Winter Tyres and Wheels

[Uxter]

I have an 04 130 Quattro sport Avant, and I have to be honest, in the snow its not that good, the 235 section tyres being the culprit.

My tyre pressure lable has the pressures for 195x65x15 wheels, but does anyone know whether that size of wheel will clear my brakes?

I know its a bit topical and by the time I got sorted the snow will have gone, but this snow thing may happen again!

[danclyon]

I have an 04 130 Quattro sport Avant, and I have to be honest, in the snow its not that good, the 235 section tyres being the culprit.

My tyre pressure lable has the pressures for 195x65x15 wheels, but does anyone know whether that size of wheel will clear my brakes?

I know its a bit topical and by the time I got sorted the snow will have gone, but this snow thing may happen again!

What's not that good? I have the 235/17/45 tyres in the fwd variant and I've got no issues.....though I don't have standard tyres on there.....moved off the Dunlops onto Falkens which have coped incredibly well with the weather....

D.

[Uxter]

What's not that good? I have the 235/17/45 tyres in the fwd variant and I've got no issues.....though I don't have standard tyres on there.....moved off the Dunlops onto Falkens which have coped incredibly well with the weather....

D.

You know, I dont know whats going on here these days? but why is it when you ask for advice all you get is someone telling you your wrong?

this is supposed to be an information resource? I got flamed for biting back at someone else commenting on where "I" was going wrong a while back but you coping incredibly well isnt the same as a Quattro only being marginally better than 2 wheel drive.

For the record my old A4 quattro and Allroad were both far and away more capable in the snow than my present Pirelli equiped car. Both cars were also Pirelli shod. My ESP is doing overtime and with it off its loads of fun, but I aint getting anywhere fast

[fourringsrus]

Hey Uxter,I dont think danclyon was having a pop,more just sharing an opinion on 235 section tyres,I also run 235's on 2002 A4 2.4 cabriolet front wheel drive,and though I have not been falling off the road I would agree with you that some wide tyres do not suit the present road conditions we are enjoying,indeed my previous 3.0 quattro A4 also on 235's was not that wonderfull in the slippery stuff either.
With regard to the 195/15's I didn't know they fitted that small a tyre to cars as late as yours but I would suggest a PM to "crasher" would certainly prove to be fruitfull
You have a nice Christmas ,chat again soon
Stuart

[danclyon]

You know, I dont know whats going on here these days? but why is it when you ask for advice all you get is someone telling you your wrong?

this is supposed to be an information resource? I got flamed for biting back at someone else commenting on where "I" was going wrong a while back but you coping incredibly well isnt the same as a Quattro only being marginally better than 2 wheel drive.

For the record my old A4 quattro and Allroad were both far and away more capable in the snow than my present Pirelli equiped car. Both cars were also Pirelli shod. My ESP is doing overtime and with it off its loads of fun, but I aint getting anywhere fast

Yeah wasn't having a pop mate :-) Was curious more than anything as I nearly bought a quattro....I found the factory Dunnys very grippy in the dry, but a bit marginal in very wet and utterly dire in the snow and/or when it got cold.....that was my reason for a change to something with asymetric treat that has been a huge change in the wet and seems vastly improved in the slush/snow/ice.

Is it skittish? Can you pin it down to something specific that when you do it you get a result you weren't expecting/arent' too chuffed with...?

Cheers,
Dan.

[danclyon]

Hey Uxter,I dont think danclyon was having a pop,more just sharing an opinion on 235 section tyres,I also run 235's on 2002 A4 2.4 cabriolet front wheel drive,and though I have not been falling off the road I would agree with you that some wide tyres do not suit the present road conditions we are enjoying,indeed my previous 3.0 quattro A4 also on 235's was not that wonderfull in the slippery stuff either.
With regard to the 195/15's I didn't know they fitted that small a tyre to cars as late as yours but I would suggest a PM to "crasher" would certainly prove to be fruitfull
You have a nice Christmas ,chat again soon
Stuart

Are you Manual or 'chronic/Tip Stuart?

I can imagine the manuals have been "interesting" in the recent weather. I had a manual version of mine as a loaner when my 'chronic was being replaced and in the wet I managed to get the traction control to fire far too much when pulling away....

Cheers,
Dan.

[fourringsrus]

Hi Dan, the A4 3.0 quattro was tiptronic auto not the ghastly multitronic and my current A4 cabriolet 2.4 is 5 speed manual, as is my 80 coupe 2.6 and the coupe is riding on 215/45.17's.
Basically aswell as tyre condition and choice we should take into account our own individual driving skills and the types of roads we are encountering, I personally have had no trouble with either of my cars, but if a bit less talented I surely could have lost both during the last few days,especially with so much torque on the 2.6 coupe and the engines both being so quiet.
My village is sat deep in a bowl so to get away from home I have quite steep hills which are iced over every time it gets cold,both cars spun a bit but low revs and smooth input kept me good and safe.
Stuart

[neil w]

ALL low profile wide summer tyres are poor in the snow and ice PERIOD, they are not designed to operate in such low temps and do not have a suitable tread pattern to cope with a build up of snow in the grooves rapidly becoming slicks.
You can get low profile winter tyres but to perfectly honest if the car has 235/45 x17 tyres on alloys why not go out buy a 3100 set of 16" rims (for steels get s/hand Sharan/ Caddy/ Touran ones) or any cheap set of 16" aloys and go for 205/55 x16 snow winter tyres.
Summer tyres whether they be top of the range Continentals/michelins or even cheapies DO NOT work in the ice and snow.
Problem is some drivers think that they do, this morning at 7am on the way home from a nightshift I passed four such heros in the space of 8 miles with their cars on their side or roof in ditches because of their lack of common sense.
Whilst travelling on sheet ice at 20 mph I was passed by a Focus RS travelling at 60 mph plus who got 500 yards before losing it and spinning 8 or 9 times into a field.
He was given suitable advice re his driving but zero sympathy

[danclyon]

ALL low profile wide summer tyres are poor in the snow and ice PERIOD, they are not designed to operate in such low temps and do not have a suitable tread pattern to cope with a build up of snow in the grooves rapidly becoming slicks.
You can get low profile winter tyres but to perfectly honest if the car has 235/45 x17 tyres on alloys why not go out buy a 3100 set of 16" rims (for steels get s/hand Sharan/ Caddy/ Touran ones) or any cheap set of 16" aloys and go for 205/55 x16 snow winter tyres.
Summer tyres whether they be top of the range Continentals/michelins or even cheapies DO NOT work in the ice and snow.
Problem is some drivers think that they do, this morning at 7am on the way home from a nightshift I passed four such heros in the space of 8 miles with their cars on their side or roof in ditches because of their lack of common sense.
Whilst travelling on sheet ice at 20 mph I was passed by a Focus RS travelling at 60 mph plus who got 500 yards before losing it and spinning 8 or 9 times into a field.
He was given suitable advice re his driving but zero sympathy

I hear what you are saying and largely agree, but I have a slight benefit of driving in the Nordics in snow and ice that would shut the UK for weeks at a time.....in both 2wd and 4wd cars - turbo and non-turbo in both what they class "summer" tyres and also winter studded tyres :-) This is in part why I have asymetric tread tyres as I agree with what you point out and the asym helps to some extent. It is amazing what you can learn about driving in a 10 mile drive in proper snow etc :-)

I'm amazed that we haven't grasped this yet and made people train for these sorts of conditions.....I'm not phased by snowy/icy conditions at all - but I would err on the side of caution and say 99% of drivers are!

I'm always curious to find out what people think is the cause of the problem re: tyres/4wd when this weather strikes as it's amazing how little people want to know about the mechanics of driving or the practicalities. I'm biased in this sense as I grew up a mech-engineer....it just fascinates me ;-)

Cheers,
Dan.

[danclyon]

Hi Dan, the A4 3.0 quattro was tiptronic auto not the ghastly multitronic and my current A4 cabriolet 2.4 is 5 speed manual, as is my 80 coupe 2.6 and the coupe is riding on 215/45.17's.
Basically aswell as tyre condition and choice we should take into account our own individual driving skills and the types of roads we are encountering, I personally have had no trouble with either of my cars, but if a bit less talented I surely could have lost both during the last few days,especially with so much torque on the 2.6 coupe and the engines both being so quiet.
My village is sat deep in a bowl so to get away from home I have quite steep hills which are iced over every time it gets cold,both cars spun a bit but low revs and smooth input kept me good and safe.
Stuart

Cheers Stuart, useful for the grey matter. I have to say the Multi - despite it's fame and glory has been superb in these crappy conditions. Wonder how much of this is down to new box etc - but it's been a gem.

That said, I did stall it yesterday pulling away on gravel with ice under both wheels. The ice was starting to melt, but it didn't spin (no TCS icon illuminated and no tell-tale signs) but it just gave up, dropped the revs to match the condition and got so low it stalled.......very odd as I would have assumed they would code to stop that happening......hey ho!

I've got to take family to Luton on New Years Day....and the weather is already slated to be crap again - so I'm looking forward to a troll along the A11/A505 at the crack of dawn this time.....damn you EasyJet and your stupid schedules!!

Cheers,
Dan.