Winter tyres vol 2

[Jon1967x]

rllmuk said:

The winter wheels for both our cars are still sat in the garage, and will remain there till it gets colder. I don't buy in to the 7 degree thing at all.

I do if we're talking tyre temperature. I've tpms so I can see the tyre temperature in the car and this week when it was cold I watched the temperature - setting off they were -1 and grip was down, after 5 miles they were over 10 and felt fine. They eventually got up to mid 20's even though it was still freezing out.

I'm under the impression their are 2 benefits to winter tyres, first was is different compound that works when it (not the weather) is below 7 - I can believe that. The second is tread design, bigger more open blocks and that helps most in slush and snow.

[Bill]

It'd be interesting to see how air temp in the tyre (presumably) compared to surface temperature of the tyre. Anyone got an IR thermometer?

[tjlees]

tenohfive said:

No you won't because unless GL6 has suddenly relocated to the North Yorkshire Moors you won't see any snow.

We are on the top a hill (250m above) which has its own micro climate - so we would definitely get snow whereas the vale probably wouldn't. We had occasionally snowy days last year and three previous years to that there were many days where the five or so roads leading to the top were closed - even the 4x4 on summers struggled with at least one impaling themselves in various bits of scenery.

However bbc has revised this weather warming to little or no snow!!!

[HertsBiker]

The quadraxers seem to feel nicer at 4c than at 14!!!!! Feels a lot more grippy than with summers. But I'm a believer in winter or all seasons. Doubters may disagree with me.

[g3org3y]

Cold this morning in London (1 degree on the OBC). Winters felt A LOT better than the preceding weeks at 9-10 degrees.

[goldblum]

tjlees said:

We are on the top a hill (250m above) which has its own micro climate -

This is a hill bump in the Cotswolds, yes? With its own micro-climate? In the Cotswolds??

[wombleh]

Was -2 at the other end of Cotswolds this morning.

Decided to fit winters to the bavarian meat wagon here and completely failed. Had to faff about driving onto a plank to get the jack under the side skirts. Then discovered that someone had applied huge amounts of torque to the wheel nuts and I couldn't get them off even with an extension bar. Called up a local tyre shop who said they'd be happy to swap the wheels for me, so drove down there and they decided that actually they wouldn't be happy to swap for me because the new ones weren't runflats and it'd "invalidate my insurance". Gave up at that point and went xmas tree shopping with my daughter instead.

[Watchman]

These are going on my ML on Monday.

[goldblum]

Watchman said:

These are going on my ML on Monday.

Those Grabbers aren't winter tyres, though they are M+S rated.

[RicksAlfas]

goldblum said:

Those Grabbers aren't winter tyres, though they are M+S rated.

I believe certain sizes are 3PMSF marked, but not all.

[goldblum]

RicksAlfas said:

I believe certain sizes are 3PMSF marked, but not all.

Don't think so. Not in the Grabber AT, which those (above) are. How is it possible that different sizes of the same tyre could be winter rated and some not? Even if they were marked 3PMSF they would still not be a winter tyre. All terrain, mud and snow. More sipes but no more improvement under 7c like a winter. Very good tyres though.

[RicksAlfas]

The General says tyres of differing sizes can be. This relates to the older AT2:
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/ca/en/ge...

The 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol defines a winter tyre I thought?
http://www.etrma.org/activities/transport/winter-t...

[aeropilot]

g3org3y said:

Cold this morning in London (1 degree on the OBC)

Yes, my P Zero's were hugely comical in the 1 deg C early morning London temps and frosty roads today and thus I set aside a few hours this afternoon to put the winters back on the 135.

[Fox-]

aeropilot said:

Yes, my P Zero's were hugely comical in the 1 deg C early morning London temps and frosty roads today

Really?! My Goodyears have been fine

[CoolHands]

wombleh said:

... up a local tyre shop who said they'd be happy to swap the wheels for me, so drove down there and they decided that actually they wouldn't be happy to swap for me because the new ones weren't runflats and it'd "invalidate my insurance". Gave up at that point..

Morons. Nothing else describes them.

[nixon1]

sjj84 said:

Nankang sv2 any good? Can't say they're a brand I've heard of, third of the price of pirelli.

One day Nankangs will be universally accepted... until then though; their NS2R track tyre is fantastic considering the cost and performance vs a road tyre and I can say the same about the SV2. I've had the SV2s on for a few winters and they've been very good. I was worried about the reported performance in the wet (source: various winter tyre tests published online) however now I've tested them in some downpours of rain last winter (so much rain that it was being thrown over the central barrier on the M4 directly into me whilst in lane 3), I can say they are just fine.

I'd say give them a whirl.

[aeropilot]

Fox- said:

aeropilot said:

Yes, my P Zero's were hugely comical in the 1 deg C early morning London temps and frosty roads today

Really?! My Goodyears have been fine

Yup, the P Zero's are very stiff, and once temp drops below about 4-5 deg C they are like concrete. Add in a bit of frost and it's definately time for the winters to go back on.

[Bohally]

Fitted 4 Hancook Icept RS to the Mini last week. What a huge difference. Very confidence inspiring on the cold stuff. Meant to snow tonight so will see how they do if it does. Travelling Inverness to just outside Aberdeen for work I wouldn't risk not fitting them!

[goldblum]

RicksAlfas said:

The General says tyres of differing sizes can be. This relates to the older AT2:
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/ca/en/ge...

Interesting, but as you say - a different tyre.

RicksAlfas said:

The 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol defines a winter tyre I thought?
http://www.etrma.org/activities/transport/winter-t...

Yes of course - I should preview before submitting!

However the grabber AT doesn't bear the symbol because it's an all season M+S tyre.

[RicksAlfas]

goldblum said:

Yes of course - I should preview before submitting!

However the grabber AT doesn't bear the symbol because it's an all season M+S tyre.

As I understand it, as with the previous AT2 mentioned in that press release, certain sizes do carry it.
This was explained to me by someone who fits them, so it's possible that the chap above might have the symbol on his.

Boundaries are blurring now. Some all season tyres are marked as winter tyres via the 3PMSF symbol, as are some all terrain tyres. The latest BF Goodrich T/A KO2 tyres for instance still look like a traditional chunky 4x4 tyre, but are claimed to have much improved performance in the winter and are allowed to carry the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake marking: