Fitting Winter tyres this weekend
Discussion
I've bought a set of Kumho Winter tyres on a spare set of wheels and will be fitting them to my commuter hack this weekend. The forecast for next week looks chilly, so now's a good time to start.
Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...
Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...
eldar said:
...Don't fit them until it gets to around 7c or colder, they wear quite quickly if too warm.....
I imagined the wear rate would be quite high because the compound does seem very soft - I assume it's a more "oily" rubber than that found in normal tyres?The car only does 5 miles a day, at 7am and 7pm-ish, so the ambient temp. would likely be in single figures at these times until March, especially on the morning drive.
Got into the habit of doing this when I lived in Germany. Have a cheap set of steel rims and some winter tyres. Probably chuck them on in the next couple of weeks and keep them there until Mar or so. I'm sure they are intended for when the average ambient is below 10 Celcius if I remember correctly.
Seeing as I have them, it seems a good way to save wear and tear on the decent alloys and tyres, and if it stops an accident just once they will have more than paid for themselves!
Seeing as I have them, it seems a good way to save wear and tear on the decent alloys and tyres, and if it stops an accident just once they will have more than paid for themselves!
Hereward said:
eldar said:
...Don't fit them until it gets to around 7c or colder, they wear quite quickly if too warm.....
I imagined the wear rate would be quite high because the compound does seem very soft - I assume it's a more "oily" rubber than that found in normal tyres?The car only does 5 miles a day, at 7am and 7pm-ish, so the ambient temp. would likely be in single figures at these times until March, especially on the morning drive.
The compound feels softer, to my non-scientific finger. I use them as I live at the top of a hill that is prone to frost, ice and snow, and they are a lot cheaper than a 4x4. They seem to work, in that I haven't got stuck, even on snowy fell roads, assuming you use common sense.
Don't see the point in this country, the weather is never severe enough to warrant it. In certain countries where you're guaranteed snow from December through to March it might be worthwhile but for a bit of frost and rain, decent tyres can deal with this fine if you drive appropriately.
Hereward said:
I've bought a set of Kumho Winter tyres on a spare set of wheels and will be fitting them to my commuter hack this weekend. The forecast for next week looks chilly, so now's a good time to start.
Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...
Errr, in Surrey and London, why?Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...

Seems like a lot of bother for nothing!
They're cheap and nasty budget winter tyres.
They'll be worse than a set of branded 'summer' tyres.
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times winter tyres would have been helpful in the UK and for the last 3 years I have spent a lot of my time driving around mid Wales.
They'll be worse than a set of branded 'summer' tyres.
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times winter tyres would have been helpful in the UK and for the last 3 years I have spent a lot of my time driving around mid Wales.
hcanning said:
Don't see the point in this country, the weather is never severe enough to warrant it. In certain countries where you're guaranteed snow from December through to March it might be worthwhile but for a bit of frost and rain, decent tyres can deal with this fine if you drive appropriately.
It still snows oop north
eldar said:
Don't fit them until it gets to around 7c or colder, they wear quite quickly if too warm.....
jesus that means that i would need winter tyres almost all of the year i do have goodyear hydragrips mainly because it rains a hell of a lot in shetland and i feel that compared to the snow tyrer i had on they are a lot better in the pissing rain especially in my beemereldar said:
hcanning said:
Don't see the point in this country, the weather is never severe enough to warrant it. In certain countries where you're guaranteed snow from December through to March it might be worthwhile but for a bit of frost and rain, decent tyres can deal with this fine if you drive appropriately.
It still snows oop north
john2443 said:
Hereward said:
I've bought a set of Kumho Winter tyres on a spare set of wheels and will be fitting them to my commuter hack this weekend. The forecast for next week looks chilly, so now's a good time to start.
Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...
Errr, in Surrey and London, why?Anyone else doing the same?
Haven't tried them before so will be interested to see if I can feel a difference. Sod's Law means I'll probably crash the car this Winter...

Seems like a lot of bother for nothing!
It should only take 40mins or so to swap the wheels over.
belleair302 said:
Why more people don't do this is beyond me. They work very well in rain, on damp roads and in frosty weather....not just snow and ice. A wise moveif you live in Northern Ireland, Northern England, Scotland and possibly North Wales.
+1We'd all be paying less in insurance if a few more folks fitted
winter tyres in the winter.
Fewer car crashes etc
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff