Winter tyres vol 2
Discussion
RicksAlfas said:
As I understand it, as with the previous AT2 mentioned in that press release, certain sizes do carry it.
Not with the Grabber AT, I assure you.RicksAlfas said:
This was explained to me by someone who fits them, so it's possible that the chap above might have the symbol on his.
He won't. I'm on my second set on my GC, fitted by the guy I train with, who is the manager of a well known local tyre fitters. I deliberately didn't want winter tyres so sought his opinion. They are all season M+S tyres, that's it. Very good ones though.RicksAlfas said:
To the chap whose buying those ATs - I found I had to run mine at higher than recommended pressure, say 36-38 psi, in order to preserve handling on my GC. Now I know an ML isn't the last word for that but you'll be surprised how much even these new grabbers are deleterious to handling. Also on full lock they may wear slightly on the arch as they come with very deep tread - something like 10/11mm.
We've run the Grabbers on the ML for about 5 years now (my wife had it first - now it's mine). We replace them about the same time every year and keep the two least worn ones as emergency spares.
I drive harder than my wife so I tend to wear the outer shoulders, particularly on the fronts. Mercedes sells a replacement bolt for the uprights which is eccentric and allows for greater negative camber. I've not tried it before but for less than 20 quid it seems worth the experiment. I will collect that tomorrow and have it installed and the car geo aligned next Monday when I get the tyres changed over.
I do run them harder than normal as you indicated. Generally about 4 to 6 psi harder. This gives more even wear (at normal pressures both outers wear more than the middle).
These tyres are excellent in the snow but not so good in ice. Certainly they are leagues better than the tyres Mercedes fits to MLs though.
The ML's 4WD system isn't bad. It apportions plenty of torque to the front and/or rear as required. The truck isn't the last word in delicacy though. I reckon my old Subaru Legacy on proper winter tyres is the best car for snow and slippery conditions that I've ever driven. So much so, I'll PX the ML for a nearly new 2015 3.6 litre Outback next year (once a "nearly new" one is available).
I drive harder than my wife so I tend to wear the outer shoulders, particularly on the fronts. Mercedes sells a replacement bolt for the uprights which is eccentric and allows for greater negative camber. I've not tried it before but for less than 20 quid it seems worth the experiment. I will collect that tomorrow and have it installed and the car geo aligned next Monday when I get the tyres changed over.
I do run them harder than normal as you indicated. Generally about 4 to 6 psi harder. This gives more even wear (at normal pressures both outers wear more than the middle).
These tyres are excellent in the snow but not so good in ice. Certainly they are leagues better than the tyres Mercedes fits to MLs though.
The ML's 4WD system isn't bad. It apportions plenty of torque to the front and/or rear as required. The truck isn't the last word in delicacy though. I reckon my old Subaru Legacy on proper winter tyres is the best car for snow and slippery conditions that I've ever driven. So much so, I'll PX the ML for a nearly new 2015 3.6 litre Outback next year (once a "nearly new" one is available).
tjlees said:
It maybe a bump, but it still gets covered in snow and 4WDs still fall off it!
But that photo isn't now, is it.It's now Sunday night/Monday morning. Is your bumhole still playing 50p/5p at the thought of your local hills? Or are they chilled but snow-free as I (well, strictly speaking Puggit in the snow thread) predicted?
I'm not knocking your excitement (positive or negative) for the snow. Just the Express style, "We're all going to die, it's snowmegeddon time!" post.
Finally got round to putting my winters on yesterday - I have the OEM alloys on the same 225/40/18, used this same set for past 5 years but had to get 2 new Vred Wintracs for this year. The Eagle F1s are now in the garage.
The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
rllmuk said:
Finally got round to putting my winters on yesterday - I have the OEM alloys on the same 225/40/18, used this same set for past 5 years but had to get 2 new Vred Wintracs for this year. The Eagle F1s are now in the garage.
The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
Yep, have had that a lot over the years.The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
The best way I've found of bring them in is to wait for a milder day (wet or dry is fine, dry better) and then get them on a motorway or dual carriageway. Give them some proper heat, including some big braking, and they'll come in nicely.
Strangely I've just had to do this (albeit not quite for as long) with a used set. They'd had about 4k miles on and needed a good half hour of big throttle to get them back.
rllmuk said:
Finally got round to putting my winters on yesterday - I have the OEM alloys on the same 225/40/18, used this same set for past 5 years but had to get 2 new Vred Wintracs for this year. The Eagle F1s are now in the garage.
The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
The Nokians I fitted about 3 weeks ago were scary until I got some miles on them; I've done about 900 miles now and they're getting better and better. It's been unseasonally warm here, but now the temps are dropping and they are coming in to their own. The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
benjj said:
rllmuk said:
Finally got round to putting my winters on yesterday - I have the OEM alloys on the same 225/40/18, used this same set for past 5 years but had to get 2 new Vred Wintracs for this year. The Eagle F1s are now in the garage.
The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
Yep, have had that a lot over the years.The new tyres went on the front (different argument...) and went for a drive - forgot how little grip new winters have, was atrocious! Wheelspin at every opportunity with very light throttle and felt like I was going to end up in the hedge on the first roundabout. They were better this morning, and having used these tyres for the previous 5 years know they grid superbly, but first impression for those new to winter tyres is not good - persist people!
Anyone else found winters spectacularly useless initially? New summer tyres are never this poor.
The best way I've found of bring them in is to wait for a milder day (wet or dry is fine, dry better) and then get them on a motorway or dual carriageway. Give them some proper heat, including some big braking, and they'll come in nicely.
Strangely I've just had to do this (albeit not quite for as long) with a used set. They'd had about 4k miles on and needed a good half hour of big throttle to get them back.
It's noticeable on certain fwd cars how the fronts come in quicker than the rears. A blast back up and down the motorway from home north of Worcester to office in Cheltenham and back was plenty to sort out the fronts on Mrs F's old Skoda, but the rears were still quite easy to lock (no ABS) and took another couple of hundred miles to sort out. Nokians.
jshell said:
LOWER pressure? Utter, utter feckwits!
Michelin's sage advice: http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/learn-share/care-g...Watchman said:
We've run the Grabbers on the ML for about 5 years now (my wife had it first - now it's mine). [b]We replace them about the same time every year and keep the two least worn ones as emergency spares.[b]
I drive harder than my wife so I tend to wear the outer shoulders, particularly on the fronts. Mercedes sells a replacement bolt for the uprights which is eccentric and allows for greater negative camber. I've not tried it before but for less than 20 quid it seems worth the experiment. I will collect that tomorrow and have it installed and the car geo aligned next Monday when I get the tyres changed over.
I do run them harder than normal as you indicated. Generally about 4 to 6 psi harder. This gives more even wear (at normal pressures both outers wear more than the middle).
These tyres are excellent in the snow but not so good in ice. Certainly they are leagues better than the tyres Mercedes fits to MLs though.
The ML's 4WD system isn't bad. It apportions plenty of torque to the front and/or rear as required. The truck isn't the last word in delicacy though. I reckon my old Subaru Legacy on proper winter tyres is the best car for snow and slippery conditions that I've ever driven. So much so, I'll PX the ML for a nearly new 2015 3.6 litre Outback next year (once a "nearly new" one is available).
Seriously? My D3 had Grabber ATs fitted when I bought it 18 months ago at 78k miles. They had done 10k miles then and have done another 25k since; apparently 50k out of a set isn't unheard of?I drive harder than my wife so I tend to wear the outer shoulders, particularly on the fronts. Mercedes sells a replacement bolt for the uprights which is eccentric and allows for greater negative camber. I've not tried it before but for less than 20 quid it seems worth the experiment. I will collect that tomorrow and have it installed and the car geo aligned next Monday when I get the tyres changed over.
I do run them harder than normal as you indicated. Generally about 4 to 6 psi harder. This gives more even wear (at normal pressures both outers wear more than the middle).
These tyres are excellent in the snow but not so good in ice. Certainly they are leagues better than the tyres Mercedes fits to MLs though.
The ML's 4WD system isn't bad. It apportions plenty of torque to the front and/or rear as required. The truck isn't the last word in delicacy though. I reckon my old Subaru Legacy on proper winter tyres is the best car for snow and slippery conditions that I've ever driven. So much so, I'll PX the ML for a nearly new 2015 3.6 litre Outback next year (once a "nearly new" one is available).
IroningMan said:
Seriously? My D3 had Grabber ATs fitted when I bought it 18 months ago at 78k miles. They had done 10k miles then and have done another 25k since; apparently 50k out of a set isn't unheard of?
By the time we've done about 20K miles, the fronts are about done. The rears have a bit left in them so I keep them as emergency spares, or to replace next years' worn fronts and prolong the life of the set.I wouldn't say I drive it that hard either.
It's That time of year again - For Your Information Gentlemen
Daughters Corsa = Continental TS850 - in 15" a bargain
My Saab = Nokian WRG2 - just fitted Saturday, good feeling this morning at 2Deg
Wifes Insignia = on 18" summers, but will go to 17" Goodyear Ultragrip 8 Performance on Sat
My Megane Tourer = still on Nokian D3 Front and Nokian WRG2 Rears from Last winter
None of them are new this year, they have all done 1 winter (or part of a winter)
Bring It On
Daughters Corsa = Continental TS850 - in 15" a bargain
My Saab = Nokian WRG2 - just fitted Saturday, good feeling this morning at 2Deg
Wifes Insignia = on 18" summers, but will go to 17" Goodyear Ultragrip 8 Performance on Sat
My Megane Tourer = still on Nokian D3 Front and Nokian WRG2 Rears from Last winter
None of them are new this year, they have all done 1 winter (or part of a winter)
Bring It On
I am about to get 2 winter tyres for Integra but its a pain in the hoop to get them fitted, if I use camskill, none of the local fitters want to fit them, yet they are often £15-20 a side dearer before fitment, and they wonder why I don't buy from them. Hopefully get the set next week and have them on before any drama, its been cold up here but nothing major so far, about -3 at the coldest.
The mrs has a used set awaiting to go on, but again local fitters wont fit, even thought they are old and just need swapped over, im not buying new tyres when I have perfectly good ones from last year she can put on.
Also doesn't help none of the local places are open at the weekend!
The mrs has a used set awaiting to go on, but again local fitters wont fit, even thought they are old and just need swapped over, im not buying new tyres when I have perfectly good ones from last year she can put on.
Also doesn't help none of the local places are open at the weekend!
tenohfive said:
But that photo isn't now, is it.
It's now Sunday night/Monday morning. Is your bumhole still playing 50p/5p at the thought of your local hills? Or are they chilled but snow-free as I (well, strictly speaking Puggit in the snow thread) predicted?
I'm not knocking your excitement (positive or negative) for the snow. Just the Express style, "We're all going to die, it's snowmegeddon time!" post.
Photos from Jan last year. Not excited just annoyed that my 4x4 with winters tyres is (still) in the garage being worked on.It's now Sunday night/Monday morning. Is your bumhole still playing 50p/5p at the thought of your local hills? Or are they chilled but snow-free as I (well, strictly speaking Puggit in the snow thread) predicted?
I'm not knocking your excitement (positive or negative) for the snow. Just the Express style, "We're all going to die, it's snowmegeddon time!" post.
If I don't get to my clients, I don't earn.
Weather went from 15 hours of heavy snow, massive BBC weather warning late on friday evening, through snow/lightning/sunshine/sleet/rain to finally actual sunshine this morning, and at 0600 when I left the temp was 4C!
It would be nice if the weather could be predicted with some accuracy 48 hours in advance from the BBC/Met. The mail/express stories I just ignore.
anyway i'm
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