Winter tyres on the front of a FWD only

[marcusthehat]

See above, Comments please

[Jabbasport]

I usually run cheap as chips tires on the rear of my fabia.

What i would comment on in the snow though is if you're on a heavily cambered road, the rear will tend to slide down toward the ditch whilst the front holds up.

I'd always recommend replacing winter tires as a set of 4..

Kevin

Edited 7 December, 2010 by Jabbasport

[pist0nbr0ke]

All I can say is I thought the same, & that only in extreme circs. would rear break away with winters up front. The other day I was driving @ c.15mph with snow socks on the front & the rear did let go on a corner-cue some oversteer-catching "dab of oppo!" (No handbrake, before you ask!)

Great fun, but not if you're not expecting it. & even less so if it was a wet motorway bend @ 70 odd.... :S

If it's only a case of traction to get moving, well maybe, but it would be like having radials on the front & cross plies or castors on the back elsewhere!!

[rob_e]

This was discussed a few weeks ago - someone posted some excellent youtube stuff of how a car handles with winters only the front. After watching that it was pretty clear - do all 4 or don't bother.

There a big difference between chains dragging you out of a snowdrift at 0.1 mph v.s the speeds you'd do throughout the winter on a set of tyres..

[skoda norm]

I have had Winter tyres fitted at the front only for the last month, not had a single problem. I think it is mostly about how/where you drive. I drive quite sedately anyway, and managed to drive a 30 mile round trip through back roads and country lanes at the height of the recent snow in North Yorkshire. If you are a "Faster" driver, then it may be worth fitting winter tyres on all 4 wheel, but I'm happy as I am.

[torsen]

Never ceases to amaze me how people spend a small fortune on cars but penny pinch on the bits that actually connect it to the road.

[marcusthehat]

Thank you Skoda Norm

Torsen, I was really thinking if one could ONLY get two tyres.

Plus I would not let my as yet inexperienced children drive such a car. Just in case.

Me: I would drive one without a qualm, preferably after a wee bit of deserted Car Park or lonely road testing.

Torsen: Over on the Yeti section I am continually amazed as to how someone driving a Yeti, (which are perhaps dearer second hand than new) & therefore a substantial "investment" greets (being Co. Antrim for complains or crys) that they "cannot afford" winter tyres.

To pardon the pun: Get a Grip.

Edited 7 December, 2010 by dieseldogg

[torsen]

Obviously if the choice is two on the front or none at all its a compromise.

Seems winter tyres are readily avaliable still by mail order routes. Just the steel rims in certain sizes are scarce.

Have a customer managed to find 165/70/14 pirelli winters just waiting for steels to arrive. (fabia greenline)

[marcusthehat]

I got Hankooks on order, they were to be in tomorrow but it will now be Monday before they even make Belfast(hopefull)

Re the rims, the local scrappies are all cleaned out of steel 15" VW rims, (& @ £20.00 apiece) I fortunately blagged a set off the brother.

I hope a bottle ( or two :( ) of my sloe gin will square that transaction.

Over the past few summers I have been too lazy / disinterested to fish out brand new discarded steel rims of various marques from the skip at the local Civic Amenity site. What would i want them for

Sigh :S

[pixor]

Having seen the Canadian government videos of testing winter tyres, I'd say not only would it be crazy to only use 2, but your insurance company might have issue.

[Jim H]

If people can afford 4 x winter tyres, go for it.

If you can't afford 4, then 2 are better than nothing.

If you can't afford 2, then get autosocks or similar.

If you can't afford anything, just struggle on as best you can.

[Niall]

Having seen the Canadian government videos of testing winter tyres, I'd say not only would it be crazy to only use 2, but your insurance company might have issue.

Yes indeedy. All would be fine until you were unfortunate enough to need to stop in a hurry!!

....pays your money, takes your chances.......

Niall

[Hauptmann]

You don't normally drive at 70mph with snowchains on, but you could easily do so with Winter tyres.

Seems insane to me to fit them only to the front - could be lethal. Probably contravenes Construction and Use regs.

[WaveyDaveyGravy]

I have had Winter tyres fitted at the front only for the last month, not had a single problem. I think it is mostly about how/where you drive. I drive quite sedately anyway, and managed to drive a 30 mile round trip through back roads and country lanes at the height of the recent snow in North Yorkshire. If you are a "Faster" driver, then it may be worth fitting winter tyres on all 4 wheel, but I'm happy as I am.

I think you'll find that should your insurance find out then they won't pay up too should you be involved in an accident

[skoda norm]

I think you'll find that should your insurance find out then they won't pay up too should you be involved in an accident

If it's not an MOT failure or illegal, why wouldn't they???

I wonder how many people have even bothered to change from summer tyres at all?, Like I say..I drive sedately...As you can see, I don't own a vRS...just a low powered oil burner.

Edited 7 December, 2010 by skoda norm

[juan27]

Yes indeedy. All would be fine until you were unfortunate enough to need to stop in a hurry!!

....pays your money, takes your chances.......

Niall

Don't forget they turned the ABS off on the Yaris..the 2 winter tyre braking demo would have been less dramatic with it switched on I think. Still would have oversteered on the corner though...

[rockhopper]

If it's not an MOT failure or illegal, why wouldn't they???

I wonder how many people have even bothered to change from summer tyres at all?, Like I say..I drive sedately...As you can see, I don't own a vRS...just a low powered oil burner.

It's not about you or how you drive.

If somebody/something crosses your path and you have to stop quickly you may spin even at a low speed. The insurance investigator (me) will then want to know why. Different set of tyres on different axels would probably invalidate your insurance, then you would be facing a much much greater bill. The cost of 2 extra winter tyres is much less than most peoples excess.

The Skoda manual for my Yeti recommends that I have the same tyres all round. Not sure about other models etc.

As far as I'm concerned its not I can't afford it, but rather I can't not afford to do it.

Mike

climbs down off soapbox.

[skoda norm]

It's not about you or how you drive.

If somebody/something crosses your path and you have to stop quickly you may spin even at a low speed. The insurance investigator (me) will then want to know why. Different set of tyres on different axels would probably invalidate your insurance, then you would be facing a much much greater bill. The cost of 2 extra winter tyres is much less than most peoples excess.

The Skoda manual for my Yeti recommends that I have the same tyres all round. Not sure about other models etc.

As far as I'm concerned its not I can't afford it, but rather I can't not afford to do it.

Mike

climbs down off soapbox.

So then, you would inspect every drivers tyres and if they had "summer" ones on , ask them why?

As a well trained and seasoned driver of cold/winter climates, I would say it has "a lot to do with how you drive". Having driven gross weights in excess of 54 tonnes around the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina in it's peak of winter, I'd say I have a good idea of what to expect and how to drive.

"IF" you are an insurance investigator, then you will will know that having just the front axle fitted with winter tyres is NOT illegal, nor will fail an MOT, it makes no difference. A car with a complete set of summer tyres having a crash would be the same as there is NO legislation in this country to have them fitted.

Some people?

Edited 8 December, 2010 by skoda norm

[pixor]

Even a cursory Google for the effects of using only 2 winter tyres will bring up a lot of thorough tests of this configuration. Many are carried out by the Canadian government, and they know a thing or two about driving in cold conditions over there. The tests conclude things like this:-

NOT RECOMMENDED:

MIXED/MISMATCHED TIRES

Front-wheel drive cars oversteer when the winter / snow tires' snow and ice traction on their front axle exceeds that of all-season tires on the rear.

This will cause the rear of the car to swing into the next lane of traffic and, if not corrected quickly, allow the car to spin out of control.

Isn't the whole point of putting winter tyres on your car to make you less likely to have an accident?

[rockhopper]

Isn't the whole point of putting winter tyres on your car to make you less likely to have an accident?

+1

[rockhopper]

So then, you would inspect every drivers tyres and if they had "summer" ones on , ask them why?

If they were involved in an accident, and had winters on one axle and summers on another, then yes.

[badgersport]

What's the worst that can happen.

He could kill someone.

[skoda norm]

What do I need to know about UK tyre law?

What do I need to know about UK tyre law?UK law requires that your vehicle is fitted with the correct type and size of tyre for the vehicle type you are driving and for the purpose it is being used. This means fitting the right tyres and for safety ensuring that they are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure.

The legal limit for minimum depth of the tread on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre.

For safety reasons it is recommended that you replace your tyres before the legal limit is reached. Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing at 3 millimetres. To see the impact on braking distance of different tyre tread depths, click here. At 1.6 millimetres in wet weather it takes an extra car length (8 metres) to stop at 50 mph than if your tread was 3 millimetres.

A regular check of your tyres can help you to avoid 3 penalty points and £2,500 in fines (per tyre) for having tyres worn beyond the legal minimum limit on your vehicle.

It is also a legal requirement to ensure that tyres of different construction types are not fitted to opposite sides of the same axle. The two main tyre types are radial and cross-ply, and these must not be mixed on the same axle.

Mixing brands and patterns of the same construction type is permissible depending on the vehicle type and manufacturers recommendation. Check your vehicle's handbook for tyre fitment details.

[pixor]

A lot of stupid things aren't illegal. Will that console the family of the person you crashed into?

[Hauptmann]

Cars sold in the EU are Type Approved for fitment with four summer tyres, four all-season tyres or four winter tyres. Hence the information supplied in the handbook and by the tyre manufacturers.

Mixing Summer and Winter tyres on a car is equivalent to mxing radial and crossply, if not in law, then in terms of the physics of handling. Winter tyres have a different (much softer) compund, a softer sidewall construction and tread pattern, hence much higher levels of lateral and longitudinal grip at low temperatures (not just on snow and ice).

Unfortunately some people can't (or won't) use a bit of common sense.