For winter....stay with 215/60/17 or go wider?

[Alan Andrews]

I run steel wheels with winter M&S tyres during winter months.

Up to now, i've used Goodyear Ultragrip 235/55/17 tyres, but these are not available. I truly trust these tyres in the worst situations.

I can buy 215/60/17 Ultragrip though.

Am I going to compromise the grip etc if I go with the 215 tyres?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

According to below 215 seems better for snow anyway:

215 vs 235 tires | Tire Hungry

If you want to maximize your car’s efficiency, traction or handling capabilities, you need to match it with the right set of tires. However, while 215

tirehungry.com

 

[Alan Andrews]

According to below 215 seems better for snow anyway:

215 vs 235 tires | Tire Hungry

If you want to maximize your car’s efficiency, traction or handling capabilities, you need to match it with the right set of tires. However, while 215

tirehungry.com

The number of days with actual thick snow is very few, whereas the number of days with mud, wet are greater. It is the traction that is a greater requirement for us, so will hold out for 235s.

Thank you for this reply and article.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

The number of days with actual thick snow is very few, whereas the number of days with mud, wet are greater. It is the traction that is a greater requirement for us, so will hold out for 235s.

Thank you for this reply and article.

We have always run 215's on our Beach (not winter tyres). Ride is fine for us and find it gives us more tyre choices & they tend to be cheaper to replace. Less chance of sidewall damage due to narrower width.

But can understand why many fit 235's for cosmetic reasons.

 

[B J G]

The 20mm difference in width may not equate to the same 20mm difference in the tread width on an M&S tyre.
Result being that there may not be much difference in surface contact.

Looks like M&S are being replaced by All Season tyres or you have to go to pure winter tyres unless 4x4 ones are used where sizes are limited.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 seems a close design alternative. SUV version.

Goodyear site gives these options

Successful Tyre Finder Search Results | Goodyear Tyres

Find summer, all season and winter tyres that will fit your car, SUV, 4x4 or van. Search by make, model or tyre size using the Goodyear tyre finder.

www.goodyear.eu

 

[Trebor]

I run steel wheels with winter M&S tyres during winter months.

Up to now, i've used Goodyear Ultragrip 235/55/17 tyres, but these are not available. I truly trust these tyres in the worst situations.

I can buy 215/60/17 Ultragrip though.

Am I going to compromise the grip etc if I go with the 215 tyres?

No 215 better for winter snow tyres . You won’t notice a difference except coasting lasts longer . Mpg probably better too .

 

[Velma's Dad]

Plenty of 4x4 geeks will tell you that actually narrower tyres are better on mud, because they cut down through the mushy top surface to grip on the firmer ground below. Presumably depends exactly what type of mud you expect to encounter.

As said above, narrower almost always said to be better on soft snow. Which I suppose is why the Icelanders drive on these things:


You pays your money, etc.

 

[Calimili]

isn't it a bit late to be discussing winter tyres, 29th March?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Generally reduction of flat surface area has to be good right? Citroen 2CV's were awesome in the snow back in the day on their 125 or 135 tyres.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Generally reduction of flat surface area has to be good right? Citroen 2CV's were awesome in the snow back in the day on their 125 or 135 tyres.

They were also super light, so less mass to stop…but great fun!

 

[Calimili]

They were also super light, so less mass to stop…but great fun!

so did the old Fiat 500 of 40/50 years ago. it wasn't the thin tyres , it was the weight. If we measure Kg per cm of tyre width , in proportion to a Cali those 125/135 where "large"

 

[andyinluton]

As said above, narrower almost always said to be better on soft snow. Which I suppose is why the Icelanders drive on these things:

Doesn't it depend on the depth of snow? an inch or two you want to cut down through it, a foot or two & you want to stay on top.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Doesn't it depend on the depth of snow? an inch or two you want to cut down through it, a foot or two & you want to stay on top.

Yes I think that's the principle. But anyway my general point was that there's no tyre (or size) that's best for all environments. There's mud and there's mud, and snow and snow (and slush, ice, etc etc).

(In the rallying world people will argue for hours about what type of gravel a certain type of gravel tyre or compound variant will be best on, and even more importantly what amount of tread wear is optimal - fresh gravel tyres are iffy on tarmac sections until you've worn the corners off the tread blocks).

 

[AndrewCook680]

isn't it a bit late to be discussing winter tyres, 29th March?

we had an inch of snow covering roads up here in Aberdeenshire - Scotland on Monday . I keep winter tyres on vehicles until mid-April

 

[sapto]

We drive some ContiWinterContact 215 ones because we sometimes need to wear chains and keep them til May.