Driving in summer on winter tyres
 

I have no experience of driving on winter tyres or using snow chains. I'm
going to be driving for some months in continental Europe and I'm wondering
which option to go for. If I opt for winter tyres, do I really need to
change them back again when spring comes? What will be the effect if I
leave them on all year?

Thanks.

--

Paul Rooney

"Rooney is one of these vandals and has done his utmost to help trash dl and the
other groups which he regularly crossposts to. He's created a false FAQ
and charter" (Chris Lawrence in uk.rec.walking)

"Also long time d.l. reader but never feel robust enough to post much,
especially since Rooney wrecked the group." (Rachel Sullivan in uk.rec.walking)

"Low life scum doesn't even begin to describe you. You are the most loathsome
individual ever to cross the threshold of d.l." (JK in demon.local)

Driving in summer on winter tyres
 

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 10:55:23 +0100, Paul {Hamilton Rooney} >
wrote:

>I have no experience of driving on winter tyres or using snow chains. I'm
>going to be driving for some months in continental Europe and I'm wondering
>which option to go for. If I opt for winter tyres, do I really need to
>change them back again when spring comes? What will be the effect if I
>leave them on all year?
>
>Thanks.

I keep "mud and snow" tires on my Jeep year-round. Works fine. Side effects
are that they are not as good at gripping the road as some more performance
oriented tires made for more ordinary conditions. Skidding is more likely to
happen. Don't try to challenge corners with high speeds with these kinds of
tires.

Dave Head

Driving in summer on winter tyres
 

"Dave Head" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 10:55:23 +0100, Paul {Hamilton Rooney} >
> wrote:
>
>>I have no experience of driving on winter tyres or using snow chains. I'm
>>going to be driving for some months in continental Europe and I'm
>>wondering
>>which option to go for. If I opt for winter tyres, do I really need to
>>change them back again when spring comes? What will be the effect if I
>>leave them on all year?
>>
>>Thanks.
>
> I keep "mud and snow" tires on my Jeep year-round. Works fine. Side
> effects
> are that they are not as good at gripping the road as some more
> performance
> oriented tires made for more ordinary conditions. Skidding is more likely
> to
> happen. Don't try to challenge corners with high speeds with these kinds
> of
> tires.
>
> Dave Head

Yeah, what Dave Head said is absolutely correct. Mud and snow tires are
often called all season, and often referred to as "NO SEASON" tires. They
don't grip well in summer or winter, but they offer SOME traction, and you
might get by OK with them, for year-round use.

I think what the OP was asking about was dedicated snow tires. These are a
different animal. If you drive on them in spring/summer/early fall, the
ride will be rough, the fuel economy will be terrible. But most
importantly, the tires will wear extremely fast. Snow tires tend to use
softer rubber compounds that wear quickly in summer driving conditions.
There's nothing really "wrong" with leaving them on year-round (unless they
are studded, because some areas prohibit studs completely, or prohibit studs
when it's not winter). But, you'd be lucky to get one good year out of a
brand new set of winter tires, if you didn't swap them out for all-season
tires or summer tires during the warmer seasons. -Dave

Driving in summer on winter tyres
 

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:57:28 -0400, "Mike T." > wrote:

>
>"Dave Head" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 10:55:23 +0100, Paul {Hamilton Rooney} >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I have no experience of driving on winter tyres or using snow chains. I'm
>>>going to be driving for some months in continental Europe and I'm
>>>wondering
>>>which option to go for. If I opt for winter tyres, do I really need to
>>>change them back again when spring comes? What will be the effect if I
>>>leave them on all year?
>>>
>>>Thanks.
>>
>> I keep "mud and snow" tires on my Jeep year-round. Works fine. Side
>> effects
>> are that they are not as good at gripping the road as some more
>> performance
>> oriented tires made for more ordinary conditions. Skidding is more likely
>> to
>> happen. Don't try to challenge corners with high speeds with these kinds
>> of
>> tires.
>>
>> Dave Head
>
>Yeah, what Dave Head said is absolutely correct. Mud and snow tires are
>often called all season, and often referred to as "NO SEASON" tires. They
>don't grip well in summer or winter, but they offer SOME traction, and you
>might get by OK with them, for year-round use.
>
>I think what the OP was asking about was dedicated snow tires. These are a
>different animal. If you drive on them in spring/summer/early fall, the
>ride will be rough, the fuel economy will be terrible. But most
>importantly, the tires will wear extremely fast. Snow tires tend to use
>softer rubber compounds that wear quickly in summer driving conditions.
>There's nothing really "wrong" with leaving them on year-round (unless they
>are studded, because some areas prohibit studs completely, or prohibit studs
>when it's not winter). But, you'd be lucky to get one good year out of a
>brand new set of winter tires, if you didn't swap them out for all-season
>tires or summer tires during the warmer seasons. -Dave
>

Thanks, both of you.

--

Paul Rooney

"Rooney is one of these vandals and has done his utmost to help trash dl and the
other groups which he regularly crossposts to. He's created a false FAQ
and charter" (Chris Lawrence in uk.rec.walking)

"Also long time d.l. reader but never feel robust enough to post much,
especially since Rooney wrecked the group." (Rachel Sullivan in uk.rec.walking)

"Low life scum doesn't even begin to describe you. You are the most loathsome
individual ever to cross the threshold of d.l." (JK in demon.local)

Driving in summer on winter tyres
 

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:57:28 -0400, "Mike T." > wrote:

>
>"Dave Head" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 10:55:23 +0100, Paul {Hamilton Rooney} >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I have no experience of driving on winter tyres or using snow chains. I'm
>>>going to be driving for some months in continental Europe and I'm
>>>wondering
>>>which option to go for. If I opt for winter tyres, do I really need to
>>>change them back again when spring comes? What will be the effect if I
>>>leave them on all year?
>>>
>>>Thanks.
>>
>> I keep "mud and snow" tires on my Jeep year-round. Works fine. Side
>> effects
>> are that they are not as good at gripping the road as some more
>> performance
>> oriented tires made for more ordinary conditions. Skidding is more likely
>> to
>> happen. Don't try to challenge corners with high speeds with these kinds
>> of
>> tires.
>>
>> Dave Head
>
>Yeah, what Dave Head said is absolutely correct. Mud and snow tires are
>often called all season,

No, I meant "Mud and Snow" as in it was printed on the sides of my old BF
Goodrich Mud and Snow tires I bought 20 - 30 years ago - those kinda mud and
snow tires, that have big knobby lugs on 'em.,

>and often referred to as "NO SEASON" tires.

"All season" tires definitely are "no season" tires. They suck universally.

>They
>don't grip well in summer or winter, but they offer SOME traction, and you
>might get by OK with them, for year-round use.
>
>I think what the OP was asking about was dedicated snow tires.

That's what I meant.

>These are a
>different animal. If you drive on them in spring/summer/early fall, the
>ride will be rough,

Never noticed that until they wore down to no tread.

>the fuel economy will be terrible.

Well, maybe a little worse.

>But most
>importantly, the tires will wear extremely fast.

Not that I've noticed. I think I get about 35K - 40K on the Jeep.

>Snow tires tend to use
>softer rubber compounds that wear quickly in summer driving conditions.

This is mostly true of the hi-tech compounds like the hydrophilic tread snows.
The regular, big-lug snows do OK. My Dad also wore snows on his sedans all
year around, rather than buying snows for winter, smooths for summer, and the
extra wheels that would have required.

>There's nothing really "wrong" with leaving them on year-round (unless they
>are studded, because some areas prohibit studs completely, or prohibit studs
>when it's not winter).

Yep - there's a season for studs in most states where they're allowed at all.

>But, you'd be lucky to get one good year out of a
>brand new set of winter tires, if you didn't swap them out for all-season
>tires or summer tires during the warmer seasons. -Dave

Well, I disagree - I go for several years on snows all around on my Jeep.

Dave Head