This is a good story for, let’s say, the more mature garage owners amongst us (the older guys). We are the ones that remember the cars and their tyres back in the 1960’s and on from there.
The tyre industry is about to do a turn-around when it comes to car tyre design and sizes and will revert back to similar ones that were used in the early days. They are going to start making taller and thinner car tyres.
This reversal has come about under pressure
from governments to encourage car manufacturers to design and make their cars more eco-friendly. By reverting back to the tall, thin tyre, they are helping the car designers reduce fuel consumption and give their cars better carbon emissions figures.
When I first worked in the industry, this type of tyre size was the norm.
The MGB sports car came out on 165×14 tyres, a narrow tyre by today’s standards. The early E-Type Jaguars were originally fitted with 185v15-size tyres, as were the Ferrari 250 GT’s. Even the more common types of cars, such as the VW Beetles and Volvos, were fitted with 155×15 and 165×15-size tyres, which were very narrow compared with some of the tyre sizes that were later to be developed.
Bridgestone tyre showing the tall and thin effect of the new car tyres.
Pirelli was one of the companies to develop the slimmer car tyres. Car Tyres get Taller and Thinner
Pirelli has said that they will be driven to come out with new sizes by stricter European Union regulations that will force them to develop tyres that have the best ratings.
The idea behind this is to reduce the rolling resistance of the tyres. The first target for the regulations is 2016 and then a higher target in 2020. The new tyre rules will be getting stricter and stricter, and so it will not be long before we see this type of tyre coming into our garages and tyre shops.
What is rolling resistance? Car Tyres get Taller and Thinner
Rolling resistance is basically the friction between the wheel and tyre and the road surface. The broader the tyre footprint, the more resistance is created.
We would normally put this down to a better grip, and this is one of the reasons that low-profile tyres were developed, firstly for motorsport and then for road cars. Also at the bottom of the tyre, where the tyre meets the road surface, there is a flat spot; this is known as the “compact patch, “and as you roll over it going forward, the flat section moves around the tyre. The shape of the tyre is constantly changing.
This gives an extra resistive force.
This is why the car uses more fuel when its tyres are not inflated correctly (underinflated). The engine has to work harder to push the car along with its flatter tyres.
A simpler way of putting it
is that if you have a half-flat tyre on your bicycle and you know that it is much harder to peddle, then it is the same for your car; this is known as “rolling resistance.”. Also, because of more modern tread designs, there has been no loss of “wet and dry grip,” This is also due to more modern tyre compounds and tread patterns with deeper sipes.
Sipes are the tiny slits. Car Tyres get Taller and Thinner
that help to dissipate water in wet driving conditions. This tyre design is incorporated into Michelins new tyre, the Michelin AS all-season tyres, As the tyre wears down, the sipes do as well, giving excellent grip as the tyre wears down, https://www.wintertyres-yorkshire.co.uk/michelin-premier-s-season-tyre/
In fact, Bridgestone and Michelin are two of the tyre companies that are involved in the development of taller, thinner tyres.
In fact, the new BMW i3 concept car has 19-inch wheels with a tyre size 155/70×19 but the tyres are half the width of the conventional
According to Michelin,
Increasing the tyre diameter by 2 inches will reduce rolling resistance by about 5%. The new Citroen C4 cactus will use 18-inch wheels, which will be just 155mm wide (about 6 inches). One good thing about this is that I love change? I believe that these new tyre designs are what make our job more interesting, especially for us older guys who remember the original skinny tyres going back 40 or 50 years.
In all my years in the tyre business, this has always been a difficult thing to judge. One of the reasons is because the tyre often disintegrates into pieces and the original cause cannot be seen , at least with the nakedeye. I am bringing this up because just this week we have had two cases of tyre separation on two different types of vehicle.
One was a car, and the other was a caravan.
The car had developed a large “egg” on the shoulder area, and the caravan had pieces of tread hanging off after a blowout occurred when the driver was returning from his holidays. Both of our customers were disgruntled, to say the least and both blamed the tyre separation on faulty tyres. More reading…http://www.tirefailures.com/coopertire/tirefailures.html
This takes me back to my younger days
When faulty tyres were very common. Even in my later years I noted that Firestone in America was having huge problems with tyres blowing out on the Ford Explorer.
The problem of the tyres became a mixture of blames as the SUV’s turned over after the tyre blowout occurred, but other problems with the vehicles design came into play, so I won’t go any further with that.
Tyre tread separation in the 1970’s
Tyre tread separation in the 1960’s and 70’s became a common thing.The problem stemmed from the tyre companies inability to design
Tyre Separation
and make a worthy steel belted radial to compete with the Michelin tyres, that were out classing all their other rivals in both quality and tyre mileage, the Michelin’s could double the mileage of all the other tyres on the market.
Goodyear and Firestone experimented with different types of steel to make the steel belt wires
But failed to stop the belts oxidising (rusting) and the oxygen that this gave off caused the tyres to separate. (Tyres are made of a build-up of different layers of rubber called a casing). In the long run they were given a licence from Michelin and the secret of a steel belt coated with alloys made up of brass and copper resulted in the other tyre companies developing a better product, and virtually eliminating the tyre separation problem in their tyre products.
Another problem that let some of the tyre makers down was their lack of cleanliness. In the factories that produced the tyres. I can vouch for this myself, having visited some tyre factories and seen the dirt and dust everywhere.
In fact it has been known , over the years that things like screws and bolts, even a chicken bone and a screwdriver have been found embedded in a tyres structure, eventually giving the tyre owner problems.
The main problem in the past, though, has been dust and dirt
contaminating the adhesive that helps to vulcanise the tyre layers together. If dust gets in, then the tyre will eventually crack or start to form a bubble due totyre separation. Other problems can be found with the steel belt. They can form rust and corrosion, which can be evidence that there has been some sort of moisture contamination during manufacture. Tyre makers can now tell what a more specific problem may be. of moisture contamination during manufacturing. Bare wire is an indication of a manufacturing adhesion defect. Brassy wire is a strong indication that there has been an adhesive left out altogether.
These type of faults can now be detected by the use of high-resolution photographs.
These images can be taken of any exposed surfaces as quickly as possible after the problem has been discovered, especially if this is required as evidence in an accident case.
Tyre tread separation can be detected at an early stage
This is one of the dilemmas that we face when determining whether the fault lies with the tyre manufacturer or the customer.
The main thing is to make sure that you check your tyres at a regular basis, as well as check the pressure and look and feel for any sign of a small lump or bubble. I must admit that they are easy to see on the sidewall but not on the tread area. The most common causes of these lumps and bumps on the sidewall are the tyre becoming kerbed, hitting a stone, or running over a pothole. One of the sidewall cords breaks, leaving a wet spot and pushing out the rubber to form a lump. If this happens and you detect it, then unfortunately, you will have to buy a new tyre.
This tyre looks like it has developed a fault. We could not find any objects that had penetrated the tyre.
The tread area is a little different.
I have found that the main problem for an egg to appear on the shoulder/tread area comes down to a previous puncture repair that the tyre has had. What happens is that the nail or screw, whatever you had in the tyre has damaged the wire in the steel belt and the tyre oxidises, just like a faulty new tyre does.
In 90% of cases an old puncture repair will be to blame and we are able to show the problem to the customer. If we cannot find anything that could have caused a problem then we will send the tyre back to the manufacturers with a suspected faulty tyre. This is a bit of important advice. If you do go over a pothole or hit a kerb with you tyres bellow the pressure that they should be, then you will increase the chance of tyre damage.
Also if you feel that the car is pulling to the left or right
Subsequently, or your wheels are out of balance then this is an early sign of a separation problem in your tyre. Whenever a customer has a balancing problem, then the first thing we do is to examine the tyre for other problems.
Because it is most unusual for a tyre to go out of balance unless a wheel weight comes off, which is very rare. Therefore, it is likely that you will have another issue if you need the wheels balanced, and that issue is typically a slipped belt due to separation.
Like many other major tyre companies, Michelin is experimenting with different materials to use in the tyres compound. This is to try and reduce the amount of petro-chemicals that are used in the manufacture of tyres.
Michelin has used a combination of sunflower oil and silica. The siliThe majority of tyre companies use silica, especially in their winter tyre lines. Silica helps the tyre in wet weather by providing more strength and stability to the tyres
The excellent new Michelin Premier AS All-Season tyre
performance, whist the sunflower oil helps the tyre perform well in lower temperature, a mix that goes well in an all-season tyre, helping it to perform in both summer and winter, hence the name all-season. Most tyres have incorporated sipes and grooves into the tyres tread.
This dissipates the water from the tyre in inclement weather.
As the tyre wears with use, these grooves start to disappear in many makes of tyres; in fact, some tyres, particularly Continental, look like racing slick with 3mm of tread left and would be useless in the wet.
The new Michelin however, has grooves that are spread around the outside of the tread, which become wider as the tyre tread wears out.
This means that the tyre will maintain its grip as it wears down and dissipates water, whereas normally the opposite happens: the tyre loses grip when it wears down. As the tyre wears, more grooves that have been placed deeper in the tread will start to appear; in fact, there are about 150 extra hidden grooves placed in the central area of the tyre, only showing when the tyre wears down.
This also gives extra grip in wet weather. When the tyre increase its mileage, it gives more stable traction on the road surface.
The Michelin Premier A/S will replace the MXV4 all-season tyre.
All the new developments in this Michelin Premier tyre are known collectively as Ever-Grip technology and it is said that Michelin have been working on the Ever Grip system for many years. The new tyre has been tested against its predecessor and other makes.
The disappointing aspect of the new tyre was the performance in “dry braking”. This was measured as only average when compared to other makes of tyres and actually worse that the MXV4. When a worn tyre was tested the dry stopping distance was even worse, about 10 foot different.
The new Michelin shone out in a wet weather test when water was added to the test track.
The new tyre stopped almost exactly the same in wet weather as it did in dry weather, both with a new tread and a worn tread. The tests showed that the Premier was miles ahead of its predecessor, the MXV4, all season.
The Premier A/S delivered a safe, predictable stopping performance on dry and wet roads and is largely immune to the effects of tread loss, the tyre performs almost perfectly with a good tread and when the tyre is nearing the end of its treads life.
Michelin premier cross section
The new tyre’s rolling resistance was found to be very good, making it a good tyre when it comes to fuel economy. The tyre also performed well when handling ice and snow, and it also did well for hydroplaning resistance.
I really mean physically sick; let me explain. It was back in 2006; Vredestein Tyres was going to launch a brand new product. The new tyre would fit the new popularity of SUV vehicles that were hitting the car market. The 4X4 and SUV market was starting to become more popular amongst Europeans in most countries and was a growing favourite amongst women drivers. The extra height in the
Vredestein tyres are on test in the Austrian mountains
vehicles gave the drivers a better driving position, especially for the usually smaller female drivers, which, in my opinion, was one of the popular points of these cars. The test vehicles came from the more up-market brands. Of course, such as BMW and Mercedes. Quickly, followed by a new Porsche SUV and a completely new type of Land Rover Discovery. Hence, with a much more streamlined and sexy shape, they were becoming popular with business-owner types of customers.
Vredestein Tyres could see the market gap
Vredestein Tyres was already established as a leader in the winter tyre market and could see that this growing class of vehicles was going to need winter tyres, especially in the countries that have to fit them by law, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. These cars were primarily made from original equipment shod with summer tyres.
The summer tyres were developed by the tyre manufacturers to provide these top-class cars with comfort and strength when cornering. Because of the large sizes of tyres that these vehicles were coming out in, some are now even larger with 23-inch wheels fitted. If the makeup and compound of the tyres were not right, then these tyres would be a very hard ride and uncomfortable on most vehicles, so the correct makeup of the tyres was very important.
Vredestein Tyres announces a new type of tyre
Vredestein Tyres had seen this problem arising and had developed a new type of tyre specifically for the SUV and 4X4 winter tyre market; the tyre would be the “Wintrac 4 Xtreme.”. The tyre was to be available in 16 different sizes and included some of the more exotic tyre sizes that fitted the more up-market models, including the new Porsche Cayenne.
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres on test
Vredestein tyres was in those days a mid-range tyre manufacturer, but they always produced quality tyre products, and they were very excited about their new tyre.
The plan was to have a European-wide tyre dealer launch, and this was to be presented at a lakeside resort in Austria with extensive tyre testing in the mountains of Austria.
The whole adventure was kept secret to the last few days, and all the European tyre dealers were given different dates to attend the new tyre launched.
Countries were kept apart, and we would be in the United Kingdom to travel from Manchester to Saltsburg airport in Austria. The whole thing had been kept a secret, partly because we knew it must have been something about tyres, and I must admit that we were a bit excited about what was coming.
Then, coaches took us to a nearby lakeside resort. Of course, they were known as the Schloss Fuschl Resort & Spa, Fuschlsee-Salzburg, and were told to meet at seven in the evening for drinks and a presentation. Vredestein had certainly gone to town with all the preparations, and I was most impressed with the whole experience.
After checking into our room
We refreshed ourselves and were told to meet at a certain bar for pre-presentation drinks.
I guess there were probably a hundred dealers there from all over the UK and Ireland, and after drinks, we were funnelled into a conference hall to be seated for the presentation of what was to be the “Wintrac 4 Xtreme,” especially designed for the new generation of SUV and 4X4 vehicles.
Following an evening meal and a male soul singer from Holland, the presentation was in keeping with the rest of the excellent hospitality.
We were briefed that the following day we would all be taken in groups of four in different brand new vehicles that were kitted out with the new Wintrac tyres. This was to prove to us, the dealers, how good the product was. The following day, we packed our bags and assembled outside the Hotel frontage, where we were given the number of the vehicle that we would be driving in. Professional drivers with experience driving in snow and mountains were operating all of the vehicles, which bore Vredestein logos.
My car was to be a brand new Land rover Discovery
the first one I had ever seen. We waited until all the cars were filled with tyre dealers, and the cars all set off in a convoy. I must admit to feeling slightly nervous, not knowing what to expect. The vehicles split up into small groups, and we were climbing higher and higher until we reached the snow line.
We continued to go higher and higher, but now we were driving at speed on very narrow single roads with deep drops at one side.
I was now out of my comfort zone, as I am a poor passenger at the best of times . We eventually reached the summit, which I was told was a glazier.
After doing several wheelies on the glazier, I started to feel uncomfortable
But I was assured by the drive that we were perfectly safe, and he had been using these tyres for practice over the past 6 months. We then started to descend down the mountains, but we never lost the car once. I was most impressed with the tyres performance.
After reaching the forest line going down the mountain, the driver decided to demonstrate how good the tyres were on a mountain gravel track and started hurtling the Landover downhill at great speed before slamming on the brakes.
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I could feel my stomach hurtling up to my mouth and threw up all over the brand new Land Rover, just missing my fellow passengers. I did feel a little better after that, and the journey became more tranquil as we wound down the small roads of the foothills back towards our waiting coaches and then onto the airport for our return flight home.
It was, on the whole, a really well-planned new product launch by Vredestein tyres and it proved to be successful for Vredestein and future sales, but the one thing I learned is that I will never be a rally car driver?
Q&A Session on Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme Tyres
Q: So, what is the story behind Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres?
A: All right, let’s plunge in! The Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres are like the tyre equivalent of Sherlock Holmes: they’re smart, dependable, and ideal for the unpredictable British weather. They are specifically intended for winter circumstances, although they are also suitable for all-year use.
Q: Winter tyres, you say? Are they just for snowy days?
A: Not only for the snow! While they excel on icy roads, they also perform admirably in wet and dry conditions. Ideal for icy mornings in Halifax or a wet trip through the Lake District.
Q: How do these tyres differ from ordinary winter tyres?
A: It is all about design and technology. The Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres have a distinctive tread pattern and a silica-based substance. This combination delivers great grip and handling, especially in the coldest weather. It’s like having the grip of a Yorkshire terrier on a lead—powerful and steady!
Q: Do they suit any cars?
A: Vredestein has done an excellent job catering to a wide variety of automobiles. Whether you have a little hatchback or a large SUV, a Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyre would most likely fit.
Q: How do they function in heavy rain and puddles?
A: Imagine driving through Manchester on a wet day; these tyres handle it well. They are meant to quickly disperse water, lowering the risk of aquaplaning. So you can drive with confidence even when the skies open up.
Q: Are these tyres suitable for environmentally conscious drivers?
A: They certainly are. The Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres are designed to be fuel-efficient, so you’ll not only save money at the pump but also help the environment. It’s a win-win!
Q: What’s the lifespan of these tyres?
A: These tyres are long-lasting, much like a good cup of Yorkshire tea. They’re designed to last, so you won’t need to replace them every winter. It’s a good investment for your automobile.
Q: Finally, why should I choose these tyres for my next winter purchase?
A: If you want a durable, adaptable, and safe tyre for the British winter (and beyond), the Wintrac 4 Xtreme is an excellent choice. It’s like enveloping your automobile in a warm, protective coat, ready for whatever the elements hurl at it!
Michelin’s popular – some would even say trend-setting –
CrossClimate tyre is now available to a wide range of SUVs and 4x4s.The Michelin CrossClimate was the world’s first summer tyre to achie…
Michelin 4X4 CrossClimate
There is no doubt that the Michelin CrossClimate has been a winner for the famous French tyre maker. This tyre has been a triumph. Hence, a summer tyre is suitable for winter use.
This new range will definitely be of benefit to drivers of SUV’s and 4X4’s. As a result, we have had complaints in the past. Hence, about their vehicle not handling very well in wet and winter weather.
In my opinion
The CrossClimate will be of benefit to this range of vehicles. For the purpose of better handling.
To bring this post up to 2020/2021 then the crossclimate has been a very successful addition the the Michelin tyre range. So, this tyre is a popular fitment to many types of cars. Covering winter and summer driving conditions.
This tyre has proved to be a winner in countries like the UK. Because of the mild climate, small amounts of irregular snowfall occurred.ries.
Not all makes of winter tyres are made to the same standards and can perform differently.
Just like any other thing in life that you buy, there are different
This customer is having winter tyres fitted in preperation for the bad weather
qualities at different prices. The first point to remember is that all makes of winter tyres will give you better service in the winter months, than say summer tyres. Summer tyres are the regular tyres that are fitted to the car when the car is brand new. Even on SUV and X over cars they will be fitted with summer tyres.
Winter tyres were once thought to be a luxury and indeed in the early days of my career, we only fitted winter tyres to let’s say, the better of type of customer. I remember very clearly, when I worked for a national tyre company, the first time I had ever heard of winter tyres.
The guy was called Kenneth Knight and he owned a local newspaper shop,(everything was local in the late sixties). It was important to him because he had to collect the papers from the local train station every morning at 5 am, in winter he was probably one of the first up on the snow covered roads.
Firestone winter tyres similar to the ones fitted to Mr Knights car in the late 1960’s
Mr Knight owned an Austin Cambridge car and wanted to two Firestone winter tyres. This was the first time that I knew they existed and the first ones that I had ever seen.
I remember that they were special order and took two weeks to arrive at our fitting depot in Dewsbury, Yorkshire UK. When they arrived they were what I would call the old fashioned type of winter tyres with a very junky tread pattern, I also recon that these tyres would have been very noisy bit affective on wet or snowy roads.
Scenes like this from two year ago can remind us just how bad it gets. This was in Sowerby north of Halifax UK
This brings me back today’s driving and especially women’s cars and advice.
Back in my early days Lady Drivers were a rarity, driving the cars was a man’s job, and few women owned cars or learned to drive.
Today is a much different world and I would say that there is as many lady drivers as men. This is why I feel that it is important to educate all drivers in the benefits of fitting winter tyres to their cars before winter arrives.
Winter tyres for the SUVS and X OVERS
Winters in the UK have become more extreme in recent years, last winter 2013/2014 was extremely mild with practically no snowfall recorded here in West Yorkshire.
Across the Atlantic North America was struck by many large blizzards and had their worse snow falls on record. The truth is that none of us know what the weather will bring and so it is hugely important that we prepare our cars for what may hit us. The first advice I would give lady drivers would be to give their cars a winter service. This would include anti-freezing their engines and additives in their windscreen bottles to stop them freezing when the first frost arrives.
Many of our customers ignore this advice and you would be surprised how many frozen cylinder heads that we get from lack of anti-freeze in the engine, costing over £1000 to repair.
The next advice is to change your summer tyres to winter tyres.
The perfect fit for your car would be to change all four, but if your money won’t stretch to that then fit two to the drive wheels. I am not going to recommend any brand names, but in my opinion it would be better to stick to mid-range brands as they are excellent quality and would be cheap tyres compared to leading brands. Pellon Tyres in Halifax stock all brands of winter tyres. These tyres are going to help you get about during bad weather in the winter months.
We all know how important our jobs are now, and taking the children to school usually becomes a woman’s job, so safety is paramount when it comes to your family, and winter tyres will give you the edge in all types of bad weather and not just snow, although these tyres are fantastic when it comes to handling your car in snowy conditions, especially in hilly areas such as here in the West Yorkshire Pennines. So in the coming months, you should be at least thinking about your car and your safety before the winter weather is upon us again.
Q1: Why is it vital to select the proper tyres for my caravan?
A1: Just like choosing the ideal cup of coffee, selecting the correct tyres for your caravan is critical for a smooth voyage. The appropriate tyres improve handling, safety, and fuel efficiency. They must be strong enough to support the weight of your caravan and provide an excellent grip, particularly on rainy British days.
Q2: How frequently should I check my caravan tyres? Caravan tyre safety Advice
A2: Regular checks are essential; think of it as giving your caravan a brief ‘look over’ every now and again. It is best to check your caravan tyres at least once a month, and especially before any major journey. Look for signs of wear, cracks, or bulges. Remember that tyres can age even while not in use, just like good cheese does.
Q3: What tyre pressure is optimal for my caravan?
A3: Getting your tyre pressure exactly right is like striking the bullseye in darts. It varies depending on the weight of your caravan and the type of tyre. In general, it is slightly taller than your car’s tyre. The recommended pressure is listed in the guidebook for your caravan. Keep them adequately inflated to minimise blowouts and reduce fuel expenditures.
Q4: Can I use automobile tyres for my caravan? Caravan tyre safety Advice
A4: Putting car tyres on your caravan is similar to using tea bags to brew coffee—not quite correct. Caravan tyres are specifically built to withstand higher weights and different stresses than vehicle tyres. Always use caravan-specific tyres to ensure safety and optimal performance.
Q5: How do I know when to replace my caravan’s tyres?
A5: Knowing when to repair your trailer tyres isn’t as clear as witnessing the leaves change colour in the autumn. Even if they appear to be in fine condition, consider updating them every five years. Inspect for evidence of wear, cuts, or abnormalities. Safety first, as they say!
Q6: Do you have any advice for maintaining motorhome tyres? Caravan tyre safety Advice
A6: Think of your tyres like a well-kept lawn. Check them on a regular basis for damage or items stuck within. Keep them at the proper pressure, and while your caravan is parked for a while, protect the tyres from direct sunlight and try to move the caravan every now and then to avoid flat patches. A little TLC goes a long way!
This is an important time of year for the owners of caravans and motorhomes.
Such people look forward to their quest for tranquilly and, more importantly, freedom. Therefore, it is the time of year when the owners of these vehicles just can’t wait to free themselves from the shackles of winter.
Caravan and mobile home ownership have gone through the roof in recent times. Hence, I think that this is due to the older generation having some spare money. Due to various reasons. Pensions on retirement and the downsizing of their homes are the usual reasons.
In my opinion, it is just the sign of a successful life.
However, it is always a good idea to have a good checkup on your vehicle. Thus, before setting off on your next adventure,. Tyresafe is always the first to offer some good and sensible advice. Especially when it comes to the tyres and tyre safety.
Tyresafe takes its responsibility very seriously. Excellent articles and videos are always available to support this responsibility. This video is no exception to the rule. Consequently, as the owner of my own tyre retail depot,. Then, I have the greatest admiration for the non-profit-making organisation.
In general, caravan and motorhome owners show a responsible attitude towards their vehicles.
As a result, we see our customers having their vehicles checked year after year. Indeed, it was only the other Saturday that a guy brought in two of his caravan wheels for us to check over.
The guy owned one of the larger units. Caravan tyre safety Advice
Hence, that was a four-wheel unit. Therefore, he brought the wheels to us in pairs. On close examination, the tyres were showing signs of cracking. This is due to exposure to the sun. Thus, at the first signs of any cracking,. Then the tyre must be changed.
This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging! Winter-Tyres Yorkshire is a part of the family of blogs. Hence, they were started and created by the founder and managing director of Pellon Tyres. Eric Roberts.
Our business has grown from just tyres to anything to do with cars.
The only thing that we don’t do is car body work. Consequently, another of our sites covers batteries for all types of vehicles. From children’s toys to huge trucks and tractor batteries. I decided to make a winter blog because of the large interest in the product over the past ten years.
winter tyres should be fitted to all four wheels. However, it is possible to fit them on your drive wheels only. Drivers can’t always afford to buy a set of four tyres, so two winter tyres is better than none.
Mixing summer and winter tyres could result at either end of your car sliding, or spinning causing you to lose control. This is unlikely but it could happen in unfortunate circumstances. The wrong time and the wrong place.
This year, I fitted winter tyres to my car
before the bad weather hit. The difference when driving in snow is incredible compared to summer tyres. Drivers have raved about the safety and effectiveness of their winter tyres in snowy conditions.
Because the temperature only has to fall below 7 degrees, winter tyres are more efficient the summer tyres. Winter tyres should go onto your car from November to March. Consequently, the whole of the UK should be fitted with winter tyres. Furthermore, there would be fewer accidents and travel chaos. This chaos happens every time it snows on the motorways and hilly areas.
Effectiveness-Winter Tyres
Winter tyres are not illegal to use on British roads. Indeed, we are one of the few European countries where fitting winter tyres is not a legal requirement.
There are many excellent brands of tyres available in winter patterns. Different tyre retailers sell different products. Take it from me, they are all worth fitting for your safety. The video shows just how effective these tyres are in bad conditions.
We are here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax,
Yorkshire, UK, fits thousands of winter tyres every winter. We sell most brands of tyres. Finally, we recommend that you bring down the cost by fitting mid-range winter tyres. Brands that we recommend are Vredestein, Falken and Jinyu.
Winter tyres are going to be on a lot of minds of many motorists this year – It is always possible that Great Britain could face a particularly harsh winter this year. It is possible that we could have snow falling from as early as November. Motorists who have bought a four-wheel drive car, probably think that they are properly prepared – but are they?
AutoExpress went up to Tamworth Snowdome.
This was to find out if a front-wheel drive car with winter tyres has more traction in the snow than a 4×4 with summer tyres fitted. They used two Ford Kuga cars, both with 2.0-litre diesel engines and manual gearboxes. But one is front-wheel drive and the other is all-wheel drive. The 4×4 Ford Kuga costs £1,500 more than the normal model.
I am always telling my customers
that in snowy conditions, the rubber in summer tyres gets harder and does not grip very well. Winter tyres use a softer compound and a tread pattern that’s designed to pick up snow and dissipate it, improving grip in these wintery conditions.
In their first test
we saw that the front-wheel-drive car on summer tyres was hopeless in the snow. However, when fitted with winter tyres, the car did much better. Furthermore, they also tested the 4×4 on summer tyres, and the results were very surprising.
With the winter tyres fitted, the normal Kuga went 110 metres up the slope, While the 4×4 car only made it 13 metres up, before sliding back down 9 metres. In the end, it ended up no further than the standard did with summer tyres.
Winter Tyres versus 4×4
They also tested the four-wheel drive Ford Kuga. This was fitted with winter tyres. As a result, the difference was astonishing. There was plenty of grip and the car drove all the way to the top of the steep ski slope, without any real effort.
Obviously, the best solution for driving on snow is to have a 4×4 fitted with winter tyres . It was proven that without the correct tyres fitted, a 4×4 is just as useless in snow and ice as the average two-wheel-drive car. We recommend using General Grabber AT2 Tyres for your SUV or 4X4.
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Michelin’s popular – some would even say trend-setting – 
