Two questions

1. Are Autosocks any good, anyone use them, if you only put them on front wheels will there not be a risk of back end sliding out ?

2. Considering swapping standard fit Contis for winter tyres for next couple of months, swapping over on 18" alloy - is there any adverse affects to storing loose tyres, off of the alloys and will tyres get damaged in any will taking them off now then putting them back on again in spring ?

thanks

I believe auto/snow socks ar to getyou moving in conditions where your car cant get enough grip to move, as such are designed for travel at low speeds and in low gears

No experience of autosocks.

On point 2, I think most people would agree that winter tyres on 18's are not ideal, most people shift down to a smaller wheel and the tyres will be cheaper so it off-sets the cost of a spare set of wheels. I've seen a lot of VRS owners on here drop down to 16s with a higher profile side wall which handle better in the snow and take pot-holes better.

All I have seen on storage instructions is to keep them on there side rather than standing up.

Dougall

I believe auto/snow socks ar to getyou moving in conditions where your car cant get enough grip to move, as such are designed for travel at low speeds and in low gears

Autosocks would be an alternative to chains, in urban areas, and should not be used at speeds above 50kph, it is stated on their website, that they can be driven for 50km on dry tarmac before damage is noticed, so should be adequate to help someone get home from work, on an average commute, where they would encounter both snow / ice, and posibly some treated roads, which were clear. they also weigh far less, and as such are much easier to transport and fit to the car in a matter of minutes.

Wintertyres perform significantly better than socks. I have 225/50/17 on my Scout. Especially on the German Skodaforum you will notice that most German (and one Dutch guy ) are in favour of wide wintertyres since they will deliver more grip on snow and especially Autobahn conditions. Small wintertyres are good for countrysides with heavy layers of snow, and for using traditional snowchains, for all other conditions wide tyres are performing better.

I have only seen negative reviews on socks, in the wintersport areas I have only seen them once and never seen any local driver with it, but there are positive experiences around on this and other forums.

... Small wintertyres are good for countrysides with heavy layers of snow, and for using traditional snowchains, for all other conditions wide tyres are performing better...

+1

Ended up with Vredestein Wintrac Xtremes @ 225/40R18 because I couldn't afford a new set of alloys.

Excellent - simplez

Never needed to fit snowchains to a winter tyres - however if I did, normal snow chains would cut into the side of the alloys

This doesn't both me, as I now have another set of alloys for summer wheels

as stated, winter tyres will give more grip than snowsox - so you'd never need to fit snowsox over winter wheels

Given the performance of my winter tyres - standing starts on the steepest sections of the steepest roads I could find round Dartmoor, on sheet ice you couldn't walk up ( not without crampons away )

- I really cann't image a situation where I'd need snowchains ( other than a swiss policeman ordering me to put them on :( )

- fair enough I've got 4x4 too

Had no issues with storing tyres both on and off wheels

Edited 18 November, 201015 yr by snow_muncher

+1

Ended up with Vredestein Wintrac Xtremes @ 225/40R18 because I couldn't afford a new set of alloys.

Had no issues with storing tyres both on and off wheels

+ 2

Same tyres, on 18" alloys, in the same size, on my Superb Estate... also 4x4 but i have them fitted onto a 2nd set of wheels.

Al.

Never needed to fit snowchains to a winter tyres - however if I did, normal snow chains would cut into the side of the alloys

I had to buy very expensive Maggi Traks to have snowchains without inside cables, about 250-300 Euro. But it is amazing how my car performs on snow and ices, even on steep hills!

Why is this site completely obsessed with winter tyres and wheels, snow chains, socks etc? There always seems to be a thread on it?

Why is this site completely obsessed with winter tyres and wheels, snow chains, socks etc? There always seems to be a thread on it?

cos winter is coming

... expensive Maggi Traks ...

Yes seen these, Thule and Spikes do similar, at similar cost.

Not willing to pay that for something I'll never really use - I assume you where using with summer tyres ?

For those prices, I'd rather buy a set of 17" alloys, and run say 205/45R17 which should give me the clearance needed to put chain-type snowchains on.

As well as the damage to alloys rims, chain-type snow chains can wrap themselves round the brake-lines and calipers when they come off ( which they do ).

With the maggitrack type, that could never happen, and with the snowsox type, the damage would be far less

... There always seems to be a thread on it?

'cos the search engine in the site is poo, and cos there's no sticky thread on the subject

No different though to the number of times questions repeately get asked on other subjects

.

I assume you where using with summer tyres ?

No, with winter tyres. Actually I noticed that another driver with summer tyres and chains could not get upon a normal slope, where winter tyres could be used without chains. I made the same error 3 years ago, snow by the end of March and I got in severe problems with Summer tyres with chains, being outperformed by winter tyres without chains.

I have the chains for the rare circumstance that winter tyres dont work (eg. black ice). Very rare, but other hotel guests travelling on the same route but 1 day earlier slipped off an icy road with winter tyres. All drivers needed chains on their wintertyres.

Edited 18 November, 201015 yr by Constant