When to put on winter tyres

When to put on winter tyres

Author
Discussion

Hobojim

Original Poster:

134 posts

126 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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When do folks put on their winter boots?

It's about 7 degrees tomorrow morning which IIRC is the temperature winter tyres start to work better than regular tyres.

Webdunk

194 posts

246 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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My preference was to wait for a week of sub-7 degree temps on my commute. Bit tricky to decide when to switch at the moment as it is unseasonably mild.

ab11

19 posts

117 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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In the last couple of years I've usually put them on when the kids go back to school after the holidays but waiting an extra couple of weeks this year.
Will be dusting off my winter tyres this weekend ready to fit next weekend. Usually give them a good clean-up/ protection and inflate to leave for a week to check for any issues.

Have the winter/ studded tyres on my commuting bike already though and ready to use it from Monday.

RG63AMG

157 posts

123 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I put my winter wheels and tires on about the 1st November.

Hobojim

Original Poster:

134 posts

126 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
RG63AMG said:
I put my winter wheels and tires on about the 1st November.
Will you be putting them in before Sunday's meet?

Edited by Hobojim on Wednesday 29th October 11:13

s2kjock

1,677 posts

146 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Mine are going on in the next couple of weeks, in advance of a trip to the Highlands where I have been caught out in snow at this time of year before.

If you are a sailor, it's a bit like deciding when to put a reef in - the time to do it is when you start to wonder if you should .............

Newro

703 posts

261 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
s2kjock said:
If you are a sailor, it's a bit like deciding when to put a reef in - the time to do it is when you start to wonder if you should .............
thumbup


I am originally from Austria, where winter tyres are mandatory from 1. November until 15. April, or if the weather deems necessary. Conditions in Scotland are more moderate most years, but as a guideline I would almost stick to it and say that before November until April you should run on the softer rubber.

From a safety point of view winter tyres are actually more suitable for most conditions. Assuming you don't want to actually race or anything. In Austria it is legal to drive winter tyres all year round, but due to the softer rubber, they will wear really quickly during the hot summer months.

hman

7,487 posts

193 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I leave mine on 24/7 365.

No they dont wear out quickly either - over 18,000 miles on the current set and only half worn - Nokians FTW.

GreigM

6,726 posts

248 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Its not just about temperature. I've put mine on due to the torrential rain we've been experiencing in the last few days and on the greasy debris on country roads from leaves they also hold the road significantly better.

p1doc

3,111 posts

183 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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normally put mine on mid october-first frost this morning and torrential rain/country backroads much better on winter tyres
martin

Hollowpockets

5,908 posts

215 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Seems to be plenty winter tyre users here, I've never had a set, just drive to the conditions and have never been stuck or had any problems. That said, I'm never usually out of the city in winter.

James B

1,300 posts

243 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I am just in the process of buying some smaller wheels and winter rubber for the 911 as its rwd so will be interesting in the slippier conditions.

Winter tyres are designed to work below 7 degrees iirc so once the average daily temp is at that level or below you would be fine to change. Above that and the oils in the winter rubber overheat and come out, giving the tyres a greasy surface which will be odd to drive on.

6C4GTS

5,185 posts

177 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Hobojim said:
Will you be putting them in before Sunday's meet?

Edited by Hobojim on Wednesday 29th October 11:13
Sunday will be my last day on summer wheels and tyres.

Technomad

753 posts

162 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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Newro said:
thumbup


I am originally from Austria, where winter tyres are mandatory from 1. November until 15. April, or if the weather deems necessary. Conditions in Scotland are more moderate most years, but as a guideline I would almost stick to it and say that before November until April you should run on the softer rubber.

From a safety point of view winter tyres are actually more suitable for most conditions. Assuming you don't want to actually race or anything. In Austria it is legal to drive winter tyres all year round, but due to the softer rubber, they will wear really quickly during the hot summer months.
I start switching once we've had a week or so without it going much above 7°C - the 911 gets changed first, as the low sidewalls get harsh-riding as the temperature falls. I'll wait a bit before swapping the suv's wheels as it understeers more on the 18" winters. I've also run it through the summer on the winters and had to transit France on them at 25°C after an April ski trip - they worked just fine, but did wear bloody fast! My remapped 123D was huge fun in the summer on its 17" winters - much better ride and could be made to squirm all over the place in a very satisfying and predictable manner smile

Technomad

753 posts

162 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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James B said:
I am just in the process of buying some smaller wheels and winter rubber for the 911 as its rwd so will be interesting in the slippier conditions.

Winter tyres are designed to work below 7 degrees iirc so once the average daily temp is at that level or below you would be fine to change. Above that and the oils in the winter rubber overheat and come out, giving the tyres a greasy surface which will be odd to drive on.
I actually went for the same sizes in winters on the 911 (19") - grips very well indeed and just a little noisier and more lumpen feeling. A fully winterised 2wd 911 is a complete hoot in snow, with quite ridiculous traction, as long as you follow the "slow in" principle religiously, as turn-in understeer becomes - ah - significant - bags of cat litter in the boot help load the front end and are good for grip when scattered on the ground.. The big no-no is getting the back end moving on off-camber downhill bends...

Of course a modern 911 is hopeless after the snow gets more than about 4" deep - you'll have hours of fun digging packed, thawed and refrozen snow out of the radiators. smile

Newro

703 posts

261 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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@hman @Technomad

In Austria, during the summer months, temperatures of 25C and well above are the norm. If you drive your winter tyres all year round you'll be lucky if you get two seasons out of them. In Scotland where it usually stays below 20C, it probably wouldn't be that bad.


@Hollowpockets

Hollowpockets said:
Seems to be plenty winter tyre users here, I've never had a set, just drive to the conditions and have never been stuck or had any problems. That said, I'm never usually out of the city in winter.
I can keep a car on the road with decent summer tyres on ice and snow. But it is not about me, I share the road with other things. Lets assumes a deer jumps out in front of your car, as it has happened to me and many others, will I be able to stop in front of it? I'll might make it in time with summer tyres, I might not even if I am on winter tyres, it is playing the chances really.

But on a slippery road, the odds look a lot better if I am on winter tyres! They effectively half the distance required. That is a good enough reason for me.

Edited by Newro on Thursday 30th October 11:55

40anniv996

75 posts

166 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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I have been running the Nokian WR's on the 911 Turbo since mid October. It has not been that cold yet in Suffolk but the roads often have significant standing water and the tread on the Nokians make light work of it.

RG63AMG

157 posts

123 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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They go on the E class that is my day to day car smile

Hobojim said:
Will you be putting them in before Sunday's meet?

Edited by Hobojim on Wednesday 29th October 11:13

jshell

11,006 posts

204 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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Newro said:
I can keep a car on the road with decent summer tyres on ice and snow.
Would love to see you try with a 1-series on wide run-flats. Well, actually it'd stay on the road as you wouldn't get started on the simplest incline.

My Cayenne has Winters all year round and they've been ace for 2 years now with loads still to go.

kmm

1,781 posts

179 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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I normally put my winter tyres on 1st - 2nd week in November. Change the wife's car over and also my daily driver. The RS spends most of the time tucked up in the garage over the winter months and try to avoid the salty roads.

I normally change back to summer tyres in March.