Got a co-worker with a Subaru Justy, since it first snowed she took the bus every day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Valve Bounce
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Got a co-worker with a Subaru Justy, since it first snowed she took the bus every day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Valve Bounce
oh all right, ski then, downhill :pQuote:
Originally Posted by ioan
Now that certainly beats a car with snow chains, especially on the slopes! :D ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by donKey jote
I suppose it all depends on where you live and the conditions and terrain there, and above all the ability of the driver to handle ice and snow conditions.Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
We had a grader driver in Island Bend who had an old Beetle, yet was able to drive up to Perisher Valley at night to The Man from Snowy River pub. This entailed going up a steep icy road to Renix Gap and then on snow and ice to Perisher. Without chains!!
However, those in the city would be well advised to take public transport if convenient. You can be a champion rally driver, won stages at the Monte, and yet if you are stuck in traffic, it is possible you could be involved in a multi car accident through absolutely no fault of your own.
It all depends on the circumstances and the driving experience.
The reason your beetle driving friend was able to drive his car was the tyres were narrow and older tyres had better tread designs for snow. SO basically they weren't like moden summer tyres and were probably more like winter tyres......Quote:
Originally Posted by Valve Bounce
Don't think so - they were nearly bald. He was the grader operator on snow clearing and just knew how to drive in those conditions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Factors to keep in mind:Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
(Having driven OLD (like 57-62) Beetles in plenty snow in USA and Sweden)
Yes, probably max 155 x 15 real snow tires
Weight hung behind the wheel center line---weight x lever= effectively more
gearing
and of course bhp and torque numbers very nearly in the negative range.
In other words, with a badly asthmatic motor with maybe 7.2 comp the day it was born, and going downhill after that, so nearly zero hp or ft/lbs with skinny tires and weight over the drive wheels of course it can go---if that's what you want to call it---in snow...
Now if you want to talk about the car the the Beetle wished it was but could never be, with a decent motor, but also with modern steering, brakes and a very stiff bodyshell, a car that even into the mid 70s could beat anything in the world on snow, well then we can talk.
But Beetle, naw best not think too much.
Not quite sure why I didn't mention the whole rear engined rwd car thing as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by janvanvurpa
There was some "controversy" this week about winter tyres being classed as a modification and the society of motor manufacturers and traders as well as the insurance industry have come out and said that this is not the case and winter tyres will/shouldn't increase your premium.
http://www.smmt.co.uk/articles/artic...rticleid=22819
I don't see why they would be. For most cars you're free to change your tyres to whatever brand etc you feel like. Winter tyres should be no different.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
I think there is still a lot of confusion over winter tyres and what they are. Including among insurance companies (particularly insurance company call centre operatives) who just tick the "modified" box and the premium automatically shoots up.
You've even had the Transport Minister confusing winter tyres with studded tyres, which should be a resigning matter IMO!
:crazy:
One of the reasons for mandating winter tires in Québec was to reduce insurance premiums!
Insurance companies over here are not offering up a break for winter tires. They maybe should, but driver attitude, training and intelligence makes the difference I think in Winter driving...Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Winter tyres scored between 100-96.7 all seasons got 95.1 and summers got 76.4. Pretty bloody clear if you ask me. Also quite telling was that the summer tyres took 60 seconds longer on a 100 second lap in the snow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
From das AA -> http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice...in-the-uk.html[/QUOTE]
Winter tires scored 100 to 96.7 and then 95.1 for the All Seasons.....and summer tires way back at 76.4? As I figured...winter tires ARE better in the snow..but marginally.
Driver skill, education and experience with snow make a HUGE difference.
We have too many people driving around this part of the world in SUV's who I will see in the ditch WITH winter tires.......
As for storing winter tires/summer tires, I would be SOL unless I put them at my folks place. This apartment hasn't the room for two sets of tires, or even a TIRE......
As I pointed out...you can get around with a less than ideal car and setup for the conditions if you are good at it. That said, winter tires are never a bad idea in the winter.....just don't have the tire cops going around writing fines......there is enough stupid laws on the books in society that cannot be enforced now...Quote:
Originally Posted by Valve Bounce
Daniel you should be using slicks and driving in the right lane, taking EKI to the airport :)
Compared to all weather tyres yes, but like I said.... very few people here in the UK have all weather tyres and more new cars come with summer tyres which are not good in the snow ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
Winter tyres feature on The One Show now.
Should be on iPlayer soon.
Cheers Mark :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
I'm going to guess that Oxfordshire isn't very hilly then :p :Quote:
Originally Posted by henners88
Rather. It's amazing how people just seem to miss the point. It's like bald tyres, if you drive carefully enough bald tyres won't be an issue but is it smart to drive around on bald tyres? Uh noQuote:
Originally Posted by Drew
There's more snow that I can remember in my life here this year ... And I'm having a blast driving :bounce:
I hear you :D That's the thing, driving in the snow is a blast with the right rubber on rather than being a worrying experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
I keep getting told off for using the handbrake at junctions and setting a bad example for the son :erm: :arrows: :s :mark:
What's wrong with testing the grip levels? :D I did a very small handbrake turn around the corner at the top of our street last winter with summer tyres on and my parents in the car. They weren't particularly impressed :DQuote:
Originally Posted by donKey jote
Another advantage of winter tyres :p You get to park in the bay where the snow has been piled up and turned to ice which none of the summer tyre wearing cars can get any grip on :p
http://oi56.tinypic.com/15n6b1z.jpg
http://oi52.tinypic.com/1zvzy4n.jpg
I did do a better one today but the picture was crap as I was in a rush so it turned out crap :p
I would have parked there anyway :p :
You might have got into that one but the one I got into today you wouldn't have :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Drew
i could have parked my rear wheel drive Merc,where you parked the Fiat,AND got it out again on its summer tyres!!!!!
@Daniel. You need to give your car a wash!
exactly my thoughts too :laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by Brown, Jon Brow
No, you would have spun your one wheel that's on the ice unless you have an LSD.Quote:
Originally Posted by driveace
That I do. Weather should be decent enough to allow for it tomorrow :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Brown, Jon Brow
My mum has not been going out for the last few weeks to avoid her putting her car off and scraping it. Not particularly because of the tyres but she must be starting to get on the old side of older :s
It has been a bit of a waste of time as, having new neighbours move into the house across the street today, their removal(delivery) van has lifted it onto the pavement by the rear wheelarch :( We have left it there for the moment so we can take photos in the daylight, it must look a proper sight for anyone driving past!! Thankfully my mum was looking outside at the time and saw it happen before he could drive off.... and also thankfully my sister is good in a crisis and so leapt outside with her camera and a notebook and got him to sign to agree it was his fault :up:
Idiots :mark:Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
Daniel, as you know I am not mechanically minded, it it possible to get an LSD fitted to the average car, I would imagine this would give unever wear in normal dry conditions??
I personally dont have a limited slip differencial,but maybe my car should have,but its all about the nut behind the wheel!!!
And i am the driver of my car AND know its capabilities,better than you!!
i have driven thousands of miles on icy roads in Canada,Sweden ,France (even towing a caravan)and Finland,in trucks,service barges,and road and rally cars!! Maybe i am short on experience
Certainly is. I post on Fiatforum and a guy who was building a racing Panda got Quaife to build a batch of bespoke diffs. The diff still slips so it's not like a welded diff or anything. Having never driven a car with an LSD (though Caroline's Legacy may have one) I wouldn't know from experience. Donkey Jote will surely be able to say though :)Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
the idea of an LSD is the fact that a clutch in the differential,feels when one wheel is slipping,it then comes into effect and delivers drive to the stationary wheel,opposite the spinning wheel.that is why it is limited.Most cars that have Lsd have then as standard equipment on delivery,but when we were racing saloon cars we used to run locked diffs,so both wheels were driving all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
Not all LSD's use a clutch arrangement.Quote:
Originally Posted by driveace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_slip_differential
Where did i say they were?Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
i was giving a guy ,who said he had NO idea about LSD,a small amount of knowledge to HELP him understand how they worked
I often make fun of the One show but that was quite an informative segment and I can imagine just seeing it on the BBC with Dom Littlewood fronting it . It's good to see a well researched and well done segment on the Beeb :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
I certainly agree that if you're the sort of person who is a light user and drives short distances to work or just to the shops then socks or chains are probably the best idea.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ow_09_12_2010/
Watch from about 7:30 onwards if you're a Brit :)
Actually, I purchased two rear Pirelli snow tyres for my VW1500s when I was in the snowy. They had a peculiar pattern at the edge of the treads which acted like chains sorta, and the traction I got from them in snow was incredible. I never used chains on my own car although I did use chains on a couple of occasions on my Snowy Falcon Ute.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
I did post this before but it is useful to post it again. Before anyone was permitted to use a Snowy (SMHEA) vehicle, they had to pass a special driving test. One of the conditions was they had to be able to slow down a Land Rover (circa 1960 vintage) without touching the brakes by changing down on the gears from 30 MPH. Although most experts will tell you never to touch the brakes on ice, I found a way of using my brakes by touching them very gently with the toe of my foot and then lifting off and then touching them again repeatedly. I also found that if I was changing down on ice to slow the vehicle, I had to let the clutch out gently.
But then, I loved driving on snow and ice in those days - great fun. Exhilarating!!!!!!!!!!. :eek: