On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 23:36:29 GMT, Lon > wrote:

>Paul Rooney proclaimed:
>
>> Anyone got experience of using snow tyres and/or snow chains?
>
> Yes.
>
>> Is one preferable to the other?
>
> Yes.
>
>> Anything else I should know about them?
>
> Not even chains can make up for driving skills that lack slick weather
> experience.
>
> Snow tires tend to be of two varieties. The mud and snow will
> typically have rather large tread voids in order to deal with
> deep packed or loose snow. Deep as in several inches. A more
> typical "snow" tire is really an ice tire...with tread compound
> that stays soft at very low temperature, tends to be hydrophilic,
> and will typically have a lot of small cuts or sipes to give more
> gripping edges on ice. The best of these may be almost as good
> as studded tires.
>
> Chains are for severe conditions. Even the cable style will cause
> a lot of vibration. Should be used at very low speeds only.


Thanks.
Can you keep snow tyres on all winter and drive on snow-free roads OK,
or do you have to keep changing them over when you get onto clear
roads?

--

Paul


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