Another wheel snow tyre quandary question.....

Flog · Post by **Flog** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:10 pm

Would someone please tell me what to do!!
I have 20's on a 2008 sd and desperate for new tyres, they are as smooth as babies.....

So, I need new tyres and I want to change to normal rather than run flats and I also want to do snow tyres. I try and get up the Alps at least once a year and I live on a hill so need to get to work if we do have snow this year. I am used to having a navara with gert big wheels that would go anywhere, so....
I've been told the 20's will be like sledges, even with snow tyres on them. Finally.....
Do I just replace my 20's with snow tyres?
Or
Do I buy another set of wheels, if so what size? I think 19's but will here be ok or sledges again?
Or
18's but scared these are going to look ickle and naff?

I can not afford to buy winter and summer set so thoughts and advice please. I also can't afford 2k true Beemer wheels and fleabay may have to be he place. Any advice would be appreciated. Many thanks

Horizon · Post by **Horizon** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:31 pm

look on Buy and sell , set f E70 19 inch with winter tyres

Flog · Post by **Flog** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Yep, already message but any advice on what to do would be good please.

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:50 pm

If the above doesn't work out, it's worth looking at the German ebay site. It's where I got mine from c. half price including mailing cost. I used google translate to understand the postings, and there's plenty of choice as they're a legal requirement.

535dboy · Post by **535dboy** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:28 pm

Not sure you can 20" winters in our sizes

Go down to 19s

Car is crap in snow otherwise.

leosayer · Post by **leosayer** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:30 pm

All season tyres might be worth considering.

I've got Conti 4x4 Contact on 18" wheels which are labelled as an M&S (mud and snow) tyre. They're not run flat and not expensive.

They've been fine this summer, no noticeable difference to the previous Conti summer run-flats, apart from improvement in ride quality. I haven't tried them in snow or ice yet.

My recommendation for you is to buy some 18" wheels and get Vredestein Winter tyres fitted. You'll probably spend £1,000 all in, but you'll have confidence to go anywhere in winter for many years.

Flog · Post by **Flog** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:19 pm

Thanks Leo ( that can't be your real name!)
Yep, pretty much going to get new wheels and only question is 18's or 19's, does that inch matter against snow/size? I better ask the wife!!
There are a few good deals if not too worried about the condition, need to look ok but not concourse, so waiting and seeing.
Thanks for the response, much appreciated. Steve

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:50 pm

18s are better / safer in snow and ice. 19s are better aesthetically. 19s also tend to be staggered so the rears are still quite wide which detracts in the snow.

I took 18s to the Alps last winter and they worked superbly in extremely challenging conditions. However even these got me stuck in a car park after a v heavy snow fall - got out with a few guys pushing.

It therefore comes down to what your priorities are, and whether you expect to go out in v challenging conditions. I've got two young children and sometimes head to the mountains so was an easy choice for me.

Simond S · Post by **Simond S** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:08 am

I have put 18" M&S on the X6. took it out last night and was very impressed with the ride and lack of tyre noise.

I would avoid staggered rears and stick to something like a 265 or 285 all round.

Another positive is that my tyes already have three winters usage on them and still look like new. Apparently they are good for 40,000 miles if the tyre wears evenly

Don Coffey · Post by **Don Coffey** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:01 am

Hi,

Not sure if the comment about the 20s being like a sledge with winters on is correct. Part of the reason winters work so well is that they have block tread which allows more snow to collect as snow on snow gives the best grip. So a wider wheel has even more area to catch snow and therefore more area to grip the snow. This is nothing more than my point of view and could be (probably is) completely wrong!

Another consideration, is that winter tyres are great in the winter but only marginally less effective in the summer months than dedicated summer tyres. I purchased non run flat winter tyres last year for the 520 and used tyre magic as well as carrying a compressor. I've had the tyres on all year and very impressed with not only their summer performance but the wear rate. I've done 20k on them and only changing them as the tread is below 3 mm

I have had a least one puncture which must have happened just as I was parking up as I could hear the air escaping when out of the car. Got back in, ran up the road for a minute and back again, puncture fixed. Had I continued driving after the puncture had been sustained I wouldn't have even know.

Don

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:22 am

I can't comment on how bad 20s are in the snow, but narrower higher profile tyres are recommended for winter conditions. The reason is that you need to concentrate the weight over a smaller area to grip. Spread the weight too thinly over a larger area and you've got a sledge!

Going for winter tyres over summers will provide a significant improvement with the different rubber and tread pattern, but for max benefit should be smaller as well. So it depends on what your priorities are - the aesthetics of the larger wheel or safety of the smaller one.

535dboy · Post by **535dboy** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:09 am

[quote="MJim"]
I can't comment on how bad 20s are in the snow, but narrower higher profile tyres are recommended for winter conditions. The reason is that you need to concentrate the weight over a smaller area to grip. Spread the weight too thinly over a larger area and you've got a sledge!

[/quote]

this is why the tyres on rally cars are really narrow on the snow stages

Don Coffey · Post by **Don Coffey** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:00 pm

[quote="535dboy"]
[quote="MJim"]
I can't comment on how bad 20s are in the snow, but narrower higher profile tyres are recommended for winter conditions. The reason is that you need to concentrate the weight over a smaller area to grip. Spread the weight too thinly over a larger area and you've got a sledge!

[/quote]

this is why the tyres on rally cars are really narrow on the snow stages
[/quote]

Yeah, as I thought, my theory being thrown out the window now! I will be looking for dedicated winter wheels and will look at 18 or 19s and narrow. Looks aside, safety has to take priority. Bonus of the smaller, narrower wheel will mean less money needed to replace tyres.

Don

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:41 pm

It's a personal call and down to priorities and the conditions you anticipate driving in. For UK winters I'd probably go for 19s but for extreme conditions the 18s that I went for are brilliant. Note however that even these got me stuck in a car park in the Alps following a massive dump of fresh snow. I subsequently leant that the DTC? button (wheel skid graphic) could have helped out by letting wheels spin more... Interesting that a Disco just drove off no probs showing the benefits of a diff lock plus ability to raise the ride height.

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 7:55 pm

Don Coffey, your theory is the exact opposite of reality, really. If you want to see how 20 inch sledges perform in snow You Tube has some superb videos will try to find them for you.........

Basically, narrow to cut through the snow, more sidewall than those silly elastic bands on the 20s and the sipes on winters to push the snow out the tread.

Sledges are for summer posing........

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