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pom

Member Since: 01 Jun 2010
Location: Worcester
Posts: 1343

Winter Tyre Time

With autumn fast approraching am starting to look at a set of winter boots to replace the AT2's. While I was impressed with the AT2 last winter I'm going for a real winter tyre this year. Looking for the same size 265x75x16

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta seems to be the daddy as far as performance goes, £190 a corner.

Also found Maxmiler which are cheaper but I've never heard of them.

What's everyone else using ?

Pom

31st Aug 2011 1:49pm

iruffell

Member Since: 03 Sep 2010
Location: Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Posts: 343

2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

Re: Winter Tyre Time

Quote:
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta seems to be the daddy as far as performance goes, £190 a corner.

They seem to be studded and are illegal in this country aren't they?

31st Aug 2011 2:00pm

twopoint6khz

Member Since: 18 Aug 2011
Location: North Lakes
Posts: 652

They're studdable rather than studded, I think the pic just shows them for effect. AT2s come with similar stud-holes but no studs.

Why not just go for a 235/85 tyre instead? More bite in snow. Last winter I found mine pretty much unstoppable - driving round like normal when our other car (VW Golf) wouldn't move at all

31st Aug 2011 2:05pm

pom

Member Since: 01 Jun 2010
Location: Worcester
Posts: 1343

the 235's do come in a little cheaper. Could be an option.

Pom

31st Aug 2011 2:18pm

tatra805

Member Since: 16 Aug 2011
Location: Dolany
Posts: 436

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Bonatti Grey

+1 for less wide IF you are not driving on loads of fresh deep snow

Wintertire will beat anything else big time on roads and general driving.
Nevertheless I prefer the all-roundness of my AT's they give me that extra bit of digging instead of grabbing which comes in handy on the relative amounts of fresh snow we have.

Another thing to keep in mind with wintertyres (although i do not know the Hakkapeliitta's but do know nokian's other "normal" winter tyres) is that they last you 1 season. Second year the rubber compound has hardened and they become unreliable. Even with 60% profile still left i scrapped my Nokians as i was or standing or going sideways, a complete shock compared to their behaviour a year earlier.
I changed to dunlop for my wintertires and these seem to hold a bit better, and grip is much much better than the nokians. Tire-guy told me nokian doesnt work on RWD vehicles and had many complaints.

To be honest, i wont drive the merc without wintertyres but on the Def i consider it a waste in our moderate winters here. Up north or in the mountains it is a different story of course.

BTW, be quick with your purchase, manufacturers in europe expect to be 40% short in supply due to the harsh winters and more people switching over.

31st Aug 2011 2:52pm

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

Goodyear Dura Tracs and they are studable

31st Aug 2011 3:28pm

pom

Member Since: 01 Jun 2010
Location: Worcester
Posts: 1343

dura tracs look like at2's and not a dedicated winter tire ?

31st Aug 2011 3:34pm

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

Dura Tracs are Mountain SnowFlake pom they are not M+S its a major differance

What's the difference in snow traction between an M+S (Mud and Snow) branded tyre, an all-season tyre and a purpose-built winter/snow tyre? While many drivers probably aren't absolutely sure, it can be the difference between getting to work, getting home and getting stuck.
The original definition of M+S tyres is based on the geometry of the tread design. The M+S designation was first used to differentiate the knobby, bias ply tyres intended for use on muddy and/or snow-covered roads from the straight rib tyres used on early cars or trucks. Tyres with tread designs that meet the definition may be branded with the letters "M" and "S" in several different ways (e.g., M&S, M+S, M/S, MS, etc.) at the discretion of the tyre manufacturer.
When early radial ply tyres were also found to deliver more snow traction than the straight rib, bias ply tyres, the tyre companies introduced all-season tyres. Supported by advertising, all-season tyres have presented an unspoken promise that they, throughout their life, can provide traction for all seasons...through spring's rain, summer's heat, fall's cooling and winter's snow. While this combined offering has made all-season tyres popular, many drivers have learned that a geometric definition doesn't guarantee winter snow and ice traction.
In 1999, The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) agreed on a performance based standard to identify passenger and light truck tyres that attain a traction index equal to, or greater than 110 (compared to a reference tyre which is rated 100) during the specified American Society for Testing and Materials traction tests on packed snow. The new standard helps ensure that drivers can easily identify tyres that provide a higher level of snow traction.
A mountain/snowflake symbol branded on the tyre's sidewall identifies tyres that met the required performance in snow testing. The mountain/snowflake symbol is expected to be fully implemented on new tyres by now, however there still may be a few winter/snow tyres in the marketplace that meet the requirements but were produced in molds manufactured before the symbol was developed.
While dedicated winter/snow tyres bearing the mountain/snowflake symbol are available in sizes for most passenger cars and MPv’s,
Oh and this is a beaut
What If My Car Has All-Wheel Drive?
All-wheel drive is certainly an advantage...but its advantage can be multiplied by using winter tyres designed for the road conditions you'll encounter. While more tyres share the torque of your vehicle, think of the ice and snow performance that winter tyres provide. All of the reasons that encouraged you to select an all-wheel drive car are the same reasons that dedicated winter tyres will make your winter driving more enjoyable and enhance your car's braking, handling and cornering traits.
However, it is important to remember that while the all-wheel/four-wheel drive vehicle's ability to accelerate in slippery conditions provides a lot of confidence, it doesn't really offer any unique advantage when the vehicle has to stop or turn. This is because the other vehicles also use all four tyres to provide braking and cornering traction. Since four-wheel drive vehicles actually weigh more than their two-wheel drive counterparts, bringing them to a stop or turning a corner actually requires more traction.
So, whether your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, traction control, a vehicle stability system, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, it is your tyres that provide the real traction. Obviously, the more tyre traction these systems have to work with the better. Since most vehicles (including light trucks) are originally equipped with all-season tyres, optimising these systems' capabilities on snow and ice requires installing winter tyres.

Siped & Studable

Click image to enlarge
:thumbsup:

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

31st Aug 2011 3:44pm

pom

Member Since: 01 Jun 2010
Location: Worcester
Posts: 1343

hmm the tread pattern looks nothing like the nokians though and they are a pure winter tyre ?

Pom

31st Aug 2011 4:39pm

BigMike

Member Since: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2253

for me - for fresh snow there's nothing wrong with an AT or an MT pattern. for hard compacted snow/ice when its that slippery, i'll just stay at home.

lat year I remember driving down the M6 the morning after all the first lot of snow fell in december, I had on my maxxis MT762, there was about a foot of snow and the motorway was total carnage. jack knifed trucks, cars spun into the central reservation, crashes galore. I just pulled out to the outside lane where the fresh snow was and no tyre tracks and mosied along at about 40mph, the tyres were fantastic. the inside lane was jammed for nearly 40 miles.

I would actually think twice about a dedicated winter tyre (on a defender) for our climate

31st Aug 2011 5:11pm

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

pom wrote:
hmm the tread pattern looks nothing like the nokians though and they are a pure winter tyre ?

Pom

Pom they are mountain snow flaked which means in simple terms that they qualify for Winter use were the law requires it

The tread pattern allows for off road winter use

Full on Winter Tyres (these are not snow tyres) are great but may/can/will stuggle in the slushy muddy stuff the Defenders love, Dont get me wrong I have full Winters ready for the Vito & X6 but the Defender desearves more

31st Aug 2011 5:46pm

pom

Member Since: 01 Jun 2010
Location: Worcester
Posts: 1343

thanks for the advice. I think im going to stick to the nokians for winter tarmac use.

Pom

31st Aug 2011 5:53pm

bpman

Member Since: 21 May 2008
Location: Oslo
Posts: 8069

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black

Pom,

there are lots of threads covering this, including this one:

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic4623.h...discoverer

I believe snow tyres will last 5-6 seasons.

bpman

31st Aug 2011 5:55pm

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

pom wrote:
thanks for the advice. I think im going to stick to the nokians for winter tarmac use.

Pom

Great choice be quick thou as Winters coming and tyres are in short supply

31st Aug 2011 5:58pm

blue meanie

Member Since: 30 Jun 2007
Location: Newbury (ish)
Posts: 43

any ideas what sizes the Duras are available in Ken?

31st Aug 2011 6:06pm

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