Snow tyres Vs Gravel/rally tyres

[binge]

So just a thought.

After todays escapades of being stuck at home until lunch time, due to the snow, I've had a look at snow tyres again.

Where I am, they'd closed 2 of the main roads out of the area, and the only other exit, was a dirty steep hill which only 4x4s were getting out of.

I have my spare van, which has a set of 13" steels on it. I'm going to be fitting these steels up with some better prepared tyres for next year I think.

What I want to know is, what would work better in sub-urban snow driving. Rally / Gravel & Snow tyres. Or general run-of-the-mill winter snow-tyres.

If I go for snow tyres, I would probably fit a set of 4. If I was to run the gravel rally tyres, I'd just buy a pair for the front as they are quite a bit more expensive.


So I'm thinking, something like this:

https://www.kumhotyre.co.uk/tyre_images/ImgTyrR700R800.gif


Or something like this:

https://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v2/458348704/WANLI_SUNNY_Winter_Tire.jpg


Your views please.

[MarJay]

Those you posted aren't snow tyres, they are winter tyres.

I've been to Norway when it has been three or four feet of Snow in Oslo, and one of the guys I was working with told me about winter tyres. Winter tyres are designed to work in the wet, dry, snow and ice when the air temperature outside is below 7 degrees C.

He demonstrated how much grip the winter tyres had on sheet ice and packed snow and I was totally astounded. Sure, it wasn't quite like driving on dry tarmac with summer tyres but stopping distances were surprisingly short, and the ABS did not have a complete fit, although it kicked in a little.

I'm converted. The downside for me is that my car has 18" rims and cannot fit anything smaller than 17". You can't seem to get 18" low profile winter tyres, so it means me buying 17" rims and a set of winter tyres. For the three weeks a year you really really need them I can make other arrangements.

If you work or live on a country road that isn't gritted, there isn't really any other option. 4x4? Nah. Front wheel drive car with winter tyres is all you need.

Most 4x4's run low profile summer tyres anyway, so they aren't that much better than a FWD car. They might have more traction, but their stopping distances are probably worse due to the extra weight... So when you see a BMW X5 or something driving like a mental in sheet ice and snow, you can realise how much of an idiot they are.

Winter tyres are the way forward.*




* If you've got somewhere to store them, suitable rims and you really need them.
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[Raffles]

I run Iveco Daily's and when using standard tyres they are absolutely useless when confronted with the slightest sign of snow.
Last winter I purchased a set of 4 snow tyres but did not get the chance to test them as it didn't snow around these parts.
This year, however, we've had a few falls of snow and I can honestly say that the cost of the snow tyres has been the best money that I've ever spent.
If, like me, your livelihood depends upon you being mobile in all weather conditions, you should not hesitate in having a set fitted.
Snow tyres get a big from me.
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[Islander]

I've got Michelin Alpins on my car and they are superb in snow and ice - I was sceptical initially but having spend a cold icy snowy hogmanay in the central glens last year I was suitably impressed with their performance. They really do work on icy surfaces - you don't get absolute grip but you do get enough to control the vehicle and to be able to actually move. My local garage stores them for me. I get them fitted in November and changed back to my summer set at the end of March.

[binge]

Well that's some interesting input. Might just go with a set of 4 winter tyres then. I have storage, and the winter tyres will be on the 13" wheels rather than the 16's, as there is no chance of getting a 165/40-16 winter tyre I can assure you of that.

It's just something for next year really. No transport = no work for me. Today is the first time I've be restricted since I began driving. But I've always gone out in the snow over the years with that slight doubt in my mind of getting home, should I get stuck. And I find it sometimes hinders my decision on venturing out further, or just turning back and going home.

Having confidence in being able to get up any hill, or stop at any junction would be a massive.

[Islander]

Just remember that you still have to drive to conditions and they don't excuse you from the laws of physics.

[Marmalade]

I have a set of wheels with M+S tyres on for winter on my combo.

Apart from being a requirement in some countries from Nov - march they really do make a huge difference.

On a recent drive to Italy.

https://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo141/bramble43/italy_dec_2012/IMG_3307.jpg
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[binge]

I'm fully aware of that. Been driving 8.5 years now, and never had any 'real' trouble in the snow. But as I said, I've always limited myself massively, and had to drive worried a bit about not getting to my destination.
We seem to have a bit of a pattern with winters getting gradually worse each year too, so it'll just be nice to be a bit better prepared next time.

[G]

The only time I've got myself stuck with winter tyres on the rear of my RWD vito was when I went in to some pretty deep snow, but forgot there was some ice underneath and that the yard dipped away there.
Did get out in the end. Never had a problem on normal roads.

Winter tyres should generally work better in cold and wet conditions, so not a bad 'investment'.

Do fancy an LSD for the vito though - ended up using a reasonably hairy green lane thanks to the Sat Nav (ok, I could have just turned around, but I wasn't in a rush and fancied a play!) Couldn't get up a particularly steep and badly rutted but - reckon the LSD would have given me enough to clear it.

[defblade]

I've got the "worst" car possible for snow - an E46 BMW. RWD and rubbish traction that just cuts power at the first sign of wheel slip.

Fitted snow tyres last year but didn't really need them - but this year I just drove out of the village I was working in... once the 4x4 trying to get up the hill in front of me had given up and slithered out of my way! Snow tyres are great

I just leave them on all year as 90% of the time in the nice weather, I'm riding, not driving
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[G]

My E36 with Goodyear F1s never let me down (well, apart from sliding in to a hedge a little - but that was my own fault and was thanks to having too much grip at the back ).
However, after going on about it before, realised the LSD may well have helped in this case - and thus wondering if one could be bodged on to the vito.
No traction control on mine.

There is on the Vito, just turn it off if it's a bit slippy and going at slow speed.

[StevRS]

All our cars are RWD, one is an auto. On summer tyres they (the auto especially) are troublesome in snow. On winter tyres the difference is astonishing, truly astonishing.

They should be a legal requirement, like most of the rest of Europe.
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[Jenks]

I live in Germany at the moment, and we do get 'a little' snow here... My car is a 320i BMW. I havent actually had a problem in the snow yet with my winter tyres... I dont have any extra weight in the back either.

I think it really is bad that some countrys dont make it manditory to have winter tyres!
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