Driving in snow

Clarkey · 17 Dec 2009 at 13:59

Janesy B said:
Maximum pressure?

Inflate the tyres to the recommended pressure as per the user manual of the car.

What are you, the tyre pressure police? I run my fronts 10psi above the recommended pressure, tyres have the stiffness of a jelly so it drasticly improves the feel.

Anyway don't underinflate, that will make a wider contact patch which is the opposite of what you want in snowy conditions.

joey1211 · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:08

I think your only supposed to drop the pressures if you are actually stuck in the snow, not for normal day-to-day driving in the snow.

Janesy B · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:26

Clarkey said:
What are you, the tyre pressure police? I run my fronts 10psi above the recommended pressure, tyres have the stiffness of a jelly so it drasticly improves the feel.

Don't buy crap tyres with soft sidewalls then? Just a thought.

Howard · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:39

Janesy B said:
Don't buy crap tyres with soft sidewalls then? Just a thought.

Eagle F1s and Toyo T1-Rs have soft sidewalls

Janesy B · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:49

Howard said:
Eagle F1s and Toyo T1-Rs have soft sidewalls

Surely that's replacing one issue with another? Over inflation = smaller contact patch?

Matt82 · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:51

if thats teh case, youre best off driving in high heels if there is more than 2.5 inches of snow on the ground

snowdog · 17 Dec 2009 at 14:54

Just been to pick up a mate and we've been to kfc, the whole parking lot was compressed snow so pretty much ice and it was empty aside from my car and some old Daihatsu Charade

, did a lot of handbrake turns for fun and also tried driving with my handbrake on, really fun driving with the rear end sliding about

.

ajstan · 17 Dec 2009 at 15:07

Janesy B said:
Surely that's replacing one issue with another? Over inflation = smaller contact patch?

Im now sure it works like that, a smaller/thinner contact patch means that it cuts through snow/ice better. Look at snow rally tyres: http://www.chrisellisonphoto.co.uk/Galleries/2006/Swedish/Snow tyres.JPG

-Very thin

Participant · 17 Dec 2009 at 15:09

PiKe said:
If you have to ask how to drive in snow, you shouldn't be driving in snow.

I think it's a good thing for someone that is less than confident driving in the snow, to be asking for tips on how to drive more safely in it. It's not like everyone automatically knows it since it's not a part of the driving test, though I admit that most people will probably be aware from a mixture of common sense and experience.

ajstan · 17 Dec 2009 at 15:12

PiKe said:
If you have to ask how to drive in snow, you shouldn't be driving in snow.

I think if you read what I said you will notice that I DID NOT ask how to drive in snow, you have read what other people have said and assumed that what I asked.

I simply asked if it is better to lower tyre pressures while driving in snow to get a bit more grip.

PiKe · 17 Dec 2009 at 15:25

Leave the tyres as they are and take off-cuts of carpet or that plastic grass stuff to stick under your driven wheels when you get stuck

I get around · 17 Dec 2009 at 16:25

I learned last year, you can rev the nuts off your car as much as you like, go up slowly, try going up in reverse, coat it in grit. But if you want to get up an icy hill, just go home and make a hot drink, you aint getting up that hill

HotFuzz6177 · 17 Dec 2009 at 16:32

Just don't let it end in this

Slow, brake in a straight line, corner easy...as long as everything is "smooth" you are fine.

Jerkiness will cause it to "break" away from you and into a slide...

Biohazard · 17 Dec 2009 at 16:36

Howard said:
Eagle F1s and Toyo T1-Rs have soft sidewalls

because of one idiotic picture where someone didn't pump up a tyre properly?

hmmmm

LiE · 17 Dec 2009 at 16:46

Whatever happens, you will die.

miniyazz · 17 Dec 2009 at 16:55

I get around said:
I learned last year, you can rev the nuts off your car as much as you like, go up slowly, try going up in reverse, coat it in grit. But if you want to get up an icy hill, just go home and make a hot drink, you aint getting up that hill

You missed out take a run up

Amoeba · 17 Dec 2009 at 17:34

ajstan said:
Im now sure it works like that, a smaller/thinner contact patch means that it cuts through snow/ice better. Look at snow rally tyres: http://www.chrisellisonphoto.co.uk/Galleries/2006/Swedish/Snow tyres.JPG

-Very thin

Correct.

Thinner tyre = less surface area = greater amount of weight concentrated on one spot = better to cut through snow

If it snows tomorrow I am screwed, my rear (driven) tyre width is 255

Gaijin · 17 Dec 2009 at 17:55

Dr Who · 17 Dec 2009 at 17:56

Gaijin said:

Shame you havent got the tyres to match

BigglesPiP · 17 Dec 2009 at 18:02

ajstan said:
Is it a good idea to lower tyre pressures? does that help in any way?

On a glacier; yes. On a snowy road; no.