Winter tyres - front wheels only?

[matchbox]

Many drivers in my rural area fit winters to front only. However, looking for quotes online tyre dealers state they will only fit as a set of four. I wonder what the forum thinks about this and is it safe?

 

Particularly miffed since I bought a couple of used wheels to swap over for winter use!

[Schtum]

If you only fit a pair of winters to the front and then disappear off the road backwards, you might well find that your insurance company takes a dim view of any resulting claim.

 

I once drove a friend's Polo that was only fitted with winters on the front, in the snow.  It was very tail happy and great fun but not the safest combination. 

 

I've been fitting full sets of winters on 3 Tiguans, a Golf and now a Karoq, over the past 11 years.  I compromise on the Yeti and have Michelin CrossClimate on that all year round.

Edited 23 September, 2022 by Schtum

[Ootohere]

@matchboxIf you have a pair of wheels then take them into a tyre and exhaust centre and get a pair of tyres fitted and the wheels balanced.

They do that.

 

Or get another pair, maybe in the Briskoda for sales. 

 

You will not find people usually that will say fit just a pair on the front.  Or admit doing it.

I do usually early on in winter if there is snow fall but not going to last long and the pair will come back off until 4 winters go on for the whole winter.

 

But then there are not crap tyres on the rear, sometimes all seasons.

If i am away and the weather might change i have a pair of winters as spares ready to put on. 

 

Something i have done many winters in Scotland for over 4 decades but then that is not to recommend that anyone else does the same.

Currently my cars all have All Seasons on but if the weather requires it a Pair of Snow Tyres might go on the drive wheels. 

 

 

Edited 23 September, 2022 by roottoot

[KenONeill]

46 minutes ago, matchbox said:

Many drivers in my rural area fit winters to front only.

That's a good way of getting an uncommanded panoramic view of your surroundings.  

[Ootohere]

The ditches, fences  and dykes will be full of those with Summer / Eco tyres on then, well if they got moving in the first place. 

 

All these rear wheel drive EV's will be sitting admiring the lovely views waiting for the recovery truck with their staggered tyres, like the rear wheel drive BMW etc with wide rears.

 

Doh, actually, best not use unmatched pairs... 

[cheezemonkhai]

I wouldn’t put winters on only one axle unless you want to go off the road in a big way. 
 

Slowing down and cornering/changing direction are where you would come very unstuck

[matchbox]

Thanks for responses. I guess it’s 4 winters or none then!

[cheezemonkhai]

In the UK, a good compromise (unless you get lots of snow) could be 4 good all-season tyres.

By this I mean the ones with snowflake/mountain marking not the cheapy "all season" sometimes seen.

 

If you're very cold or get regular snow, then definately not, but if it's just to get you home safely in a flurry of snow, then AS might be a good compromise.

Cost wide you will save little, as the summer/winter are only on half the year each, so you'll use one set of each vs two of the others.

 

The savings come from storage, changing and wheels etc more than the cost of the tyres themselves IMHO.

 

[Ootohere]

@matchboxwhat size rims have you got to put the tyres on and what size tyres are you fitting?

Are these to be the same as the car came with, or if you fit 4 might you change the size?

 

Good performing 'all season' 3 peak winter certified tyres need not be expensive and need not be from Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Continental or other major brands, 

they can be from companies they own though, like ones that Michelin own. Kleber, Tigar, Riken etc.

 

If in a rural / country area with an Independent Tyre Fitter, or even the likes of ATS Euromaster who are owned by Michelin as are Blackcircles, then visit them, 

see what others in your area get fitted, rural folk, farmers, carers, district nurses etc.

People who might not only know the price of stuff but the value of them and spend where they need and not on what they do not need.

 

I like TIGAR tyres and have used them as i have used Kleber tyres in the past.

 

 

Edited 27 September, 2022 by roottoot

[EnterName]

On 23/09/2022 at 18:32, matchbox said:

Many drivers in my rural area fit winters to front only. However, looking for quotes online tyre dealers state they will only fit as a set of four. I wonder what the forum thinks about this and is it safe?

 

Particularly miffed since I bought a couple of used wheels to swap over for winter use!

I used a pair of winter tyres in winter, mainly as I couldn't justify the cost & storage space of having 4. (On my previous car)

I used them on my drive wheels, as I figured for me, the whole point of winter tyres was to ensure I didn't get stuck.

They worked just fine, because I drive carefully in the snow, and that's only if I have to drive in the snow at all.

I say to keep looking for tyre suppliers that will supply what you want.

[SurreyJohn]

18 hours ago, EnterName said:

I used a pair of winter tyres in winter, mainly as I couldn't justify the cost & storage space of having 4. (On my previous car)

I used them on my drive wheels, as I figured for me, the whole point of winter tyres was to ensure I didn't get stuck.

They worked just fine, because I drive carefully in the snow, and that's only if I have to drive in the snow at all.

I say to keep looking for tyre suppliers that will supply what you want.

I take a different approach, once temperatures start to fall below +10c the wet grip on my Pirelli P7 (which car was built with) falls off noticeably.  Seems to be nearer +4c in dry.

 

The car just seems better to drive with the winter tyres from about this time of year, might still get a few days of 15-20c, but many nights are already down to 5-10c and with the winters I can drive through cold rain, muddy field run off, even frost and car feels sure footed like driving on a dry road in summer. 

 

The notion they are only for snow is madness, we are talking European winter tyres (suitable for cold wet weather), not Nordic or snow tyres that are designed to work where snow exists for weeks/months and can cope at -30c

 

As for cost, yes I bought 4, but currently looking like car will reach 70k+ miles before I need to buy more new tyres.  So compared to those who buy 2 new tyres every 20-30k miles, it’s cheaper, partly because they get swapped around each change to even out the wear (and remember the handbook recommends swapping them so shouldn’t just be leaving them on untouched anyway)

 

[Ootohere]

Ahh the freezing south, i so worry for all down there as winter hits you hard and early. 

 

Regardless of your tyres fitted then anyone that does drive where field run off freezes you know you are up sh-it creek without a paddle when you hit sheet ice if not paying attention. 

 

[Phil-E]

I wouldn't recommend it. Especially with modern ABS and ESP etc. If the front have significantly more grip under braking and or conering then I dread to think what that would do to the handling and trying to maintain control.

 

I'd recommend either a 2nd set of winter wheel with winter tyres or get some all season tyres.

 

Most all seasons are basically winter tyres adapted for summer use too.

 

I've been through all sorts of this snow and ice with my Hankook Kinergy 4S2. Last winter we had temps down to -19c so they got a good testing. Amazing grip when setting off, braking and cornering.

[EnterName]

47 minutes ago, SurreyJohn said:

I take a different approach, once temperatures start to fall below +10c the wet grip on my Pirelli P7 (which car was built with) falls off noticeably.  Seems to be nearer +4c in dry.

Not so different. When the weather got cold in Autumn, I bunged my winter tyres on.

When the weather warmed up in Spring, I put the normal tyres back on.

I didn't just use them for snow, I used them in case of snow, but also they do perform better at low temperatures.

[PetrolDave]

13 minutes ago, EnterName said:

Not so different. When the weather got cold in Autumn, I bunged my winter tyres on.

When the weather warmed up in Spring, I put the normal tyres back on.

I didn't just use them for snow, I used them in case of snow, but also they do perform better at low temperatures.

Similar here, I used to swap between summer and winter tyres when the clocks change.

[Ootohere]

Better in the p1ssing down rain like tomorrow in parts of the UK where others will be having a scorcher after a cold night or a mild night.

Maybe a few heatwaves will be coming over the next April. 

 

Winter Fuel starting to be delivered in the North in the next 3 weeks. 

Not necessarily will fuel consumption increase because of that, because maybe the weather is not that colder that much while it is on sale. 

 

E10 Winter Formulation will be the same around the UK once it is delivered in the south.

E5 might well not be as a winter formulation, same as not in the summer. 

Edited 29 September, 2022 by roottoot