Winter tires

[frqnt]

Anyone used them?

Moving to Wanaka for the winter and thinking I\'ll save my summer tires and get improved traction through the cold month with them on.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

[DRFVDR]

Reuben lives in Queenstown and he runs winter tires every winter and swears by them.

only thing to watch is that they have a legal depth of 4mm not the usual 1.5

[albaru]

I use them on dirt and grass - they are awesome

[frqnt]

 Al_baru said:

I use them on dirt and grass - they are awesome

Any recommendations?

[Kiwi_Fozze]

Hit up a car dealer during summer. Winter in japan, and with such a small market for winter tyres in nz, they are basically throw away items on imports...

[Joker]

or ask at and tire shop : as stated they dont get highly rated here espeically in the North Island where snow trips are basically non existient

I gave away my last 14" set

[frqnt]

 kwi_fozze']

Hit up a car dealer during summer. Winter in japan, and with such a small market for winter tyres in nz, they are basically throw away items on imports...

Good call.

I have noticed that they are coming over on the Jap cars. I\'ve imported a few myself that had them in the past.

Hopefully cop a set of alloys and rubber at a decent price then.

Currently looking to score B/stone Blizzak unless someone can suggest otherwise

[quote name='JoKer said:

or ask at and tire shop : as stated they dont get highly rated here espeically in the North Island where snow trips are basically non existient

Noted. Ta

[albaru]

 frqnt']

[quote name='Al_baru said:

I use them on dirt and grass - they are awesome

/quote]

Any recommendations?

I look for a full 8mm of tread, and square blocks (not wriggly) with sharp snipes.

[frqnt]

 Al_baru']

[quote name='Al_baru said:

I use them on dirt and grass - they are awesome

/quote]

Any recommendations?

I look for a full 8mm of tread, and square blocks (not wriggly) with sharp snipes.

Do you know if the attributes for dirt/grass performance are transferable to snow/ice? Obviously, the full 8mm tread is a gimmie but the actual tread profile etc?

[albaru]

 frqnt']

[quote name='Al_baru said:

I use them on dirt and grass - they are awesome

/quote]

Any recommendations?

I look for a full 8mm of tread, and square blocks (not wriggly) with sharp snipes.

Do you know if the attributes for dirt/grass performance are transferable to snow/ice? Obviously, the full 8mm tread is a gimmie but the actual tread profile etc?

for snow and ice, the prime attribute is the sipe

[Stodart]

Have been using then in the Southern Lakes area commercially and privately since 1992 and they do make a difference. Ideally purchase another set of 2nd hand steel rims and fit them so they can be put on taken off easily at home depending on winter conditions ( eg this winter only really needed them on for 3 weeks here ie from last week June to mid july as it was a really mild one) but usually leave on (mid June til mid September) as can get significant frosts/ice/snow falls up til then.

This means can get 3 to 4 winters out of a set. It doesn\'t pay to leave them on unnecessarily as they are a softer rubber compound that works better in cold winter conditions and wear quicker in normal running conditions.

The reason for the 4mm tread depth minimum was that cheapskates were running 2nd hand almost worn out winter tyres and in mixed combinations with regular tyres for normal use and there were some accidents because of this, so now there has to be a full set fitted now, can\'t mix n match.

Winter tyres are softer (and are a lower speed rated tyre) the chances of them heating up and blowing out is higher when getting worn down under normal (road temperature/use)

The type of tyres to look for are with regular block pattern for mud /snow "m+s" and studless with about 5 to 8 ice sipes on each block (some - diagonal blocks are directional so make sure fitted correctly) most common tyre brands have them.

Follow instructions on side walls re max inflation pressures / loading weights etc.

Just hit up the tyre places or places that flog jap imports. My last set only cost $300 fitted from an independant tyre outfit as they had been used only for a winter and had hardly any wear, got 3 winters out of them ie

Bridgestone Blizzak MZ03 215x 60 x16 Studless m+s

This tyre is legally worn out ie 2.5/3mm

[frqnt]

Cracking input lad\'s (or lasses?).

I plan on buying another set of factory alloys, as you say, and will run them as/when the mercury drops below 7deg.

I wasn\'t aware of the decreased speed rating but I don\'t expect I\'ll be travelling at full tilt over winter anyway. Out of curiosity, what speed are they comfortable (not capable) travelling at? Just thinking about the odd desperate overtake in my turbocharged Impreza.

Also, this whole sipes concept is foreign to me so I appreciate the tip off.

Constructive responses so many thanks!

[Stodart]

normally 100/110 continuous ok short over taking bursts up to 150 but wouldnt recommend continous 120 + particularly when getting worn.

[frqnt]

 Stodart said:

normally 100/110 continuous ok short over taking bursts up to 150 but wouldnt recommend continous 120 +

Interesting. Glad I asked!

[Stodart]

Probably can get away with going faster if theres plenty of meat on the tyres but you\'re going to burn them out faster.

[Stodart]

Just on the tyre loading / speed rating thing,

just looked at my tyres ( 95Q)

this means 95 = 690kg max loading Q=max speed of 160kph

Heres a link for codes for loading/speed rating.

http://www.tyrepower.co.nz/index.php/tyres/loading-speed-ratings/

[Joker]

I think it\'s weird we are gettign Winter tires questions "this" time of year...

nothing like being over prepared aye ;P

[Stodart]

Yeah perhaps but a good time to be looking for tyres ie with winter over as they will have/should have been replaced by now and sitting in stock, no-one else will be looking for them and maybe get them at a better price.

[frqnt]

 JoKer said:

nothing like being over prepared aye ;P

I\'m essentially taking the year of work to spend a month in the French Alps (Chamonix) and then the balance of the year in Wanaka to climb steep faces and bomb big slopes on my skiis in the Southern Alps - hence I am planing far in advance and budget is tiiiight.

Anyone know if I can fit four factory 16" alloys w/tires in the boot of a GC8 sedan??

[Stodart]

There have been comments about using winter tyres in off road applications,

Winter tyres have quite soft (2 ply side walls) in order to work well in snow/ice/mud/cold.

but are vulnerable to sidewall damage/appraision when coming up against the harder stuff.

I actually totalled the sidewall on a perfectly good winter tyre in the water table of a ski field road when having to avoid a tourist hugging the centre of the road.

[GC8E2DD]

 frqnt said:

Anyone know if I can fit four factory 16" alloys w/tires in the boot of a GC8 sedan??

I\'d say you\'ll be struggling. I do it by taking out the back seat so they can poke into the passenger cabin.