Snow (winter) tyres 2 or 4?

[GreenMachine1.6]

Given the infrequent use, probably 1 week per year on average especially in balmy Suffolk, any thoughts on fitting snow tyres to the driving wheels only?

[Nick P]

It's very much frowned upon as it can give you a false sense of security leading to surprise over-steer.

Edited 20 December, 2009 by wega3k

[Anthony 1]

Put them on all 4 corners. It is important to have the same levels of grip and feel all round it not just about pulling away but being safe and staying on the road.

[viewer]

Agreed. I've just had 4 put on one of our Fabias and kept the old casing to put back on for a while after Easter. Have a look at reviews; there seem to be considerable differences between winter tyres. I've gone for Kumo K23s, but can't give any feedback on performance so can't recommend (or otherwise). £217 for the four from Blackcircle fitted at local garage.

[magic62]

Always put 4 on. Did that as an experiment on a former car and almost distroyed minimum 6 cars in our street. (frontdriven, wintertyres up front).

The car reacted worse than an old 911 on lift off oversteer.

Without lifting off, the back came so quick and steady that no countersteer and full throttle could help. Luckily I escaped exactely between two parked cars (backwards off course).

If you will have to put the wheels with most grip at the back. This is to keep the car driveable and to have no sudden oversteer. Problem with our fwd cars, that wont help traction to get away.

So if, always put 4 of the same tyres on a car. This wont put you in a situation that you cant handle anymore.

[skippy41]

Why waist money, you only need them on the front, that's all I do every year, and have never had a problem, and we see more snow than you lot down south,

[Anthony 1]

I agree with magic62 above pting only 2 on the front is an accident waiting to happen. I have tried it and it makes a car tail happy and in an emergency it could get nasty. Definitely 4 for safety.

[broere]

There's a rule for that: 4-4-4! On all four wheels, not less than 4 mm of profile and no longer than 4 years old.

[Gers]

Why compromise on safety and risk to your car for the sake of a couple of hundred quid?

Would you ever consider, changing one set of brakes instead of both because one set is better than none?

Those 4 corners are probably the most important parts of your car because they are the only contact your car has with the ground to grip and control.

Definately all 4.

[stace]

I've found two fine. Just remember if its ice, you've no grip no matter what

[magic62]

The difference is less when you already drive normal 16" or 15" wheels. If however you are going to put 16" winters up front and 17" or 18" in the back, you will be saving at the wrong end! Those few quid you are saving on the wheels (and if on winterwheels, you will not wear your summerwheels). One little smack on a curb or worse one accident is far more expensive.

Edited 21 December, 2009 by magic62

[Gers]

Stace, I couldn't agree with you less. So, much so, I had to find this link that wega3k posted last month on another thread.

If you think it doesn't matter what you have contacting the road, take a peek at this.

[Gers]

Those few quid you are saving with the wheels (and if on winterwheels, you will not wear your summerwheels). One little smack on a curb or worse one accident is far more expensive.

Couldn't agree more on this statement.

When you look at some of the accessories people are prepared to spend exuberant amounts of money on and then baulk at paying a few hundred for a set of winter wheels/tyres!:no:

Like you said, if you're using winter tyres, your summer tyres ain't wearing down. So in end effect, you're only paying for the wheels and the effort of changing them every year.

Edited 21 December, 2009 by Gers

[Anthony 1]

I've found two fine. Just remember if its ice, you've no grip no matter what

That is untrue. The force of friction is dependent on a number of things amongst them are the properties of the frictional surfaces at the interface of two the dissimilar materials. Ice contrary to popular myth does have a frictional coefficient and the rubber in tyres most certainly does.

[cheezemonkhai]

Why waist money, you only need them on the front, that's all I do every year, and have never had a problem, and we see more snow than you lot down south,

Sorry mate you're wrong.

You will get nasty oversteer if ythe front is gripping and the rears not.

If you're going to buy winter tyres then do it properly or don't bother at all.

2 extra winter tyres are £160 delivered, so it's better to pay £160 over a few years, than buy a toy then slide the car out and cause hundreds in damage.

As for the ice comments.

I made it up a hill a 4x4 couldn't and started off from a hill, but on sheet ice, things are still not great. ABS going mad isn't a nice feeling.

Edited 21 December, 2009 by cheezemonkhai

[foo]

What about one on the front o/s and one on the rear n/s?

:p

[magic62]

What about one on the front o/s and one on the rear n/s?

That should be the solution. No grip to get away means no speed means no sudden oversteer

[kumquat]

What about one on the front o/s and one on the rear n/s?

:p

you'll end up going round in circles.....

[skippy41]

Never had a problem in 28 years of driving my taxi by fitting only to the drive wheels, when driving on snow slow down and let the tyres grip, if you get over / under steer your going to fast

[cheezemonkhai]

http://www.klebertyres.co.uk/KleberUK/front/index.jsp?codeRubrique=8032005184643&codePage=KLEBER_PAG_conseilsvehicul〈=EN

http://www.michelin.co.uk/michelinuk/en/car-4x4-van/fitting-cold-weather-tyres-wheels-winter/20070319171413.html

[mb14]

Having just bought the best car i have ever had in 20 years-2.0 TDi vRS-it is also the worst car i've had on the ice,those 18" tyres are great normally.I also drive to Austria every year to go sking,so i am seriously considering buying 4 winter tyres, the best i can find is at Tyretraders where i can get Khumo's fitted for £126 anybody recommend any other winter tyres?

[Nick P]

16" winter tyres are so much cheaper. Get a cheap set of 16" steels or alloys.

See the thread I created few days back about it... http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/146927-fitting-winter-tyres-16-vega-wheels-to-vrs-with-photos/page__p__1836248entry1836248

Edited 22 December, 2009 by wega3k

[cheezemonkhai]

Having just bought the best car i have ever had in 20 years-2.0 TDi vRS-it is also the worst car i've had on the ice,those 18" tyres are great normally.I also drive to Austria every year to go sking,so i am seriously considering buying 4 winter tyres, the best i can find is at Tyretraders where i can get Khumo's fitted for £126 anybody recommend any other winter tyres?

All of these are steel wheels with winter tyres fitted, so all you need to do is take a wheel off off and put the new wheel on one at a time.

This means you have a set of steels for winters, which will fit over the 312mm brakes (16") and will save you having to change tyres over.

HTH

FOr some reason the link won't work, but copy and paste should.

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https://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/skw.pl?bestellnummer=9535--D-103578&cart_id=2256896.110.23918&Cookie=&dsco=110&csuchen=1&syt_d=&Hersteller=Skoda&PKWtyp=OCTAVIA+RS+2.0+TFSI&felge=16%20inch|5%20x%20112.00%20x%2057.00|5|50.00&PKWtypgenau=24|48|30|1984|147|200509||57.00|112.00|5|1Z|6208|P|E11*2001/116*0230*..|&my_1_car=Skoda__OCTAVIA%20RS%202.0%20TFSI____24|48|30|1984|147|200509||57.00|112.00|5|1Z|6208|P|E11*2001/116*0230*..|

https://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/skw.pl?bestellnummer=9535--R-157125&cart_id=2256896.110.23918&Cookie=&dsco=110&csuchen=1&syt_d=&Hersteller=Skoda&PKWtyp=OCTAVIA+RS+2.0+TFSI&felge=16%20inch|5%20x%20112.00%20x%2057.00|5|50.00&PKWtypgenau=24|48|30|1984|147|200509||57.00|112.00|5|1Z|6208|P|E11*2001/116*0230*..|&my_1_car=Skoda__OCTAVIA%20RS%202.0%20TFSI____24|48|30|1984|147|200509||57.00|112.00|5|1Z|6208|P|E11*2001/116*0230*..|

Edited 22 December, 2009 by cheezemonkhai

[vRSy]

6 years working in germany doing that every year with no issue, on various cars. ive not had any issues with the back over taking the front

i only bought the set for the rears in the last year was there, it means you can make better progress but just doing the front isnt dangerous

[magic62]

6 years working in germany doing that every year with no issue, on various cars. ive not had any issues with the back over taking the front

i only bought the set for the rears in the last year was there, it means you can make better progress but just doing the front isnt dangerous

This still depends on the car and on what summer tyres are on the back. Especially high speed rated tyres dont do well under cold conditions, these combined with winter tyres will give that "special" handling.

Driving a small car with "normal" tyres (rating and size) could be driveable with only one axle on winter tyres. A car with high speed rated tyres wont.

A car with only summer tyres is also driveable in snow, as long as you go slow enough the car stays driveable and dependable.

It is in case of, where the car can surprise you. And these situations often cost way more than those 2 bl***y extra winter tyres.