Morning folks,

This is just a thought I need clearing up. As a child in the back of my Dad's Mk1 & Mk2 Escorts, I have memories of travelling all over West Yorkshire in varying depths of snow and seemingly getting there without any real fuss. I rarely heard my parents use the word 'treacherous' (which is used by the BBC every ten seconds) and people just got on with things. Now, chaos ensues and a couple of inches of snow is an excuse for people to skive off work and refuse to go about their normal lives.

So the question is, were the compunds on older tyres more like a winter compound than a summer? How did a rear wheel drive Escort manage to get about when modern cars are seemingly utter carp?

Narrower tyres gave greater weight forces into the snow. Wide tyres on snow are horrible.

That's basically it!

Even your basic run about has got 195 width tyres these days, and while not particulary wide, are wider than what similar cars would be fitted with 10-15 years ago.

My Octy was lighting up the front tyres on a frosty road the other day - when there's the slightest bit of snow or slush it handles like a racehorse on rollerskates. By comparison, my GF's old Micra cuts through it with no problems... when it starts

Edited 6 January, 201016 yr by Interphase

My first car had 155 R15 wheels with the cheapest tyres you could get that weren't remoulds and the snow never bothered it.

It also had no ABS or power steering (but a massive 75hp).

Years ag tyres where far more narrow than they are today they also had higher 90% profiles. Narrow tyres exert greater pressure than d wider tyres. Modern tyres also tend to have less void to land % that is modern tyres tend to resemble cut slicks. I have no idea about the compound mix of old tyres. People were also more practised or experienced than they are today because it is so long ago when we used to have winters like this so frequently. I seem to recall this being the norm and whet one would nor,ally expect a winter to be like. Even now the snow depth in England and Wales is not very deep. If people fitted winter tyres their would be far less t talk about as very few would be getting stuck and even fewer would be having accidents. I have used Forest stage rally and also grass track tyres on 2 wheel drive cars, they were fully legal "E" marked. Absolutely incredible traction even in intermediate compounds I could accelerate to maximum on fresh snow without fuss and driven off road over muddy farm fields. they are exceptionally cheap but do not last that long but will stand horrific abuse.

I really hope that the law is changed in GB to make it mandatory to have winter tyres or similar just like some EU countries. Why should anyone be forced to sleep over night in their car because the chap in front has the wrong tyres and is stuck or why should anyone be subjected to an accident by another person because they have the wrong tyres because the wanted to spend their money on ICE or go faster stripes.

So, what is the narrowest tyre that can be fitted to the standard vRS wheel? Would a set of 185 winter tyres on some spider alloys be possible for the winter months?

May be a bit small... Get some 16" steels from the scrap yard

That's my plan for the Leon. 16" steels and winter tyres. Got stuck a couple of times yesterday- the only cars I've managed that in are the Fabia vRS and the Leon.

May be a bit small... Get some 16" steels from the scrap yard

I'd considered that, but wondered how I'd stand with the insurance as it's a different wheel to the original.

I know insurance companies are funkwits, but I don't think they'd mind you trying to prevent an accident? Speak to them about it

Edited 6 January, 201016 yr by Babs

I also think that a lot of these new electronic systems on new cars don't help at times. People seem to think they are invincible at times, like the Range Rover Sport mob. I've got 4 wheel drive so I can go anywhere.... :no: Tyres and how you drive is needed at these times.

I also think that a lot of these new electronic systems on new cars don't help at times. People seem to think they are invincible at times, like the Range Rover Sport mob. I've got 4 wheel drive so I can go anywhere.... :no: Tyres and how you drive is needed at these times.

:clap: :clap:

Apart from the FWD cars I've had ( and IMHO,THE Maxi ranks highly in snow) ,one of the best RWD ,and I had it on 195, asoppossed to it's factory fit of 165/175 ,wasanoldVictor FD. Mind you it did have large wheels, lotsof body weight ( especially the way snow built up under the wings) .The enginewasn't too torquey -it was very square , but possibly 2.0L made thedifference .Seem to remember it just chugged away ,like a tractor .

I have only got stuck once so far with all this snow, and that was less than 100yds from my house. I got a helpfull push from the kids having a snowball fight and got home ok. I have 225 wide tyres on 18" wheels, and had I not needed to stop on the hill then I would have got home fine. I am currently running on el cheapo capitol branded 225/40x18 tyres.