Show us your winter wheels

[foo]

Insurance is my concern on this as well (hence have bought some 225/50 17 to transfer onto the standard Proteus wheels, probably at the end of the month). So from what you say the wheels you have bought are an exact match for these which is interesting, as the only one's I can seem to be able to find have either different widths or offset, which I am concerned the insurance company would see as a modification. Seems I need to find some like yours (doesn't seem any chance of getting a cheap set of spare proteus wheels !!).

Mine match the specifications for winter wheels outlined in the manual (by the manufacturer) i.e. 16 inch 6.5J ET50. In fact they match standard fit for an Octavia with 16 wheels as standard.

All my insurer said was "That is fine so long as they match manufacturer spec, we would just replace with standard fit (i.e Proteus) in the event of an accident" - which is fine by me. Call your insurer. Bell (who I was with) were useless, responding with "you do not need to tell us when you change tyres" utterly failing to actually understand the question. Axa (who I am now with) listened, looked into it and came back with the above.

I have to say I found looking at wheels on eBay frustrating - so many sellers either do not list the detail you need ET/PCD or seem to get it wrong - and when shipping can be so expensive it is not worth taking a chance really.

Hence this thread - it will at least help you visually filter listings so you can ask questions to sellers of likely targets.

[Bogwoppit]

Audi A3 alloys (not sure on name)

Size - 16" x 6.5J, PCD 112 x 5, ET 50 (Exactly the same size as the vRS spare wheel)

Tyres - Hankook W310 Winter i*cept evo, 205/55 R16 91H

[foo]

And what the hell is going on with that tread?! It doesn't even look straight!

That was my first thought. Cut by a blind North Korean political prisoner probably.

Edited 7 October, 2011 by foo

[Tonyp5a]

Mine match the specifications for winter wheels outlined in the manual (by the manufacturer) i.e. 16 inch 6.5J ET50. In fact they match standard fit for an Octavia with 16 wheels as standard.

All my insurer said was "That is fine so long as they match manufacturer spec, we would just replace with standard fit (i.e Proteus) in the event of an accident" - which is fine by me. Call your insurer. Bell (who I was with) were useless, responding with "you do not need to tell us when you change tyres" utterly failing to actually understand the question. Axa (who I am now with) listened, looked into it and came back with the above.

I have to say I found looking at wheels on eBay frustrating - so many sellers either do not list the detail you need ET/PCD or seem to get it wrong - and when shipping can be so expensive it is not worth taking a chance really.

Hence this thread - it will at least help you visually filter listings so you can ask questions to sellers of likely targets.

Thanks for the additional info'. Having been trawling ebay for a while I have all but given up and having now bought the 17" tryes (Dunlop, not Ovation !!) it looks like I'm stuck with swapping the tyres onto the standard rims, at least for this year. The search continues.

[skomaz]

That pic was taken at the entrance to the forest up the road from my house last November when I went snowboarding up there . I'm not getting to the Alps this season either. First time I've not gone in years. :(

I've been looking at that photo trying to work out where it is at it does look familiar but I still can't dredge it from he depths of my memory...

[Wardy]

Tmos has beaten me to it with Yeti Spitzberg wheels on a Scout

They look pretty good to me...

Yep, those suit it well

[billy2981]

whats the crack with snow tyres?

I am looking at getting some tyres for my mk1 vRS. I have:

Team Dynamic Pro Race 1.2 8x18 (2x Falken 452 2x rim only)

LCR Ronal 7.5x18 (4x Falken 452 2 came with them took 2 off TDs to match them up)

Spiders 7x17 (4x Toyo t1R 225 45 17)

now what do I do? get 2 winter tyres on the 2 TD?(not reccomended I would say)

get a set of 4 on the TDs or the LCR rims?

get a set of 4 205 50 17 on the Spiders?

or just get snow socks?

Last year the snow around Cardiff was really bad and for a few days pos 5 the roads(even the A48M) out of cardiff was thick in snow. I have a small steep hill to get up to get out of the little street of houses then i#ts pritty good going even with the 452.

I do 80-82 mile a day to avonmouth and back. I need a goot tyre that will cope with the snow and also cruise on the Mways? I will have another set of wheels that Ill pop on when its not snowing so to not use them all winter.

need a good tyre thats pritty cheap.

sorry to hijack

Billy

Which ones?

the LCR are the main ones I use so I dont need spacers (TDs need 3mm and Spiders 5mm to clear the LCR Brembos)

ps Take it you were joking about getting the Ovation ones fm Camskill? :S

[pz1811]

Just a quick question .!

When you guys upsize or downsize your wheels .... Do you have to code the ABS to accommodate the change in tyre size .??

Or is the ABS system a self learning one ?

[billy2981]

as long as all 4 are the same sizes it should be fine. nothing to learn. only needs to know if a wheel is locking up which it does on speed sensors on each hub iirc. is on the mk1 ne way dont think it woul be too much different on the mk2

[foo]

Just a quick question .!

When you guys upsize or downsize your wheels .... Do you have to code the ABS to accommodate the change in tyre size .??

Or is the ABS system a self learning one ?

The change in circumference of the tyre is really quite small as the profile is greater. (225/50/17 vs 205/55/16). ABS is all about relative (to one another) wheel speed anyway so if all 4 are swapped there are no issues.

[ukcruiser]

18" OEM Luxon Alloy wheels with Vredestine Wintrac Xtreme Tyres... (OEM Size - 225 / 40 / 18)

... Photo's from last year, they are still in the garage for this forth coming winter!

It turned the 4x4 Superb into a Snow-Munching monster!

Al.

[Wardy]

Excellent. Yes, can imagine that was pretty impressive with those on, hooked upto the 4x4

[Stamsaas]

Here Are mine from last year, 8x19 ET45 TSW Vortex with 235/35-19 Nokian Hakkapeliitta.

But too wide tires up front, so sold them. Rubbed in front in the hight on photos, and it looks "sky-high" :(

Therefore, this year I will use the OEM RS rims, sprayed in Audi Daytona Grey not bougth tires yet.

Nice to see yours nick p, that grey works on blue

Edited 7 October, 2011 by Stamsaas

[ChrisRs]

Audi A6 Alloys..£100 from eBay

Kumho KW27 winter tyres £46 each from Camskill

[jrw]

whats the crack with snow tyres?

I am looking at getting some tyres for my mk1 vRS. I have:

Team Dynamic Pro Race 1.2 8x18 (2x Falken 452 2x rim only)

LCR Ronal 7.5x18 (4x Falken 452 2 came with them took 2 off TDs to match them up)

Spiders 7x17 (4x Toyo t1R 225 45 17)

now what do I do? get 2 winter tyres on the 2 TD?(not reccomended I would say)

get a set of 4 on the TDs or the LCR rims?

get a set of 4 205 50 17 on the Spiders?

or just get snow socks?

Last year the snow around Cardiff was really bad and for a few days pos 5 the roads(even the A48M) out of cardiff was thick in snow. I have a small steep hill to get up to get out of the little street of houses then i#ts pritty good going even with the 452.

I do 80-82 mile a day to avonmouth and back. I need a goot tyre that will cope with the snow and also cruise on the Mways? I will have another set of wheels that Ill pop on when its not snowing so to not use them all winter.

need a good tyre thats pritty cheap.

sorry to hijack

Billy

First of all they aren't snow tyres, they are Winter tyres so you don't need to take them off when it isn't snowing.. You can use them ideally below 7C. I put mine on when the temps start to drop and take them off when it is consistently above 7c. Usually Nov to March.

Secondly the smaller the wheel the better (more 'give' in the tyre) so i would go with the spiders but the tyres will be the same size as your current ones, ie 225/45/17...but it is entirely up to you - just make sure you don't get different size tyres to what is currently on the wheels.

[billy2981]

First of all they aren't snow tyres, they are Winter tyres so you don't need to take them off when it isn't snowing.. You can use them ideally below 7C. I put mine on when the temps start to drop and take them off when it is consistently above 7c. Usually Nov to March.

Secondly the smaller the wheel the better (more 'give' in the tyre) so i would go with the spiders but the tyres will be the same size as your current ones, ie 225/45/17...but it is entirely up to you - just make sure you don't get different size tyres to what is currently on the wheels.

tHANKS MATE,

Ill be going back to std fit stuff 205 50 17 on the spiders. guess Id best put the spiders back on and use the t1Rs lol

cheers

oh are them ones ok to use?

[Stamsaas]

Got the tires mounted today, 225/40-18 Continental ContiVikingContakt 5 Need good wintertires here in Norway.

New center caps are in the mail. Looks like I have to take it up a little bit

[Wardy]

Unsurprisingly - they look great.

And yes, I'd imagine you make very good use of winter rubber where you are

[Guest]

Got the tires mounted today, 225/40-18 Continental ContiVikingContakt 5 Need good wintertires here in Norway.

New center caps are in the mail. Looks like I have to take it up a little bit

loving the colour of those wheels

[rob_e]

I had a set of Goodyear UltraGrip Performance2's fitted this morning on my OE 18" rims.

I'd been looking for a good second set of rims for my winters but I'm so busy with other stuff it just wasn't happening.. plus I'd gone as far as ordering a set of Assymetric 2's a couple of months ago but not had time to get them fitted. I ended up cancelling the Assymetrics and just going straight on to a set of winters for my current rims.

Massive tread depth, directional pattern, big rim protectors..

And yes, before anyone points it out, I know a set of 16"s from mytyres including winter boots would have been a bit cheaper, but with my garage re-build project going on right now I don't have much storage space, plus my car still looks like a vRS through the winter, unlike some!

[900000]

... plus my car still looks like a vRS through the winter, unlike some!

True... though I like the fact that my car looks different in the winter than in the summer. I always thought it peculiar going to the Continent (or specifically France) that they all drive sans hubcaps! Only now do I realise this thought normally only crossed my mind going there in the winter and they were mostly driving with their winter rubber on. They are less worried about keeping the look of a car than we are. But in saying that I also find the black steel wheel look just awful and am in the process of painting my steel wheels silver - one winter on black steel wheels was enough. Once the temperature drops enough I'll put them on and post some pictures to this thread.

[Lady Elanore]

These are mine. And proof that winter tyres work well in snow. The last 2 pics were taken high up near the top of Winter Hill. I know they aren't on an Octy, but the wheels are replicas and can be got in most VAG fitting sizes. I got these with the Audi Centres for about £350 (wheels that is)

Edited 2 November, 2011 by Lady Elanore

[Wardy]

Looks good Lady E - they suit the A4. Nice tread pattern on the Vreds too

[rob_e]

But in saying that I also find the black steel wheel look just awful and am in the process of painting my steel wheels silver - one winter on black steel wheels was enough.

Fair enough, but isn't silver a bit dull as a colour choice? A bright red (GT3 style) or asbo orange, or lime green would be stunning IMO. You should photoshop some images to check it out. Not being silly, I really think this would look good. :yes:

[Moley RUFC]

A pair of trusty of Auto Sock's are in the boot