Motoring Discussion > Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? Legal Questions
Thread Author: Rudedog Replies: 13
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 16:23 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - Rudedog
OK, I've decided to fit a set of Winter tyres to my car, now I don't have an issue with storing the alloys that I'm running at the moment but I would like to do it as economically as possible, therefore is it going top be OK if I just fit the Winter tyres to the driven wheels or am going to have to buy a complete set of tyres plus rims?
Obviously I'll make sure the final diameter of the front and back match, braking and stopping don't seem to be affected but I had a real problem with traction from standstill on the slush.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 17:00 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - RichardW
No doubt the purists will say fit to all 4 wheels, but in the UK, for a FWD car, front only should be OK. You just need to be aware that the back might be a bit 'lively' if it's slippery and drive accordingly. The driven wheels will get you the traction and get you home. If it's RWD then 4 is probably more sensible otherwise the rear wheels will give the traction, but the front plough straight on.... but again driven sensibly you will be much more likely to get home.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 17:25 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - NeilS
Richard's advice is ok provided you're happy with the back end of the car stepping out and your ability to correct it even at low speed. Be interesting to know what the insurance position is, might be worth calling your insurers. There are videos on youtube of cars with just 2 winter tyres and it isn't terribly convincing. I'd fit all 4 wheels with winter tyres or none at all and don't drive in the snow.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 18:08 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - Fenlander
My view has changed since we fitted a set on Mrs F's C3 the other week. Previously I'd been 100% in favour of just a pair on the driving wheels. And in truth that's fine for getting about as long as you are aware of the possibility in some circumstances the standard tyres could let go.

However I'm amazed at the radical difference in grip with cold weather/winter tyres... I understand to get the snowflake symbol it has to have at least 2x the traction of a summer tyre... and often they have 3x the traction.

Driving the C3 on snow & ice I have pondered what the effect would be of just having two on the front... I now think there may be situations where you'd be catching the rear.

My advice is do as we did... I actually fitted a set of all-weather tyres but ones that still had the snowflake mark to demonstrate they met the winter/snow standard. They are perfectly fine in the wet/dry so we just swapped them onto the car without worrying about spare rims. We intend to leave them on full time unless they prove to be poor in hot dry weather.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 16 Dec 10 at 18:10
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 21:46 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - MD
>> Richard's advice is ok provided you're happy with the back end of the car stepping
>> out and your ability to correct it even at low speed. Be interesting to know
>> what the insurance position is, might be worth calling your insurers. There are videos on
>> youtube of cars with just 2 winter tyres and it isn't terribly convincing. I'd fit
>> all 4 wheels with winter tyres or none at all and don't drive in the
>> snow.
>>
Or buy a Jimny
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 19:17 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - hawkeye
I have fitted a pair of winter tyres to the front Mrs H's Citroen C3. It has improved traction on snow and rutted ice immeasurably and given much shorter braking distances. We are both satisfied with the tyres but in the bad weather we haven't been fast enough to find out if the back end "steps out". I'll leave that to others. Mrs H has pronounced herself satisfied that she can get to work and have a greater choice of parking places in uncleared Darlington streets than in previous years.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 19:33 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - Fenlander
Just to clarify my comments H... I'd far rather just have a pair on the front than none at all.

My comments relating to the rear end slipping away would probably only be a factor if you started to take advantage of the grip and press on a bit in snow but it would have to be a consideration in the back of your mind.

It has thrown me a bit as I was going to order a pair just for the front of the C5 due to their high cost... not sure what to do now but if we get the snow soon the C3 will be our weapon of choice.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 21:12 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - NortonES2
My view is that if you just equip the driven wheels you'll be essentially in the same position as a 4x4. Better traction, no better braking or sideways grip, and, worse, a fools paradise. I think you'll only know for certain after you need them, such as in coming across something unexpected/having made an error.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 21:26 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - Manatee
>>My view is that if you just equip the driven wheels you'll be essentially in the same position as a 4x4

Apart, that is, from having odd tyres in potentially dangerous configuration, and not having four wheel drive - exactly the same.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 21:34 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - NortonES2
Yes, I could have made my point clearer, and I agree with your rebuke! The point is that 4wd is only of use in getting traction. The rest (braking, grip in a turn) is the same, except that there is a dangerous assumption of better roadholding. That apart, I don't know if the OP has ever driven on a skid pan? The technique I have seen is that the rear tyres are intentionally over-pressurised. This leads to loss of grip at the rear and the car is out of balance vis a vis the front end grip. All great fun when under instruction on a track, but is SWMBO aware that having differing levels of grip on each axle requires skill to overcome in extremis? I'd tend to follow the tyre makers advice.
Last edited by: NortonES2 on Thu 16 Dec 10 at 21:35
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 22:03 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - Rudedog
Thanks for everyone's opinions, I was only going to do this to halve my outlay, but thinking about it if I want to do it properly and have them on for the length of the Winter months then I guess I should go for all four, especially if I travel on motorways, I'm sure I'd notice the deference in the handling of the rear end.
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New Thu 16 Dec 10 23:55 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - hawkeye
>> Just to clarify my comments H... I'd far rather just have a pair on the
>> front than none at all.
>>
>> My comments relating to the rear end slipping away would probably only be a factor
>> if you started to take advantage of the grip and press on a bit in
>> snow but it would have to be a consideration in the back of your mind.


Completely understood.
>>
>> It has thrown me a bit as I was going to order a pair just
>> for the front of the C5 due to their high cost... not sure what to
>> do now but if we get the snow soon the C3 will be our weapon
>> of choice.
>>

Cost. I was teeing up a pair of winter tyres for the C8. "no need" quoth Mrs H, "too expensive, and you can always use my car if you want"
Later discovered she'd spent more than the cost of her tyres on a pair of jeans. Wimmin!
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New Fri 17 Dec 10 08:13 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - IJWS14
Most people seem to consider the effect on getting going.

The most important issue to consider is what happens when you stamp on the brakes in an emergency . . . . . . .
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New Fri 17 Dec 10 08:40 
 Stupid question about Winter tyre fitting? - PR
There is a vid on youtube (cant get on now to post as at work!) with a car with winter tyres on the front braking on snow. It ends up facing the wrong way, so its not just traction under acceleration. I would be very wary of just 2 winter tyres personally
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