CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
|
Hi all, quick question for those that regularly use winter tyres. Do they generally have less grip on cold wet roads then standard tyres? I was expecting the opposite but having never used them before wasn't sure what to expect really.
I switched from stock Continental 'Eco' tyres on a 2WD car we own to Kumho KC15 Winters all round. I was quite shocked to find that when accelerating fairly hard and the torque kicks in the tyres are scrabbling for grip in 2nd and 3rd gear (and this is on a 1.6 diesel manual car!!). On the flip side they grip very well in mud but I had hoped for far more assured performance on cold wet roads. 2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
|
 5th Dec 2017 3:55 pm |
|
|
Windy Corner
Member Since: 23 Feb 2009
Location: South Leicestershire
Posts: 484
 
|
I would have said generally more grip than standard based on my experiences with Wintrac 4 Extremes
The Grabber AT3 I have just replaced them with are not as confidence inspiring as the Wintracs although they are a full "winter" tyre but still better than the Zeros sub 7 deg.
If that helps 
Rik Discovery 4 HSE SDV6 Baltic Blue
Discovery 3 S TDV6 Zambezi Silver - Now gone........
Leicestershire & Rutland 4x4 Response
|
| 5th Dec 2017 4:04 pm |
|
|
dgarside
Member Since: 17 Jan 2010
Location: Holmfirth
Posts: 732
|
Are they brand new? Not sure if this still stands, but I was always told you need to give them a few hundred miles to bed in, something to do with the molding process, not sure. In my experience they are better after a while, and do seem to have more tread movement than summer tyres with the softer rubber, but my experience of winter tyres has always been really good.
Anyway standard Forum type response of somebody who he thinks he knows something but is probably way off the mark   RLD CB Bracket
RLD Spare Wheel Protector
RLD Sump Protector
ProSpeed Compressor Cover
TPMS Retrofit
Range Rover Digital Dash Upgrade
Tesla Style Android Screen Upgrade
|
| 5th Dec 2017 4:04 pm |
|
|
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23326
|
That's normal in my experience with a front wheel drive car (Saab 9-3), but only when the temperature of the road surface was above zero.
When the road temperature was 10c or above, even in the dry, the fronts tyres would be scrabbling away unless you were very gentle with the throttle when pulling away. Supposedly 7c and below is the magic temperature when winter/cold weather tyres come into their own. In my experience it needs to be colder before you notice the benefits. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography
|
| 5th Dec 2017 4:09 pm |
|
|
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
|
Thanks that's helpful, I was thinking they need to bed in a bit so will see how it fares.
I'm sure they will be great if we do get any snow as the 'eco' tyres on before had no sipes at all and a uniform tread pattern with grooves running all in the direction of travel so predicted them to be about as good as a pair of leather soled 'slip-ons' in the white stuff  2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
|
| 5th Dec 2017 5:08 pm |
|
|
Gazellio
Member Since: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Chilterns
Posts: 4130
|
I guess that "accelerating fairly hard and the torque kicks in - tyres scrabbling " is not a great winter driving style..
On a serious note in my experience Winter Tyres are worth their weight in gold when the conditions are what they were designed for and most brands are pretty good at coping with "Normal" driving styles even in summer temperatures.
|
| 5th Dec 2017 5:26 pm |
|
|
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23326
|
Pulling away, especially on an uphill gradient required very careful and gentle throttle control. Unless it was 0c or below. This wasn't the case with the Goodyear Eagle F1 GDS-3's that were fitted for the rest of the year. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography
|
| 5th Dec 2017 5:34 pm |
|
|
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
|
Perhaps my description wasn’t great but yes I’m talking about normal driving and the sort of acceleration you might experience joining a motorway or fast flowing traffic, not how you would drive in snow or icy conditions of course. The tyres felt less grippy than the standard ones which surprised me. 2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
|
| 5th Dec 2017 7:15 pm |
|
|
RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
Location: Here
Posts: 13077
|
LT wrote:Goodyear Eagle F1 GDS-3's that were fitted for the rest of the year.
I had those on a Mk4 Golf GTi PD150 many years ago. A cracking tyre except in snow, unsurprisingly, at which point they became entirely useless. But the rest of the time - a great tyre. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2012 RRS SDV6
2008 RRS TDV8
"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
|
| 5th Dec 2017 10:26 pm |
|
|
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23326
|
They were a great tyre, the nearest replacement for the legendary Bridgestone SO-2 (the SO-3 being  ). 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography
|
| 5th Dec 2017 10:39 pm |
|
|
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
|
Well either they have bedded in nicely or it's because the temperature has dropped a lot (or both) but the tyres are now sticking like glue!
Can't believe the difference, very happy and glad I got them now 2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
|
| 11th Dec 2017 3:53 pm |
|
|
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23326
|
Combination of both I expect. See what happens when it gets warmer. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography
|
| 11th Dec 2017 4:00 pm |
|
|
Erea
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
  
|
Windy Corner wrote:I would have said generally more grip than standard based on my experiences with Wintrac 4 Extremes
The Grabber AT3 I have just replaced them with are not as confidence inspiring as the Wintracs although they are a full "winter" tyre but still better than the Zeros sub 7 deg.
If that helps
Rik
When I fitted my Wintrac 4 Extremes two years ago I was shocked how poor they were and even went back to the fitters the following day, they told me give them 150-200 miles to bed in and they were right. After about 150 miles they were brilliant, so much so I left them on year round. Replacing them tomorrow with ATRs so fingers crossed
|
| 11th Dec 2017 4:08 pm |
|
|
tooslow964
Member Since: 03 Jun 2016
Location: ceredigion
Posts: 53
|
Ran Kumho KC15 Winters on a Honda Type R, they were awesome, but as previously mentioned needed running in. Looks like you may of found out now 
|
| 12th Dec 2017 6:59 am |
|
|
