So....anybody crashed in the snow yet??

[Dan]

whilst on the phone parked up on the side of the road yesterday evening I saw a mondeo lock up and go spinning off into the adjacent field! LOL

I couldnt help but laugh as it was a straight road...PMSL

Dan

Skate2create/D-Unit: Angeltuned Fiat Bravo 1.2 16v......LostInMyOwnWorld......

 

[Roberto]

I was just wondering if someone can explain the theory that 4WD vehicles are not good in the snow ?

And hadn't we better inform the population of places like Sweden and other manufacturers who have been extolling the virtues of 4WD in snow & ice ?

I remember my mate's dad having a Land Rover and he used to whizz up the hill as if there was no snow or ice at all. And the time Clarkson tested a 4WD Jag estate against the 2WD variant and he didn't spin, skid or slide once in the 4WD but couldn't even get up the hill in the 2WD.

Also, Jag's advert shows the 4WD estate driving up a ski slope. False advertising ???



Rob

 

[Ian]

hugs Rob

 

[Roberto]

Rob

 

[Tommy K]

i didn't say 4x4's weren't great in the snow.. all i pointed out was.. in the event of it loosing traction due to ice... the extra weight of the vehicle will cause it to skid for longer.


don't put words into my mouth... there's far too many comming out of it!

Tommy K - Have you got the Bottle!!

 

[Roberto]

It would only skid for longer if it remained locked up, but the nature of 4WD will increase the traction and therefore get you in control of the skid much sooner.

Given the choice of my g/f's Seicento and my Mondy, give me the Mondy anyday. The smaller and lighter the car, the smaller the tyres and the less contact with the road equalling less friction to stop.

Don't forget that the added weight of a heavy vehicle causes more friction with the surface and therefore equals better grip.

When driven properly, a 4WD will outperform a non 4WD vehicle in terms of grip and traction every time, regardless of weight.

Simple physics.

Rob

 

[Josh]

this isn't fair we've not even had anything like the weather for snow. we had a light dusting other night which just melted straight away. at the momnet the sun is coming out

 

[Emma]

Damn i wanna play in the snow

 

[Ben B]

How does tyre width affect the grip in the snow? Someone told me I'd be better off with my steelies on, at the thinner tyres would be better, as they'd cut throught the snow or something but surely that's rubbish?

I tried to drive to a wedding on Tuesday, just after a really heavy hour or so of snow, and even driving at walking pace I was in absolutely no control weaving all over the place, no matter what gear I was in! However a couple of cars (not 4x4's) passed me driving straight no problems! Don't get it!

About 30 minutes later however I set of again, and by then the roads were slushy but no problem to drive on.

Not before someone my end had phoned the bride to tell her the photographer wouldn't be able to make it, causing plenty of tears on the morning of the wedding though! Ooops lol!

Ben B

 

[Kev]

In answer to Ben B, wide tyres sit on top of the snow where as narrow tyres dig through snow.
Look at Rally cars wide tyres for dry rallies and very narrow tyres for snow covered stages.
You would be better off putting four space saver wheels on in winter LOL

 

[jay]

well lookin forward to the predicted "drifts" of snow so i dont have to go to work tomorro!
yea skinny tyres will give better grip but they're both useless if there's any compacted snow or ice underneath them, ye need studs really, but who actually has them other than those peeps oop in the mountains
tell ye what made me laugh/wince, my dad tryin to get his rwd jag up our slight incline of a road in the snow, funny until it nearly slid down onto our neighbours garden (4 foot vertical drop!), ah i love this weather

 

[Roberto]

I thought rally cars used special studded snow tyres ? Can't imagine the width having that much effect.

Plus a lot of rally cars are 4WD or AWD, apparantly it helps in slippy conditions

Rob

 

[lozz]

all i'll say is have u ever seen a milkfloat suck in the snow lol

 

[Ash]

if the tyres are narower the weight of the car is spread over less area increasing contact pressure mening better grip. wider tyres only provide better handeling because their width spreads the weight of the car moe evenly at high speed through corners also coupled with the lower tyre wall gives a sportier more balanced ride!!

 

[Tommy K]

I love every1's physics... yes narrow tyres are better in snow.. but snow chain are the way forward!!

once the snow or ice has filled the tread in the tyres it doesn't really matter about the tyre size.. you have shopping trolly wheels then!!!

Tommy K - Have you got the Bottle!!

 

[Buzz]

well i had an amusing drive to the garage this morning. Booked it in last week. Getting both front wishbones replaced because the ball joints are shot to hell. so i've got terrible steering, and its made the inside shoulders go completely bald. So imagine my horror when i woke up at 9am and theres over 2 inches of snow!!!
(also getting front disks and pads replaced because one has warped, which adds to the scare factor when braking)


On the subject of winter wheels, I always understood that stelies were better because they were narrower and cut through snow etc. Also, if you put steelies on through the worst of the winter months it means you can put decent summer tyres on your alloys instead of getting 4 season tyres. Another MAJOR benefit, is you dont cake your lovely £800 alloy wheels with salt and grit etc, nor damage them when you slide into a kerb, or hit a pothole that was concealed by snow. maybe if you are car proud, as we all are, then we'd put steel wheels on all winter just for that reason?

Buzz (formerly LightWarrior)
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
Owner of the Bravo 1.8

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[mathew]

i nearly crashed the other week when we had snow, was very scary silding down a hill sideways heading for the side of a house, i managed to get it going in the right direction but scraped my alloy on the kerb.