SAFE winter tire size?

[Rednex]

Did a search on site - no answer found, thus a critical Q:

What is SAFE winter tire size for VX?

Reason for asking: just found myself in a ditch (in my VX, of course) in absolutely harmless situation lately! Light snow covering some ice, not too excess speed, yet - slowly, but inevitably, I slipped off in a corner - ABS ratcheting... As VX stopped no more than couple of feet in snow off the road - you can understand that speed was really low. (Been traveling that corner for couple of winters in my Ford station wagon, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Defender, so - not a strange place nor unknown conditions - just different ride w different tires...)
Also - while doing some test winter drifting in parking lot, I had a feeling that car wants 2 spin too eagerly....

So my educated guess: 245 wide not too much used Coopers Discoverer is not too good choice for a real snowy/icy winters we get in my locale.

Any suggestions, gents & ladies?
I do not want all-season rubber, I need a good winter one, and the Q mainly is - what width would knowledgeable folks recommend?

Kind regards,
E.

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, I am running BFG A/Ts and I still slide a little if breaking on downhill drives. I have to be really carefull. When accellerating though everything grips fine, its just stopping on a hill going down that seems to be an issue....

Bart

[Tobert]

SAFE is STOCK.

Maybe go for a tire rated for winter, but conforming to the assumptions the Isuzu engineers were working with is your best bet. The brakes (esp. ABS constants) and drivetrain are all set up for the default wheel size and modifying it will only introduce variables into the system.

[JHarris1385]

245 should be fine. Find a tire with lots or maxium sipping in the tread.

[Rednex]

245 should be fine. Find a tire with lots or maxium sipping in the tread.

Well - not sure about that 245 width....
I have on my wife's Tucson 235 Coopers Discoverer (newer version obviously, not as worn out as on my VX) - she went w/o any probs on same corner right before me! No a glimpse of a slip!

My guess: approximately same weight cars + smaller footprint => more pressure to surface => better grip on ice/thin snow. Of course - fresher tread on wife's tires could have plaid some part, but I recon that part not as significant as footprint size of the tire...

So I'd guess something around 225-235 with good winter tread would deliver me much safer ride in winter. Especially, if I manage to find a way to fool TOD into full-time 4hi mode... (Which, by the way, is a push-button option on wife's Tucson... )

[driver3]

I don't think it's the tire size as much as the short wheel base... you can spin a wrangler just as easy... I run 265/75/16's and I do fine in the snow.. but if I punch it around a corner, I'm going to spin out... but if I'm driving in deep snow.. it's awesome. Like I said.. a wrangler is the same...

[psychos2]

I have noticed that when in snow and using power mode I tend to slide more. When not in power mode it is much better. shawn

[Rednex]

I don't think it's the tire size as much as the short wheel base... you can spin a wrangler just as easy... I run 265/75/16's and I do fine in the snow.. but if I punch it around a corner, I'm going to spin out... but if I'm driving in deep snow.. it's awesome. Like I said.. a wrangler is the same...

Well - what worries me - I didn't spin! (I can control spinning, drifting, etc...)

I just slowly & nicely slipped off the road, going slightly sideways: clearly a bad grip case, nothing to do w short wheel base + powerful rear wheel drive car (TOD sadly to admit is too slow for these icy conditions... )

Decision's made: going to have Dunlop Grandtrek SJ6 235/75 R16. Will report the findings.

Nearby Q: has anyone implemented mod discussed here: http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...73&mode=linear (fooling TOD to stay in "4HI" mode)? Winter (& high speed gravel) driving could be greatly imrpoved w such modification...

[uncle_asa]

For the best performance on ice and snow you need winter tires (not all-terrain mud+snow rated which are good for deep snow only). Not sure what is available on US market and if studs are allowed. In Russia I'm personally use Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000, the good reports come from users of Nokian Hakkapelita (LT, SUV, SUV5) and Goodyear UltraGrip 500 (all these tires are studable); Bridgestone Blizzak DMZ3 are good studless tires.

[Rednex]

For the best performance on ice and snow you need winter tires (not all-terrain mud+snow rated which are good for deep snow only). Not sure what is available on US market and if studs are allowed. In Russia I'm personally use Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000, the good reports come from users of Nokian Hakkapelita (LT, SUV, SUV5) and Goodyear UltraGrip 500 (all these tires are studable); Bridgestone Blizzak DMZ3 are good studless tires.

Александр,

то, что надо назиму переходить на реалную зимнию резину, стало ясно после етого соскольжения в кювет.

Вот только сомнения берут насчет размера и протектора. У меня все тачки до етого были длиннобазные, по этаому и мучаюсь в раздумиях, что ставить. Шыпованную резину ставить немогу - раз за разом катаюсь в Европу, они шыпы не долюбливают.
А американцы, очевидно, наших проблем вообше не понимают...

Nokian Hakkapelita очень похожа на Continental 4x4 Ice Contact, что я ставлю зимой на свои Defender или Discovery. Очень хорошая шина, и размером 265/70 для Defa немного широковата, а для Disco в самый раз.

А вот на Веху что ставить? Мож у вас в России есть какой веховский форум, где люди опытом обмениваются?

Спасибо,
Эрик,
aka Rednex.

[uncle_asa]

Александр,

то, что надо назиму переходить на реалную зимнию резину, стало ясно после етого соскольжения в кювет.

Вот только сомнения берут насчет размера и протектора. У меня все тачки до етого были длиннобазные, по этаому и мучаюсь в раздумиях, что ставить. Шыпованную резину ставить немогу - раз за разом катаюсь в Европу, они шыпы не долюбливают.
А американцы, очевидно, наших проблем вообше не понимают...

Nokian Hakkapelita очень похожа на Continental 4x4 Ice Contact, что я ставлю зимой на свои Defender или Discovery. Очень хорошая шина, и размером 265/70 для Defa немного широковата, а для Disco в самый раз.

А вот на Веху что ставить? Мож у вас в России есть какой веховский форум, где люди опытом обмениваются?

Спасибо,
Эрик,
aka Rednex.

Дык я звал же, вроде: http://forum.4x4club.ru/index.php?showforum=22 :-) А вообще диски R16 от Фроси/Мотерея (у меня вообще российский Скад Тритон стоит) и с зимними колёсами проблем не будет никаких. Народ у нас DMZ3 ставил - довольны.

А вообще я первую в жизни веху в Риге увидел на Грециниеку около паба, так что Риге я в этом плане обязан

[Rednex]

So - for anyone searching for _SAFE WINTER TIRE_ for VX I recommend Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3, 235/60, R16 (for R18 it would b ~235/50).

No more control-less side slides, no more rear-axle spin-outs! Well - almost none...
For even better grip I'd recommend to get even narrower ones - 225 would be great, but dealer didn't have those in stock, and due to some recent heavy snow-fall I couldn't wait any longer.

Let's drive fast, but - SAFE !