Are snow tyres really worth it ?

Said speed limits, for example 190kph on my T-rated winter tyres, apply for winter weather only. High temperatures mean softer rubber, and potentially less resistance against increasing centripetal forces and similar assaults on a tyre's life.

GM_IV: Of course a RWD car with proper winter tyres will do better than a FWD car without them. Same thing vice versa, a RWD car without proper winter tyres will do worse than FWD one with them. The guy bringing up RWD vs FWD was probably intending to say "with identical tyres" alongside of "regardless of tyres". No matter which (identical) tyres you put on, etc etc. is what I guess he meant.
 
narf said:
GM_IV: Of course a RWD car with proper winter tyres will do better than a FWD car without them. Same thing vice versa, a RWD car without proper winter tyres will do worse than FWD one with them. The guy bringing up RWD vs FWD was probably intending to say "with identical tyres" alongside of "regardless of tyres". No matter which (identical) tyres you put on, etc etc. is what I guess he meant.
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Even if he meant both layouts have the same tires its still wrong to say FWD is better than RWD in the winter especially with today's winter tire technology and of course traction control. If RWD's initial traction problems are an issue, just add some weight in the back to alter the weight distribution and increase traction on the drive wheels. They both have their advantages and disadvantages in such conditions, that's why AWD ends up being the better of the three here since otherwise AWD would be pointless.
 
Sure, it may be wrong, I don't care. I was just pointing out he probably did not favor all-season FWD over winter RWD.



PS: If RWD needs you to "alter the weight distribution" then it may be worse after all :tease: but I don't feel like pushing the umpteen gazillionth debate about this...
 
lip said:
The maximum speed allowed for most winter tires is only 180km/h (112m/h).
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Well, I would have to say:

If the weather and the snow/ice is so bad that you need snow tires, and you're STILL driving over 100mph:

I will personally nominate you for the Darwin Awards this year. :)
 
Weeeeelll, winter/snow tyres are better for colder temperatures, snow or no snow. When I was on the road for >800km two days ago it was freezing, around -5 to -10?C, but dry... at least the autobahns were. Can't be bothered to go 50kph all the time then just because I've got winter/snow tyres. For the final stretch Hamburg -> Kiel it was reasonably low traffic as well, so 100mph it is :lol: I'll accept that award now, thanks :nod:
 
narf said:
Weeeeelll, winter/snow tyres are better for colder temperatures, snow or no snow. When I was on the road for >800km two days ago it was freezing, around -5 to -10?C, but dry... at least the autobahns were. Can't be bothered to go 50kph all the time then just because I've got winter/snow tyres. For the final stretch Hamburg -> Kiel it was reasonably low traffic as well, so 100mph it is :lol: I'll accept that award now, thanks :nod:
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*laughs*

You know what I meant! I hope. :p
God, I'm tired. I think it's bed time for me. :)
 
emil_t said:
Found somekind of tyre blanket that seem to replace snowtyres.

softspike_500.jpg


diagramm550.jpg


i really haven't seen any test with it but it's kind of an interesting concept
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They work perfectly but they do not replace snow tires. They replace snow chains, designed for emergency use when you get stuck or think you will get stuck. Target markets are places where studs are not allowed, so I've not seen any around here but they're popular in Norway. Maximum speed is 50km/h.
 
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That American Girl said:
*laughs*

You know what I meant! I hope. :p
God, I'm tired. I think it's bed time for me. :)
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Well i guess he did. But I'm not sure u gave it further thought. It's really just a few days where there is snow and ice. So it's really good that the manufacturers try to make the winter tires as high speed proof as they possibly can. As long as it is cold you really have a better grip feeling on winter tires... also at high speeds. When it's try but cold with summer tires they feel really brittle and hard... like i was driving on my rims.

180kmh in summer on winter tires feels dangerous, 180kmh in winter on summer tires does too...
 
That American Girl said:
*laughs*

You know what I meant! I hope. :p
God, I'm tired. I think it's bed time for me. :)
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Of course, you probably meant nobody needs to do 100mph in snow/ice, I fully agree :D.
There is the cold weather aspect to winter tyres though, different rubber compound means summer tyres fail at brrrrrrr cold weather ;)
 
Don't forget even if you're using winter tires on a really cold day at high speeds, the tires themselves will still heat up just like any tire, and that effect on it's own could potentially be enough to make it dangerous to travel at high speeds for extended periods of time on the winter tires if they heat past their acceptable range. Not likely, but possible I suppose.
 
I'd hope that a winter tyre rated at for example 190kph will do fine when going long distance at 190kph in cold weather with no heat issues... else the rating would be pretty bogus.
 
That's just a video of some guy stuck in a small amount of snow giving the car too much gas every time he moves forward and backward...

If I get stuck this winter I'll try to videotape my escape :lol:
 
Well the only reason he's stuck is that his RWD car has no weight over his rubbish summer tires ;)
 
Yes they are worth it for sure. I use to live in Wisconsin and swear by them. Nokain Hakkapeliitta is a good company to start with.
 
been on a road full of packed snow with my car (snow tyres) and another similar car with summer tyres, my car even if it was slideing a bit didn't cause any problems, it didn't got stuck not even once, but the car with summer tyres ... dear god ... it could barely climb a slope that i could albeit not effortlessly but wouldn't cause any major problem.

on anything other than a smooth road the summer tyres would be all over the place, not to mention understeering very badly in corners.

I'm sold for winter tyres.
 
emil_t said:
Have driven 2 cars one with summer tyres and one with winter tyres, on the snow i couldn't tell them apart, except on cold clean asphalt on wich winter tyres seem to behave a little bit better.

But i still wonder, i don't know about you guys, but i don't see the need to spend on another set of tyres just for winter, i guess winter tyres have some placebo effect that makes you feel safer but i think that's about it.
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Some time later...

emil_t said:
been on a road full of packed snow with my car (snow tyres) and another similar car with summer tyres, my car even if it was slideing a bit didn't cause any problems, it didn't got stuck not even once, but the car with summer tyres ... dear god ... it could barely climb a slope that i could albeit not effortlessly but wouldn't cause any major problem.

on anything other than a smooth road the summer tyres would be all over the place, not to mention understeering very badly in corners.

I'm sold for winter tyres.
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How do you feel now ? :mrgreen:
 
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