wide summer tyres designed for a autobahn not a x-over in the snow.

Like others have said, that's nailed it.

Both our cars have relatively wide summer tyres- the Leon more so.

I remember years ago I had a Golf Mk2 Driver, with 185/60? 14 tyres. Good ones, but summer ones. I followed SWMBO who had never driven on snow before, in her Mk2 Polo with 145/80 13s on. I was all over the road, she breezed though it. My tyres were new, premium ones, hers 1/2 worn, mid-range ones.

Many thanks Agerbundsen,

wish we could get the Moon alloys over here but SUK don't import them.

are your Goodyears a load index of 91 or 94 and standard or XL?

regards,

TP

Plumber, it says 215R16 - 99H GW-3 Extra Load on them. For the sake of completion, I run all four at 2.5 Bar or 36 psig.

The grip is only as good as the tyres. This was proved to me this morning with 1 1/2" of virgin snow. (No gritters around here) My morning trip proved uneventful with the "off road" working well but when I applied the brakes to round a corner the Yeti carried on straight ahead. Releasing the brakes restored the steering and all was OK. (Reminder - must have more faith!)

A second manoeuvre, reversing up a slope while turning a corner, totally defeated the Monster and, rather than slide into a stone wall, I continued to a flatter turning point and returned to carry out the uphill turn in forward mode without a problem.

If the tyres had provided more grip then I feel that this morning's incidents would not have happened. As snow is fairly rare around here, being so near the sea, I expect I will wait for the original tyres to wear out before selscting a more "off road" set.

Terfyn,

I can honestly say that with the Maxi Sport Green Line Forest Stage Rally Tyres I mentioned above, fitted to a Rover 220 SDi, I could accelerate full bore on virgin snow with hardly a trace of wheel slip. This car had no electronic aids. It would do equally well on freshly driven snow bit on compressed snow that had multiple tracks and iced up ruts it was less good but still way out performed normal road tyres. In fact trying maximum acceleration on the latter was a little scary but it would drive over them well enough at more appropriate speeds. One normally did not have to drive slower just because snow was covering the ground and could take corners well.

Plumber, it says 215R16 - 99H GW-3 Extra Load on them. For the sake of completion, I run all four at 2.5 Bar or 36 psig.

Many thanks again plus the tyre pressure info.

The reason I have been asking is the Yeti handbook gives little information on winter tyres other than stating:

You must only fit those types of winter tyre which are approved for your vehicle. The permissible sizes of winter tyres are stated in your vehicle documents. Approvals may differ because of national legislation.

Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is the case for summer tyres.....

Besides further stating 205/55/16 or 205/50/17 are required for chains there is no other info supplied contrary to the sentence I have highlighted in bold.

Spoke to the dealer when I ordered the rims; they could only confirm the 205/55/16 for winters but not speed of load index.

Having trawled the internet the most common winter 205/55/R16 in terms of availability appears to be in 91H. Whereas most 215/60/R16 are 99H XL.

So I spoke to the local tyre place this morning, they suggested I would be OK if I used a minimum H speed rating and no less than the load index already fitted (94). They have some Avon winters on order for stock in 205/55/R16 94H XL at a reasonable price so I will probably go with these.

It is a little strange! i can understand the overall diameter of the tyres being smaller if chains are to be fitted due to clearance problems Though Spike Spider with Chains will fit the full size. However can not understand when changing to winter tyres only that the overall tyre diameter is smaller? Why should that be so. I follow that for ideal traction that winter or off road tyres should ideally be of a narrower design than is current but not the diameter. In fact for best traction the larger the diameter the better. Umm interesting.

It is a little strange! i can understand the overall diameter of the tyres being smaller if chains are to be fitted due to clearance problems Though Spike Spider with Chains will fit the full size. However can not understand when changing to winter tyres only that the overall tyre diameter is smaller? Why should that be so. I follow that for ideal traction that winter or off road tyres should ideally be of a narrower design than is current but not the diameter. In fact for best traction the larger the diameter the better. Umm interesting.

The 205/55R16 is 5% smaller diameter. it must be that this is to allow for the "increase" in diameter from fitting the chains. Without chains, 195/65R-16 would have the same diameter and work better in the snow, but not have the room for the chains.

As the title suggests had a fun morning.

Had to divert of a blocked main road due to heaver than forecast snow, down a county lane bizarrely following a Tiguan (who had no problem). The road was narrow and step next thing a knew I was travelling backwards with just no grip.

Needles to say I managed to extract myself but a very close call (still to get home).

Off-road works a treat but totally useless when there is no grip from the tyres. As a side note a policeman took a shine to Yeti, he had a Proton police car.

Steel rims now on order followed by winters of a size suitable for my chains.

Hi What size of rims have you ordered and where from??? will octavia wheels fit??

Regards

Mike

Hi What size of rims have you ordered and where from??? will octavia wheels fit??

Regards

Mike

Hi Mike,

The dealer looked into Octavia rim's (tried some on their Yeti) but they have the wrong offset. SUK are not importing Moon alloys (my preferred choice over all Yeti wheel options :() so I have ordered steel rims (7J 16) and wheel trims as fitted to the Yeti E from my dealer.

The main problem was which size tyre 215/60 or 205/55; decided to go with 205/55 as recommended, plus my last two cars with 4x4 and Haldex drive used this size as standard, which appeared to work.

Edit

Could possible save money looking at after-market but by sticking with stock and dealer info any issues shouldn't effect warranty etc.

Regards,

TP

Edited 20 December, 200916 yr by The Plumber

Hi,

I would agree that the Yeti E wheel trims and steel wheels is the best compromise - given you can't get the Moon alloys over here. Maybe we should voice this point to SUK in the hope they may listen??

WRT to tyres I think the type of tyre is a very subjective one. Personally I would go for the Nokian WRG2 winter tyre.

Twodays ago I had the misfortune to drive my wifes Clio with one Continental Sumer tyre on the nearside front and the other 3 wheels being Nokian WRG2 - after my wife dropped the nearside wheel into a Aberdeenshire pot hole and 100% wrecked the nearside Nokian tyre sidewall - meaning we had to use the "spare" which was a summer tyre.

Going up a hill on snow/slush we were being pulled along by the offiside front, whilst the Continental whizzed away on the nearside making a slush smoothie.....

Makes you think that if you are going to get winter tyres - what do you have as a spare ???? Sorry to start the Spare tyre thread up again!

FYI , but guess you already know this .... you can see a range of price and types of tyres here: http://www.mytyres.co.uk/Winter_Tyres.html

I think I'll be going for the Nokian's again if/when I get the Yeti. But perhaps the worst of the winter will be over by then and we'll be talking about....what are the best Summer tyres!!!

Graham

Hi,

I would agree that the Yeti E wheel trims and steel wheels is the best compromise - given you can't get the Moon alloys over here. Maybe we should voice this point to SUK in the hope they may listen??

WRT to tyres I think the type of tyre is a very subjective one. Personally I would go for the Nokian WRG2 winter tyre.

Twodays ago I had the misfortune to drive my wifes Clio with one Continental Sumer tyre on the nearside front and the other 3 wheels being Nokian WRG2 - after my wife dropped the nearside wheel into a Aberdeenshire pot hole and 100% wrecked the nearside Nokian tyre sidewall - meaning we had to use the "spare" which was a summer tyre.

Going up a hill on snow/slush we were being pulled along by the offiside front, whilst the Continental whizzed away on the nearside making a slush smoothie.....

Makes you think that if you are going to get winter tyres - what do you have as a spare ???? Sorry to start the Spare tyre thread up again!

FYI , but guess you already know this .... you can see a range of price and types of tyres here: http://www.mytyres.co.uk/Winter_Tyres.html

I think I'll be going for the Nokian's again if/when I get the Yeti. But perhaps the worst of the winter will be over by then and we'll be talking about....what are the best Summer tyres!!!

Graham

Many thanks,

the Nokian's do have a better write-up and could work out slightly cheaper depending on fitting costs over the Avon's I can get locally.

TP