Member Since: 01 Dec 2008
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 70
Tread depths and snow
I have the stand fitment pirelli scorpion M&S on 20". Never had a problem at home or in the Alps uphill but coming down a local today the hdc was the only thing that stopped me crashing. I was barely moving and the car just turned sideways. It takes a lot of restraint as you nearly crash to not brake and let the hdc sort it out.
Anyway, I have 5mm+ on all 4 tyres and this journey has shaken me up. I know many countries require a legal min of 4mm and in the UK on summer tyres I would change them at 3mm for a legal limit of 1.6mm. Am I just at the point they need changing out are these tyres just that bad in snow. Never been a problem uphill but it's a damn heavy car.
Obviously I'm sure this will also spark the usual debate on proper winter tyres which I'm also willing to consider but am thinking of changing the car next year so might not get a lot of wear and at about £1000 a set it's a big investment.
10th Dec 2017 11:21 pm
markate
Member Since: 17 Sep 2011
Location: England
Posts: 702
I'd say at 5mm you're getting close to the point where they start to become less effective in snow. The 4mm limit in most of Europe is just that a limit and most will consider changing before they reach 4mm.
Also consider how old your current tyres are as they start to degrade over time and when they reach about 5 years should probably be discarded.
11th Dec 2017 8:21 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13802
I always change my tyres at 4mm. Currently have 19inch Duratracs on which I find excellent. New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
11th Dec 2017 8:40 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72740
On SWMBO's Conti winters there are 2 sets of tread depth raised bits, one at about 4mm & one at "normal" depth. As I understand it the reasoning for changing winters at a higher remaining depth isn't the tread depth itself but the depth of the sips. Deeper the sips the better the deck shoe effect. I think it was Ken that said here words to the effect that sips are king.
11th Dec 2017 8:44 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4398
I run Scorpions in the summer, but I change to winter tyres as soon as the the roads become permanently wet and muddy.
Tyres also harden up as they get older, regardless of the tread depth. Winter tyres have a softer compound rubber, which works more effectively at temperatures less than 7°C.
Get some winter tyres on before you dont manage to stop the car! Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
11th Dec 2017 8:45 am
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4544
There's plenty of used sets of winters about, including on this forum.
Buy a set with alloys, and then when you change cars sell them on again. You won't lose a great deal I expect.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum