A debate question - Narrow Vs. Wide tires for winter driving
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 757
Likes: 2
From: USA (& Finland)
Mates what happened to this topic? Happy you need to take a lead and twist this topic upside down and take a look from other perspective 
Ok a bit off the topic, here is ultimate traction used on WRC and these are unlegal on public roads and also have "snow" limit meaning these tires requires specific amount of cold / snow / ice to keep them cool (not studds as those are tiny thingies compared to these spikes) or othervise spikes will pop off and on winter race they rely on spikes only and tire thread in important only to hold the spikes. So many haven't been able to complete the winter race when spikes came off and they couldn't keep the speed.
And inboard camera from Loëb's car (French)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXJJy41S7Vw
Ok a bit off the topic, here is ultimate traction used on WRC and these are unlegal on public roads and also have "snow" limit meaning these tires requires specific amount of cold / snow / ice to keep them cool (not studds as those are tiny thingies compared to these spikes) or othervise spikes will pop off and on winter race they rely on spikes only and tire thread in important only to hold the spikes. So many haven't been able to complete the winter race when spikes came off and they couldn't keep the speed.
And inboard camera from Loëb's car (French)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXJJy41S7Vw
Last edited by kleinbus; Dec 25, 2009 at 04:00 PM.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 757
Likes: 2
From: USA (& Finland)
Hands on about traction as we got some snow and so I had to go and have some fun as streets weren't cleaned up yet, I almost got stuck when my Q5 bottomed up.
Spinning wheel is not an option as it just polishes the surface under so when at startup, I tried to avoid spinning as much as I could and once I was moving, little spin wasn't that dangerous.
Mine front was already ploughing and it seemed to be enough snow as neighbours 4x4 Ford pick-up with open differentials couldn't get out, turn around and go.
http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/c...ow25Dec09A.flv
After pulling out 2 passenger cars and one Trailblazer I finally got home and it was time to clean the rims...
Hammer is modern multitool..
Spinning wheel is not an option as it just polishes the surface under so when at startup, I tried to avoid spinning as much as I could and once I was moving, little spin wasn't that dangerous.
Mine front was already ploughing and it seemed to be enough snow as neighbours 4x4 Ford pick-up with open differentials couldn't get out, turn around and go.
http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/c...ow25Dec09A.flv
After pulling out 2 passenger cars and one Trailblazer I finally got home and it was time to clean the rims...
Hammer is modern multitool..
Last edited by kleinbus; Dec 28, 2009 at 03:52 PM.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 757
Likes: 2
From: USA (& Finland)
These photos were meant to be after video but didn't show up so here they are
After pulling out 2 passenger cars and one Trailblazer I finally got home and it was time to clean the rims...
Hammer is modern multitool..
After pulling out 2 passenger cars and one Trailblazer I finally got home and it was time to clean the rims...
Hammer is modern multitool..
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Been so long!
Was reading through the posts from last fall about the winter tires and wanted to update my experiences from last winter.
I purchased the Xice-2s for my Saab 9-3 and in short, they were amazing. I got 195/60 15s for it. I consider myself to be a pretty confident driver in the snow and these were fun to learn the limits and capabilities of. Was able to go places and travel at speeds safely and confidently in bad conditions.
I did a mini snow "test" with them vs my brother's M3 with Eagle F-1 all seasons and my sister's LeSabre with all-seasons. I drove all the cars: acceleration, handlind, and stopping, and we were all amazed at the resluts.
I will be getting my girlfriend some snow tires this year for her Yaris. Either some Xice-2s again the new Blizzak WS70s or the Conti ExtremeWinterContact tires.
I purchased the Xice-2s for my Saab 9-3 and in short, they were amazing. I got 195/60 15s for it. I consider myself to be a pretty confident driver in the snow and these were fun to learn the limits and capabilities of. Was able to go places and travel at speeds safely and confidently in bad conditions.
I did a mini snow "test" with them vs my brother's M3 with Eagle F-1 all seasons and my sister's LeSabre with all-seasons. I drove all the cars: acceleration, handlind, and stopping, and we were all amazed at the resluts.
I will be getting my girlfriend some snow tires this year for her Yaris. Either some Xice-2s again the new Blizzak WS70s or the Conti ExtremeWinterContact tires.
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Easy answer....
Simple physics! A narrower tire will have more force (weight is the vehicle times gravity) over a smaller area. Dragsters and snowmachines have wider tires in the rear of the vehicle then they do in the front of the vehicle, because the front of the vehicle is heavier. That’s where they need the most traction. Snowmachines float on top of the snow. A truck or car needs to get to the road (or hard packed snow, what ever the final driving surface is). To wide and there isn’t enough traction to narrow and there’s too much force (F x a vs f xA), you probabaly spin a rut into the ground. The weight of the vehicle, driving terrain/surface will determine what size tire to get. It’s all relative
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Simple physics! A narrower tire will have more force (weight of the vehicle times gravity) over a smaller area. Dragsters and snowmachines have wider tires in the rear of the vehicle then they do in the front of the vehicle, because the front of the vehicle is heavier. That’s where they need the most traction. Snowmachines float on top of the snow. A truck or car needs to get to the road (or hard packed snow, what ever the final driving surface is). To wide and there isn’t enough traction to narrow and there’s too much force (F x a vs f xA), you probabaly spin a rut into the ground. The weight of the vehicle, driving terrain/surface will determine what size tire to get. It’s all relative
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