Winter wheels with tyres

[raymie]

I have ordered a 4HS and it should arrive in a couple of weeks.

Living in a very rural part of Aberdeenshire winter tyres even on a 4x4 are a great help and what I normally do is replace the whole wheel on the car with winter ones (steel rims currently) and then drive with those for the needed period and then switch back again after the roads are not getting salted.

Anyway, Mitsibushi tell me that this is fine and should not be an issue and from the manual page they included I believe I need 225/55/R18 wheels but am having problems finding a reasonable supplier of complete wheels for this size.

Can someone confirm the size of the 4HS wheels and suggest some suppliers for a complete wheel set?

 

[jaapv]

That size is correct, but I find that the price difference between steel rims and (winterproof) alloys is not large enough to overcome my esthetic objections. So I ordered the orignal Mitsu wheels. Had I been in a Scrooge mood I would have ordered third-party ones .

 

[lg1726]

I used to do the same with my SAAB - initially I bought a set of 4 alloys and winter tyres, took them all to a local tyre place and had the whole lot fitted and then stored the original four wheels/tyres until spring then had them swap the whole lot over. Was thinking about doing the same with the PHEV and I found these - http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/alloy-wheels/mitsubishi/outlander/3rd-gen/18-inch, but I see that they also offer a winter tyre/alloy wheel package, so I might give them a call. Don't know if you have tried them, if so would be good to hear how you got on?

 

[Hypermiler]

FWIW this was last year and I have the 2014 4h but I used pneusonline and got vreds wintrec 4 Xtreme on 16" alloy wheels (my research suggested that smaller wheels are better for winter tyres) and it cost £643 incl vat and delivery (but I didn't have the complications of TPMS). I then paid the garage £25 to put them on for me. I was very happy with them (though it was a mild winter so didn't get a great trial) and will be putting them on again in a few weeks.
Cheers
H

 

[raymie]

Thanks for the replies so far, helpful.

BTW, one of the reasons I switch wheels is that living on farmland I have plenty of space and so it's easy to store the extra set and switch the wheels myself come the time, saves two visits a year to a garage ;-)

 

[gobiman]

I've posted this on another tyres thread but keep an eye out for the new Michelin Cross Climate which is due to be out next year for 18s.
A number of rave reviews suggesting it is the first serious all-season tyre.
About to buy a set of 4 for my mother's Yeti - £125 a corner at Costco with a £50 off for 4 offer on.

 

[rennie]

I've posted this on another tyres thread but keep an eye out for the new Michelin Cross Climate which is due to be out next year for 18s.
A number of rave reviews suggesting it is the first serious all-season tyre.
About to buy a set of 4 for my mother's Yeti - £125 a corner at Costco with a £50 off for 4 offer on.

You can get Yokohama Geolander AT/S all season tyres now, for the new Outlander. Which is what I had fitted instead of the standard roady ones. Chunky looking and find them very quiet too ... well worth the upgrade.

 

[Phevourite]

I am no expert on this topic but I used to work in Sweden where everyone had to change tyres (and hence wheels) between summer and winter - it is compulsory there. The system there is that the garage which changes your wheels/tyres keeps the other set for you through the season. Anyway; the people I dealt with used steel for their winter wheels. When I asked whether there was a logic as to why they chose steel (given that money was no object for some) they said that the salt in the winter ruined alloy wheels anyway so the steel ones ended up looking better. As I said I can't confirm this from experience.

 

[jaapv]

It depends. There are (quite a few) salt resistant "winter-rated" alloys for sale nowadays.
Don't forget that all those cars driving on summer-tyred alloys (not in Sweden or Germany obviously ) get the same amount of salt on their wheels and there is not much corrosion going on there either, as opposed to a decade or longer ago. It probably has to do with improved coatings and with better quality of the chrome plating of the nuts preventing electrolytic corrosion as well.

 

[raymie]

I'm just waiting for my delivery date to be confirmed before deciding now. Tried Wheelbase as suggested and they listed a few options.

The alloys differ but their suggested tyres were


Make & Model: Nankang Snow Viva SV-2
Make & Model: Federal
Make & Model: Federal HIMALAYA SUV
Make & Model: Cooper Weather Master WSC
Make & Model: Kumho KC15
Make & Model: Falken Eurowinter HS 439
Make & Model: Falken Eurowinter HS 439
Make & Model: Kumho KC15
Make & Model: Falken Eurowinter HS449
Make & Model: Falken Eurowinter HS449
Make & Model: Yokohama Geolandar I TS (G073)
Make & Model: Hankook Dynapro Icept RW08
Make & Model: Hankook W310 Winter i-cept evo
Make & Model: Vredestein WINTRAC 4 XTREME
Make & Model: Toyo OPEN COUNTRY W T
Make & Model: Yokohama ICE GUARD IG50
Make & Model: Yokohama W.drive
Make & Model: Toyo Observe GSi 5
Make & Model: Nokian WR G2 SUV
Make & Model: Nokian WR SUV 3
Make & Model: Bridgestone Blizzak DM V1
Make & Model: Bridgestone Blizzak LM 80 EVO
Make & Model: Pirelli W 210 Sottozero
Make & Model: Dunlop SP WINTER SPORT 4D
Make & Model: Michelin Latitude Alpin
Make & Model: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV
Make & Model: Bridgestone Blizzak LM 80
Make & Model: Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4
Make & Model: Michelin LATITUDE X ICE NORTH LXIN2

 

[Claymore]

I am no expert on this topic but I used to work in Sweden where everyone had to change tyres (and hence wheels) between summer and winter - it is compulsory there. The system there is that the garage which changes your wheels/tyres keeps the other set for you through the season. Anyway; the people I dealt with used steel for their winter wheels. When I asked whether there was a logic as to why they chose steel (given that money was no object for some) they said that the salt in the winter ruined alloy wheels anyway so the steel ones ended up looking better. As I said I can't confirm this from experience.

I understand that in addition to what you have already said, low profile tyres are not as efficient in dealing with snow (in particular) and the steel wheels being (usually, I believe) max 16" means you will also be using a higher profile tyre for winter.

JimB

 

[Claymore]

This may be of interest, I have to say I hadn't realised how naïve I've been thinking that just going 4x4 would solve my winter driving problems. Don't know yet how good the standard PHEV tyres will be in poor conditions;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfuE00qdhLA

EDIT - I forgot the second link - the issue isn't just about traction but also general road holding and manoeuvrability;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elP_34ltdWI

Auto Express 2014 winter tyre tests;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/66645/auto-express-winter-tyres-test-2014

JimB

 

[jaapv]

The PHEV on winter tyres is nothing short of amazing on snow and ice.

 

[raymie]

For me the issue is that any improvement in traction is handy, and may be the difference in getting home when the snow starts and being stuck.

I just try to make sure I am home before the snow gets above the wheel height and then stay home until it is cleared up a bit (not unknown to see 2-4 feet of snow on the more rural roads), at that depth the issue is more the car body and not the tyres.

 

[raymie]

ok tried to order new wheels with winter tyres but there seems to be a concern from the supplier that the car would insist that a TPMS sensor was included (which they can supply for £180 but are not sure if it would be compatible).

I assumed that all would be ok and just a warning light would appear but they think that in some cases this is not the case,

Anyone with a newish car tried a replacement wheel without TPMS?

 

[user 816]

Not forgetting the difference even a little ground clearance can make. My 'modern town' has lots of dual carriageways linking areas with steep slip roads to exits. Any time it snows even a little people set off not realising when they can get on the carriageway but cannot climb the ramps off so the town seizes up. Any 4WD with even standard tyres has no problem getting up.

But a lot of the time you find yourself trapped before the exit by the many that can't escape. Here the ground clearance is critical as between carriageways we have normal height kerb islands. Any 4WD can escape over these and go back the other way. Sadly some people try this in normal cars too and then we are littered with abandoned stuck cars left balanced on a pile of snow and kerb! Its also useful to be able to go a little offroad on a verge to go round a stranded car.

Personally I don't think there is need in the UK for anything beyond all season M&S rated tyres unless you live in Scotland or North Wales.

Even so I have travelled North Wales extensively in a CR-V on M&S tyres in the worst winters we get here and only been troubled by remote tracks, never stuck.

Looking forward to seeing what the PHEV can do if global warming ever lets us have a proper winter again!

 

[jaapv]

It is a misconception that winter tyres are for deep-winter conditions only. The superiority on wet and autumn-slippery roads at temperatures below 10 degrees is dramatic.

 

[user 816]

It is a misconception that winter tyres are for deep-winter conditions only. The superiority on wet and autumn-slippery roads at temperatures below 10 degrees is dramatic.

true, and I know this but even though its winter, 15th November today has been up to 16 degrees C although windy, we just don't get much Winter here these days to justify using them. Of course that could change now we all drive PHEV's and the low emissions will make the climate normal again

 

[maby]

It is a misconception that winter tyres are for deep-winter conditions only. The superiority on wet and autumn-slippery roads at temperatures below 10 degrees is dramatic.

true, and I know this but even though its winter, 15th November today has been up to 16 degrees C although windy, we just don't get much Winter here these days to justify using them. Of course that could change now we all drive PHEV's and the low emissions will make the climate normal again

I wouldn't go getting the snow chains out just yet! The PHEV is only low emission for the short journeys - and they don't produce a lot of CO2 anyway.

 

[greendwarf]

It is a misconception that winter tyres are for deep-winter conditions only. The superiority on wet and autumn-slippery roads at temperatures below 10 degrees is dramatic.

true, and I know this but even though its winter, 15th November today has been up to 16 degrees C although windy, we just don't get much Winter here these days to justify using them. Of course that could change now we all drive PHEV's and the low emissions will make the climate normal again

I wouldn't go getting the snow chains out just yet! The PHEV is only low emission for the short journeys - and they don't produce a lot of CO2 anyway.

Carol tells me that it's going to be much colder this weekend - even off the ice :lol: ("Strictly" reference, for our foreign friends )