Winter tyres.... do I need them

[speedsport]

I have mine also at the recommended 2.4bar, as per the manual.

They were all at 1.7 after storage over the summer.

Ditto on both counts.

I was rather surprised by the substantial drop of pressure whilst in storage. There's a school of thought that says tyres need to "work" to maintain the seal on the rim. So an inactive tyre may indeed develop a slight weep over time that corrects itself once the tyres are brought back into use. Of course it is always sensible to regularly check the (cold) pressures of the tyres that are on your vehicle (weekly, as we all do!!!???).

[bahnstormer vrs]

Ditto on both counts.

I was rather surprised by the substantial drop of pressure whilst in storage. There's a school of thought that says tyres need to "work" to maintain the seal on the rim. So an inactive tyre may indeed develop a slight weep over time that corrects itself once the tyres are brought back into use. Of course it is always sensible to regularly check the (cold) pressures of the tyres that are on your vehicle (weekly, as we all do!!!???).

Loss of pressure is most likely leakage of 'air' through the carcass of the tyre.

This is negated to a large extent if your tyres are inflated with Nitrogen - mine were only 0.2 bar lower than when stored 6 months previously.

[BillN_33]

I find with my Bikes that if there is relatively no weight on the tyres the pressure will drop ......... winter or summer ........... but mainly during winter storage as the Bikes are stored for about 4 months on their centre stands, (they are BMW's) ....... the pressure can drop from 35 to 25

Edited 12 November, 2012 by BillN_33

[Jazz Moli]

Sorry, wrong topic.

Edited 12 November, 2012 by Jazz Moli

[Jazz Moli]

Hi, everyone.

Edited 12 November, 2012 by Jazz Moli

[Jazz Moli]

33q

Does it really matter how it looks like as long as you can enjoy? Having a snow monster and not being able to have fun in snow conditions? (by the way I have steel aloys with michelin alpine a4- not bad looking at all). Retired or working, the same, if you could pay all that money for a new car, pay some more for winter tyres and enjoy life! I think that's what having yeti is all about.

[rockhopper]

I find with my Bikes that if there is relatively no weight on the tyres

My tubeless Bontrager Mud X tyres go flat when I don't use the bike. 25psi to zilch. It has the weight of the bike on it, roughly 6.5kg!!!

Needless to say, with work being what it has been, they have been flat a lot this year. :lol:

[rockhopper]

That's my MTB, and weight supported per wheel.

:lol:

[33q]

33q

Does it really matter how it looks like as long as you can enjoy? Having a snow monster and not being able to have fun in snow conditions? (by the way I have steel aloys with michelin alpine a4- not bad looking at all). Retired or working, the same, if you could pay all that money for a new car, pay some more for winter tyres and enjoy life! I think that's what having yeti is all about.

To me it does matter how it looks. I'm more than happy with my Anzio waves and Uniroyals on 16 inch rims. I paid little more than the price for steels and Rifs. If people are happy with steels from a price or robustness or even utilitarian looks viewpoint that's fine with me. Personally I like to keep my car looking clean and original (almost!) all year round.

I thought long and hard about winter tyres and this forum pointed out some very valuable considerations. The point I had originally missed was that whilst I can probably avoid going out in the snow, unless I lay up the car for 4 months, I can't avoid cold, wet or icy roads. I want to enjoy driving all the year round and £695 for some greater assurance in this area is well worth it.

[ejstubbs]

Does it really matter how it looks like as long as you can enjoy?

+1

Reminds me of the joke about the fat burd and the moped...

...they're both fun to ride but you wouldn't want your friends to see you doing it.

Do I get to go to the naughty corner?

Edited 13 November, 2012 by ejstubbs

[Brijo]

If you nip over quickly, Graham may not notice

[Llanigraham]

I'm in a good mood................

[Brijo]

Good! Move going well?

[Llanigraham]

Good! Move going well?

Not sure; beginning to panic now.

Spent last evening trying to take out an old flue from a gas fire we don't need so the plasterer can go in today to sort out the lounge and second bedroom. Didn't want to come out so had to resort to a BIG HAMMER. Very satisfying!!

Going to find out how much you can get into the back of a Yeti with no rear seats as we can't find a "man with a van" for the 22nd!

Oh and we've been told we'll have no broadband for up to 10 days!!!!!!!!!!

[Brijo]

....Oh and we've been told we'll have no broadband for up to 10 days!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, calamity! I was without for nearly two weeks last year (PC problem). Quivering wreck at the end !

[Jazz Moli]

+1

Reminds me of the joke about the fat burd and the moped...

...they're both fun to ride but you wouldn't want your friends to see you doing it.

Do I get to go to the naughty corner?

[Jazz Moli]

Seams someone has missed my point.

Ugly or not, that's a matter of personal taste, but (to me) tyres and rims can't spoil yeti's stylish design that much that I'd rather walk in snow but to see it so eyesored. If you knew winter roads in my country, you'd understand why steals. With some roads we have over here one doesn't have to seek where to go offroad - even city may be an adventure.

[Sporky McGuffin]

I had my winter wheels (steel, black) put on yesterday. I needed a new summer tyre and etyres only wanted a fiver per corner to swap the wheels at the same time. It took the chap about 10 minutes whereas it takes me nearly an hour!

I do like how my Yeti looks on the black steels. I also understand, I think, why some people much prefer to have their winter tyres on alloys.

I can also report that my alloy wheels and summer tyres are heavier than my steel wheels with winter tyres - this being completely unscientific, just based on it being far easier to carry the latter than the former, even though the former have more convenient handle-like-aspects.

[33q]

My alloys are heavy. I planned to put them in the loft over winter but after picking one up to lift it over my head to go up the ladder ....................I quickly thought again.

I'm not happy with 3 wheels stacked and one at the side vertical in my garage but not yet decided on the way to go. Wheel trees are great but a bit bulky and tall and so will take up too much space.

[bahnstormer vrs]

My alloys are heavy.

Yup; you're talking of 22kg - 25kg per wheel/tyre.

[Yeti_Man]

Besides the fact I actually like the look of mine on its black steel wheels I just cant see the sense in running alloys through the winter with all the corrosive effect of the salt. Having said that, this year I'll be doing just that as the 16" steelies no longer fit over my brakes. Im hoping a couple of layers of wheel wax/sealant will help protect the alloys.

[Expatman]

My alloys are heavy. I planned to put them in the loft over winter but after picking one up to lift it over my head to go up the ladder ....................I quickly thought again.

I'm not happy with 3 wheels stacked and one at the side vertical in my garage but not yet decided on the way to go. Wheel trees are great but a bit bulky and tall and so will take up too much space.

The Skoda dealer advised me to stack my summer wheels/tyres horizontally in the garage inflated to approx 38 psi. If I wanted I could rotate (top to bottom etc.) every couple of months but their view was that for 4-5 months it was not really necessary.

[JCP]

Mine are in the underground car park at work, stacked horizontally two by two on a sheet of plastic insulation board-dark and never less than 12c

[Ooopnorth]

Besides the fact I actually like the look of mine on its black steel wheels I just cant see the sense in running alloys through the winter with all the corrosive effect of the salt. Having said that, this year I'll be doing just that as the 16" steelies no longer fit over my brakes. Im hoping a couple of layers of wheel wax/sealant will help protect the alloys.

I ran my Octavia 1.8T 4x4 on alloys and winter tyres for 6 years and never had any problems with salt corrosion or any other form of damage. And that's clocking up many winter miles often on heavily gritted rural roads. Just give them a wash down every couple of weeks when the temperature moderates, as you will also need to do to the lower panels in order to protect them from salt/grit too. I also never bothered with any wheel wax/sealant and they remained in pretty good shape.

[gobiman]

+ 1 for the weekly/fortnightly wash down.

With "elf an saftey" in the ascendant, most councils will shovel out vast quantities of salt at the earliest opportunity. A simple wash down in the arches and underneath for 5 mins is, in my view, the most effective treatment (particularly if you are not on a water meter).