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Whats best in this weather
speedyxjs - 9/1/10 at 12:42 PM

I am fortunate to have the option of a number of vehicles to drive in (2 cars and 3 vans).

They all range in weight (1000kg to 2225kg) and tyre size (165 to 245) but what is best in for driving on ice? I know for snow, a narrower tyre is best but as alot of teh roads that have been gritted have frozen, i was thinking maybe a wider tyre might be better on the ice and whether a heavier vehicle might be better?

[Edited on 9-1-10 by speedyxjs]

02GF74 - 9/1/10 at 12:49 PM

a dictionary - it is "weather".

speedyxjs - 9/1/10 at 12:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
a dictionary - it is "weather".


Whoops!

Its the cold getting to my fingers

[Edited on 9-1-10 by speedyxjs]

CRAIGR - 9/1/10 at 12:51 PM

Think the colds got a bit higher up than that.
Get ya pushbike out

[Edited on 9/1/10 by CRAIGR]

Superlooms - 9/1/10 at 12:55 PM

My thoughts are even on ice, thinner tyres are better, because there is more weight over a smaller area for more grip.
With wider tyres, the grip is spread out and will more more slippery!

RK - 9/1/10 at 12:56 PM

Vans are bad, but not for what you may think: visibility is reduced. I'm always cut off by these soccer mums who can't see eff all behind them, whilst driving their little loved ones around, cell phone, illegally attached to the ear.

I truly have a lot of sympathy for you guys right now: it looks brutal, and is, if the place isn't prepared for it. SNOW TIRES if you can get em - softer compounds, and you have a small HOPE of grip sometimes.

zilspeed - 9/1/10 at 01:15 PM

Personally, I prefer the lightest vehicle I can lay hands on with the narrowest tyres.
My Golf has 205/50x15s on it and it's okin snow and brilliant in good conditions.
My Wifes Ibiza has 165/70x13s on it and is much much more predictable in these conditions. Lighter vehicle with the added benefit of much narrower tyres.

Weight in the right place may add traction from a standing start (bag of cement in the back of a RWD car). Everywhere else, it's the enemy and is the invisible force that makes you understeer off when you hit the unexpected snowy or icy patch.

mangogrooveworkshop - 9/1/10 at 01:26 PM

A wee rubbish Clio gets to were we going every-time its got skinny tires and weighs nowt.
At 150 quid it does not matter if it collects a few dents

ali f27 - 9/1/10 at 01:38 PM

20 year old blonde twins in bed thats what you need this weather

liam.mccaffrey - 9/1/10 at 01:48 PM

i'm toying with taking the pug mi16 out with its gravel tyres for a play

Superlooms - 9/1/10 at 01:54 PM

Sorry, didnt mention with regards to weight. I would have thought an middle range would be best, maybe 1500kg???

speedyxjs - 9/1/10 at 01:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ali f27
20 year old blonde twins in bed thats what you need this weather


any idea where i can get some of those???!!!

smart51 - 9/1/10 at 02:07 PM

My understanding is that narrow tyres have a long thin contact patch so that if the front of the tyre is lifted up during aquaplaning, you still have a fair bit of contact left. Wide tyres, all else being equal, have a short fat contact patch. lift up the same 30mm of the front due to aquaplaning and you have a lot less grip left.

If driving on wet ice is a bit like aquaplaning, I'd go for the narrow tyres.

I guess wide tyres are better than narrow when cornering for the a similar reason only turned by 90°

MakeEverything - 9/1/10 at 02:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
A wee rubbish Clio gets to were we going every-time its got skinny tires and weighs nowt.
At 150 quid it does not matter if it collects a few dents


I had a rental Clio (new) when i went to Geneva, and when we hit the snowy bits in the mountains, and the other side of Mont Blanc, the snow tyres fitted were noticeably advantageous.

MikeR - 9/1/10 at 03:04 PM

the lightest thing uve got. Less momentum to stop or turn. Seemed to work for mini's years ago :-)

GMPMotorsport - 9/1/10 at 03:32 PM

Stay in doors, keep warm.

Confused but excited. - 9/1/10 at 03:49 PM

The only two people to make into work at my mates in Manchester yesterday, both drove in in Renault Picassos.

smart51 - 9/1/10 at 04:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
The only two people to make into work at my mates in Manchester yesterday, both drove in in Renault Picassos.


Citroen Picassos?

coozer - 9/1/10 at 04:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by GMPMotorsport
Stay in doors, keep warm.


Seconded.

Richard Quinn - 9/1/10 at 05:48 PM

"Personally, I prefer the lightest vehicle I can lay hands on with the narrowest tyres."

In our household that'd be my Aries then. Well I suppose it won't take long for me to scrape the windows

MakeEverything - 9/1/10 at 06:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Richard Quinn
"Personally, I prefer the lightest vehicle I can lay hands on with the narrowest tyres."

In our household that'd be my Aries then. Well I suppose it won't take long for me to scrape the windows


Itll take you longer to pick the snot icicles from your nose when you get to the other end!!

JoelP - 9/1/10 at 07:41 PM

id say lightest, but also, cheapest too

not the vans, they're crap. More weight and same contact patch due to much higher tyre pressure.

Nash - 9/1/10 at 08:22 PM

I think we are all to soft driving vans and 4x4's in this weather.

monte carlo or bust
monte carlo or bust



[Edited on 9/1/10 by Nash]

Humbug - 9/1/10 at 10:08 PM

My preferred vehicle the last week or so has been my daughter's 1998 Saxo 1.1... soooo much better on the compressed snow hill that is our road than other people's efforts. I had to laugh at the guy down to road trying to get out in his BMW 3something diesel Touring. He couldn't get grip forwards or backwards, though flooring the throttle didn't help