

Oh, diff-lock and winter tyres in a RWD vehicle makes it perform almost as well as a FWD when e.g. trying to get up a slippery slope.

[gasman1]

thanks for reply , i too have wide wheels but we don't really have the amount of snow and ice that you have so studded tyres are probably out of the question it's when we do get a good fall of snow i am fed up with the car being stationary untill it thaws out enough to drive again . will look at what you call traction tyres which i can guess are the ones that the rubber still flexes when the temp gets to cold for normal tyres

[Morgion]

Yep, those are the ones. Studded tyres would probably be overkill for UK anyway. Plus with with the traction tyres the police won't come a-naggin' if you don't take them out the minute it thaws.

[witeshark]

The studded tires are known for cutting grooves in the roads in the upper latitudes (Norway Sweden Finland etc) when there's no ice cover... When it rains, those grooves fill with water resulting in high risk of aquaplane.

[1BADBMR]

Here in Canada we got plenty of snow during the winter months.
Its highly recommended that you use snow tires during the winter months.
Its illegal here to use studded tires cause our roads would get ripped up. But most people here have 2 sets of rims/tires. One for the summer and another set for the winter.
Don't buy a 4x4, just invest in a good set of winter rubber

[TFHODD]

Hi,

My E61 normally has 18" 245/40 Dunlop tyres.
In winter time i use 225/55 16" Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D tyres.
5* out of 5 by German tyre tests.

The car has far much better grip on rainy and snowy roads.
Not only because the winter tyres but also due to the higher pressure per cm2.
Normally it is wise to mount them when temperature is below 7 degrees Celcius.

Regards.