snow tyres on just the front fwd car? madness or okay

[steveo3002]

whats the thoughts on just 2 snow tyres on the front of a front wheel drive car , just a shopping run about so wont be doing any stunt driving

[v8will]

Ran my Yaris with just winter tyres on the front last winter. No dramas or hassle.

[EDLT]

Can't see it doing any harm. Although some people on here seem to think having anything except four matched high performance tyres is going to kill you as soon as you touch the steering wheel.

[Uhura fighter]

Youtube has the answers.

I wouldn't.

[Baffled Spoon]

^^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzB7hpWhqIA

Bear in mind the car in the video has two all season tyres, so on two summers and two winters, it would be a liability to swapping ends.

[steveo3002]

youtube is a rwd car

im talking fwd , so in my mind would better than no snow tyres at all sinse all the action happens at the front , ok if i was trying to drive flat out the rear might get frilly on corners

[60]

With the amount of difference they made on my car I woudnt want to have summers on one end and winters on the other.

[Piepiepie]

I surely cant be the only PH member that thinks all this winter tyre stuff is a load of pony. However most PHers seem to cream themselves at the hint of winter tyres....

What did we do 50 years ago?

[Baffled Spoon]

Sigh. You are pedantic OP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdtAm7RsTmE

1.50 into the video shows a fwd car swapping ends under braking when it has winters on the front, and summers on the back. Simple physics.

[Uhura fighter]

steveo3002 said:

youtube is a rwd car

im talking fwd , so in my mind would better than no snow tyres at all sinse all the action happens at the front , ok if i was trying to drive flat out the rear might get frilly

Plenty more vids on youtube for your situation, you'll have to look.


In short; A car fitted with winter front and summer/all season at the back will "snap" under braking and entering a corner. The back will race past the front. (Tail out but very quick with little you can do) The back will have no grip.

[Targarama]

Piepiepie said:

I surely cant be the only PH member that thinks all this winter tyre stuff is a load of pony. However most PHers seem to cream themselves at the hint of winter tyres....

What did we do 50 years ago?

We had cars with thin tyres, not wide low profile tyres.

[thinfourth2]

Piepiepie said:

I surely cant be the only PH member that thinks all this winter tyre stuff is a load of pony. However most PHers seem to cream themselves at the hint of winter tyres....

What did we do 50 years ago?

Drive around with skinny tyres whilst not caring about the ring time of a crappy hatchback

[ukmike2000]

I had winter tyres on the front only last year (FWD of course)- brilliant for traction and never got stuck. Four would have been better but drive to the grip of the rears and don't go hammering round corners on snow and I don't see a problem. Look upon them as permanent chains and you will be ok.

[K87]

Baffled Spoon said:

Sigh. You are pedantic OP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdtAm7RsTmE

1.50 into the video shows a fwd car swapping ends under braking when it has winters on the front, and summers on the back. Simple physics.

To be fair though that's entirely inappropriate driving in that video. Far too fast for the conditions regardless of tyres, plus he locked the front wheels then continued to hold them on. Not slowing down through the gears like you're taught to in snow!

For what it's worth I've driven a car all through winter with budget summer tyres on. Steering and braking were fine because you know you have naff all grip so you drive appropriately. The only issue was getting up slippy hills with no traction.... but obviously with winter tyres on the front it would have been a lot better. This was in a FWD car too.

Winter is about the driver and appreciating the conditions, not just the tyre choice.

Edited by K87 on Tuesday 2nd August 18:24

[blueg33]

This subject was done to death on PH last year.

Grippiest tyres on the back please regardless of which wheels are driven. If you think you know more than tyre manufacturers then keep of the fekkin roads where I live! I dont want you increasing my insurance premiums.

Edited by blueg33 on Tuesday 2nd August 18:39

[otolith]

Front only will stop you getting stuck, but you will have a big disparity in grip front to rear with consequences to the handling. The combination you propose is used in ice driving training schools to teach about oversteer in fwd vehicles.

[pits]

Just make sure you change them at the correct time, you don't want to be getting stuck in the sun because of your winter tyres.

[jagnet]

I ran with just winters on the front of the OH's A3 last year, primarily because that's all the tyre place had left in stock. First corner I came to in the snow the back stepped out in a big way, which I was fortunate enough to be able to catch due to my driving god status the low speed more than anything.

After that it was a case of remembering just how twitchy the car could be, braking in a straight line and treating corners with a degree of caution. Didn't have any more moments as a result.

I wouldn't recommend running with a mix of winter and summer tyres, but sometimes needs must and if you do just be alert to what can happen.

[jmb88]

I've driven the last 6 full winters in rural Northumberland with snow tyres on the front only, and never lost it. It's fine, provided you drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions. I hardly ever brake in snow, just use engine braking, which is probably why my cars have never swapped ends on me in those conditions.

[steveo3002]

jmb88 said:

I've driven the last 6 full winters in rural Northumberland with snow tyres on the front only, and never lost it. It's fine, provided you drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions. I hardly ever brake in snow, just use engine braking, which is probably why my cars have never swapped ends on me in those conditions.

yeah thats my thinking ..drive like im on normal bald ditch finders and any extra grip up hills is a bonus

i fully realise 4 matching ones would be the best bet