Unsuitable tyres in snow...

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Tue 21 Dec 2010 09:38
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - Sofa Spud

From my observations, all other things being equal, cars fitted with those low-profile, high performance tyres seem to be having the most trouble coping on packed snow and ice.

I mean those tyres with the minimal tread pattern, like a couple of circumferential rings and long curving grooves. Even worse if they're fitted on a rear-wheel-drive car!

Edited by Sofa Spud on 21/12/2010 at 09:39

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Tue 21 Dec 2010 11:02
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - turbo11

Totally agree. My low profile high performance Dunlops are great in the wet or dry, but completely hopeless in the snow( They are fitted by Mazda as standard). I discovered this last January when I couldn't even get my car up onto my driveway let alone up the hill. Hence three days off work. I have got fed up with being unable to get up our hill that I have very belatedly ordered winter tyres from Germany. My car is FWD as is my wifes. Hers( Mazda 3) on new chunky directional Uniroyals fitted last week, went up our hill this morning like a scalded cat without the slightest slippage.

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Tue 21 Dec 2010 15:25
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - PatrickO

I don't think it's that belatedly. Plenty more to come over the next few months i'd say.

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 10:04
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - silverback

I have tyres similar to this 195/45R15 V84 fitted new on a ford fiesta from new.

Left the car on a slight slope in work car park on melting snow yesterday, Handbrake hard on and it had slid forward 2-ft when I went back in the evening handbrake still hard on wedge of snow in frontof wheels, skid marks in snow so it had slid not rolled. Left out of gear though, could have been a mistake.

Never happened before with older cars, tyres, tread patterns

Have seen reports with Kuga having same issue.

I'd suggest the ford fitted tyres are unfit for purpose, nothing in the handbook about this.

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 14:17
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - ex-Triumph man

I would say any tyre that is on or barely over the minimum tread depth

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 15:01
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - howmuchlonga!

225/45 17 completely useless in the snow!

Once owned a Citroen 2cv with some of the thinest tyres ever..? I never got stuck though, they would plough through snow 6in deep no problem!

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 15:13
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - turbo11

I would say any tyre that is on or barely over the minimum tread depth-

Agree, but even with the 7mm of tread I had, I was still sliding backwards downhill with my hand brake on!. That's when I gave up.

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 15:46
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - davmal

Have yet to get stuck anywhere yet, despite working in Fife since November and travelling nearly 650 miles per week.

Hankook Optimo/Kuhmo Ecsta mixture, around 4mm tread:)

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 16:54
Unsuitable tyres in snow... - Lygonos

4mm on 'allweather' Geolanders (Geosquealers due to their distinct averageness in wet/dry) on Forester had not a jot of bother on up to 8-10in snow, and packed snow-ice.

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