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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

1617.0. "Winter tyres." by BERN02::OREILLY (There's a fish on top of Shandon swears he's Elvis.) Fri Nov 29 1991 08:28

Morning all,

I've just had winter tyres put on my car. The summer tyres are 165/70 R 13 and 
the garage has put 145 R 13 winter tyres on the same rims. I know its better 
to have narrower tyres for driving in the snow (hopefully we're going to get
some this year :-) but isn't this a little too narrow especially considering
the size of tyres that are normally on these rims.

Any thoughts ....

/Paul.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1617.1Perhaps this should go under note 17, "Tyres" ?CURRNT::PACE::RUTTERRut The NutFri Nov 29 1991 10:2813
    Are they just skinny tyres, or are they intended for winter use ?
    
    If just skinny, then yes they will be somewhat better in snow, but
    I would expect an M+S tyre (or a less agressive tread than that) to
    be of more use, whether of same size or narrower.
    
    What car are these fitted to, that may have some bearing on whether
    this size is really suitable or not.  I would really expect that the
    garage should know what is best, but that isn't always the case, is it ?
    I certainly don't know what is best for a 'winter tyre', it does depend
    on the conditions you are likely to experience.
    
    J.R.
1617.2Doesn't sound too bad.NEWOA::SAXBYIs Bart Simpson the anti-Christ?Fri Nov 29 1991 10:305
    
    dropping 20mms doesn't sound like an excessive drop. 165 isn't
    really a very big tyre at all.
    
    Mark
1617.3Same Circumference=same gearingCHEFS::COLEMANMFri Nov 29 1991 13:127
    It seems to me that the garage fitted 145 R 13 tyres so that you have
    the same rolling circumference as your 165/70 13's ...... ie. both
    tyres will cover the same distance for one complete revolution. The 
    145's having a higher sidewall profile than your 'summer' tyres.
    
    Mark
1617.4Just like having power steering ....BERN02::OREILLYThere's a fish on top of Shandon swears he's Elvis.Fri Nov 29 1991 15:4521
They should be proper winter/show tyres. I live in Switzerland so they are 
intended for road/snow use. I didn't check them in detail 
but they have a heavy tread. The're fitted to a Fiat Tipo. Yes, the
one with the noisy clutch 8-( 

>>dropping 20mms doesn't sound like an excessive drop

True, but dropping from 165 to 145 is quite a drop as 165 is, as you noted,
not a big tyre.

Re .3   Sorry Mark didn't quite understand your reply. I presumed the 145's
have the same profile (70) as the 165's.


I got the tyres as part of the deal when I bought the car and I'm wondering 
whether the garage just threw on the cheapest set they had. Anyboby know the
pros and cons of such a narrow tyre in the wet, dry and at speed.

Thanks for the replies so far.

/Paul.
1617.5NEWOA::SAXBYIs Bart Simpson the anti-Christ?Fri Nov 29 1991 16:049
    
    I doubt you'll notice a massive difference due to the size (maybe a bit
    better in the wet, but worse in the dry), but the snow tyres are
    probably designed more with gripping on snow in mind than in gripping
    dry tarmac (Hence the heavy tread), you'll probably find they're a lot
    more prone to squealing, but they shouldn't give you any nasty suprises
    (I think!).
    
    Mark
1617.6I think I'd be happy with chunky tyres, this size, this carCURRNT::PACE::RUTTERRut The NutFri Nov 29 1991 16:378
    Since this is in a country which gets *real snow*, I would seriously
    hope that the garage knew what they were doing.
    
    As for profile, I would expect a winter tyre to have a higher profile
    than the 70-series normally fitted.  If it isn't specified in the
    tyre designation, the 'standard' ratio is something like 82%.
    
    J.R.
1617.7DCC::HAGARTYEssen, Trinken und Shaggen...Sat Nov 30 1991 15:453
Ahhh Gi'day...�

	  I thought it was 78% Seems like this is why they did it.
1617.8Which ratio ?BERN02::OREILLYThere's a fish on top of Shandon swears he's Elvis.Mon Dec 02 1991 17:123
Which ratio are we talking about here guys ???

/Paul.
1617.9Anyone know *for sure* what the figure is ?CURRNT::PACE::RUTTERRut The NutMon Dec 02 1991 17:3113
>>Which ratio are we talking about here guys ???
    
    Aspect ratio of tyres (height to width).
    
    I think that the 'normal' ratio (ie, when it isn't included in
    the specification of the tyre, such as 185/70) is about 82%.
    (possibly another half-percent in there somewhere)
    
    T'other reply mentioned a slightly lower figure.
    
    Only of interest in comparison with the original tyre fitment.
    
    J.R.
1617.10Advice needed45549::BRODIEit's hard to be brave when you're only a very small animalWed Sep 27 1995 19:0523
    Hello,
    	We are just thinking about getting some winter tyres ready for this
    year's ski trips. Rob has checked the manual and it recommends fitting
    205/55 R 16 tyres front and rear on the standard 7J front and 8J rear
    rims. Talking with our local tyre depot, it seems that 16" is an
    unusual size for winter tyres (which are unusual enough in the UK
    anyway). They have come up with Semperit in this size. What worries Rob
    is that a) they won't actally state that they are M+S tyres, but just
    say they are a "blocky" tread, and b) they are Z-rated,m which he
    thinks seems unlikely for an M+S tyre. They didn't have any model info.
    
    Does anyone have experience of Semperit winter tyres ? Are these
    genuine winter tyres or just something they have lying around ?
    
    Alternatively, can anyone recommend winter tyres that would be
    available in this size ?
    
    Also, any comments (constructive ;-)) about fitting 205's on 8J rims ?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Diane