Tyre sizes...winter tyres

[helen&tony]

Hi
I usually buy all-season tyres as i don't do a lot of miles, especially in winter...but there's a long cold winter forecast. I think they mean below freezing for a long time rather than the usual snow/ melt ...snow/ melt, where quite often we get temperatures of plus 3 or 4 degrees, and water on top of 4 inches of ice.....so, either way, I decided on the reserve set of wheels having winter snow and ice tyres....Right...I can only get tyres in 205-70-15 96H rather than my preferred 215s...so...does anyone have experience of the 205s, and would my 215 spare still be useable!????...the 205s are 8mm larger diameter , but a short journey might be O.K. perhaps??????
Cheers
Helen

[A1tony]

I looked at quite a few Bongo's yesterday at Southampton docks, mostly rubbish I might add. Many had non-studded snow/ice tyres fitted to them. If I had known I could have had a look at the makes/sizes for you, but maybe someone else is going down there ???

[helen&tony]

Hi
Thanks, but they haven't got much of a stock locally...best I could find were some Lassa Tyres....I usually manage on all-seasons, but I bought some new alloys, so I have a chance to keep 2 sets of wheels...I'm almost tempted to go for some VERY VERY mean hugely chunky 4x4 tyres in 205/ 70/ 15 for the snow.....just for the looks
Cheers
Helen

[mikexgough]

Hi
Thanks, but they haven't got much of a stock locally...best I could find were some Lassa Tyres....I usually manage on all-seasons, but I bought some new alloys, so I have a chance to keep 2 sets of wheels...I'm almost tempted to go for some VERY VERY mean hugely chunky 4x4 tyres in 205/ 70/ 15 for the snow.....just for the looks
Cheers
Helen

Triple R has Lassa tyres on his Bongo...... might be worth a PM for the model/size/type of the Lassa's he has.....

[scanner]

As far as I'm concerned it's as narrow as possible on snow.

You need to bite down through it for grip not skate across the top on 4 Luges.

Watch the cars on the Swedish Rally when it come on TV and see how wide their tyres are - I'd say about 185 at the most and they go a lot faster than and have about 4 times the BHP of a Bongo.

205's with a 96 load rating should be plenty - I've just fitted 205/55-16 Avon Ice Tourings on my estate car and hoping we now have the promised hard winter.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... s629p15450

[helen&tony]

Hi
Ta...
Mike...i've seen several Lassa tyres in winter pattern, and , frankly, all of them look a bit better than some more expensive stuff
Scanner...
I agree on the skinny principle...I've done a lot of off-road driving in Landrovers...always from necessity, and always on skinnies....but the snow here is not the worry, until it freezes....and several foot of iced snow often cripples the tractors....no, it's the ice that bothers me when it has water on top...it's like driving on 3 inches of grease....I avoid it if possible, and the 205s will do nicely....BUT...I only have 215 spares, and I am a wee bit concerned about driving 20 Km or so on a mis-match to get a puncture fixed. The other thing is that 205 is as small as I'd like to go on my old alloys, as the rims may protrude a bit , and bang on the pot-hole rims.
Cheers
Helen

[mikexgough]

Uk Winter Forecast here

[dandywarhol]

205 Uniroyal rain tyres worked fine last winter up here on a 2WD

[Triple/R]

Hi
Thanks, but they haven't got much of a stock locally...best I could find were some Lassa Tyres....I usually manage on all-seasons, but I bought some new alloys, so I have a chance to keep 2 sets of wheels...I'm almost tempted to go for some VERY VERY mean hugely chunky 4x4 tyres in 205/ 70/ 15 for the snow.....just for the looks
Cheers
Helen

Triple R has Lassa tyres on his Bongo...... might be worth a PM for the model/size/type of the Lassa's he has.....

Eyup Helen ~as Mike say's,i've got "Lassa Competus" 205/70/15 on mine 96 load rating all round~although theres never a lot of snow around here i bought the wheels complete with tyres~ the ride on dry roads is so much smoother than tyres i've had before especially on bumpier roads cus the tyres are quite chunkie~having said that if you take a bend quite sharp they are'nt as good as your normal tyres,but then again i drive reasonably slow so that's not an issue for me~tried to post photo but Photobucket is acting up today.

[Diplomat]

My Bongo came with 205/70s all round and a skinny spare.

Currently I have 205s, front, 215/65s rear and a 205 spare. I will go back to 205s on the back when the 215s wear out. 205/70s are the ideal compromise size if you want to use a good spare in any wheel location. It also looks a bit silly with wider flatter tyres on the back only. I prefer the look of the more 'baloony' 205/70s although I have no idea which are really better. I've not had 195s but they may fit in better with the Swedish theory.

The 205s weren't a problem in snow. What grounded me for nearly two weeks last winter was ice. Only main roads in this area were treated by the two Councils involved. I don't think any normal tyres would have solved that one.

Frank

[helen&tony]

Hi
Mike
I'll have a better read through that later...The forecast here is cold, and it says it will be Europe-wide ....Today it is 25 Celcius
Ray
I'll fit those for the winter then...what about the spare size??
Today I have a new spanner in the works...read it on Techie...take heed
Frank
I stick to 215s normally...it's a 4x4.....and snow here is often a metre in one night!...so we have to wait 'till a tractor comes round!
Cheers
Helen

[scanner]

.no, it's the ice that bothers me when it has water on top...it's like driving on 3 inches of grease....I avoid it if possible, and the 205s will do nicely....BUT...I only have 215 spares, and I am a wee bit concerned about driving 20 Km or so on a mis-match to get a puncture fixed. The other thing is that 205 is as small as I'd like to go on my old alloys, as the rims may protrude a bit , and bang on the pot-hole rims.
Cheers
Helen

You need the silica rubber formula then to avoid the tyres going hard and losing grip below 7degrees C.

The difference is only 10mm and I don't think 20kms on a difference like that would be the end of the world. I've only got a 195/70-15 spare to go with 215/60-16s. That is 20mm difference and it's a standard van tyre as well, so I'm going to have to use that with winter tyres on the other corners if I have a problem.

[helen&tony]

Hi Scanner
I run all-seasons usually, but , frankly, they aren't up to too much...as you say. below 7 celcius normal tyres lose grip, and below minus 10 all-season tyres lose grip...winter tyres are certainly tested well in Canada, where they know a bit,and the website I use has relevant information on the functioning of the tyres they sell over here , regarding how the blocks and sipes function at different speeds....I quite like the Lassa compared to Yokohama from that viewpoint.....Interestingly, though, even if equipped with correct tyres, you must still use chains where indicated by signs....As far as I'm concerned, that's crazy....studs are far better than chains. Tyres that expel snow, and some studs to grip the ice...no problem...chains are just motoring elastoplast , and not that good .
Cheers
Helen

[Triple/R]

Hi
Mike
I'll have a better read through that later...The forecast here is cold, and it says it will be Europe-wide ....Today it is 25 Celcius
Ray
I'll fit those for the winter then...what about the spare size??
Today I have a new spanner in the works...read it on Techie...take heed
Frank
I stick to 215s normally...it's a 4x4.....and snow here is often a metre in one night!...so we have to wait 'till a tractor comes round!
Cheers
Helen

I've got a 195/70/15 for the spare Helen,but to my way of thinking anything's better than the skinny

[helen&tony]

Hi Ray
You're probably right..I'll see what I can do on tyres...other hassles to organise at the moment...tyres are another week now..
Cheers
Helen