Winter tyres and locking wheel nuts problems

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

Following on from my post on Tuesday about being unable to fit my winter tyres https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...72123&page=970
I was pretty annoyed when we had blizzards on Thursday to deal with.
Having purchased them last year to commute safely in the snow I'm now converted to the benefits of fitting them for every winter.

Fortunately I took the precaution of getting some winter tyres ordered and fitted on Tuesday on my combo van. They have been a godsend.

On Friday with most of the southwest at a standstill, I was able to negotiate the supposedly unpassable and snowed in Cornish roads to collect my labourer who didn't want to / couldn't venture out from his remote village to get to work. To be fair there was about 2 inches of snow settled on top of ice. Winter tyres made a huge difference much to the astonishment of his neighbours, I only got stuck on his hill because somebody had abandoned a car and I had to slow down to squeeze by lost momentum. Fortunately nobody else turned up to work on site that day, and we had the run of the site and did a very productive days work.
I've got too much work to do to be sat at home in the snow and it was well worth the £96 it cost to get them fitted (two wheels).

I got my wife to take the 75 in to the garage that fitted the tyres above to have a go at getting the locking bolts off. They managed to free the front n/s but the others especially the front o/s are still. He has completely mullered the locking nut, which I expected. They have offered to weld some other studs onto the lockers and get them undone this way, the quote was £48 to loosen the three remaining bolts. Seems a fair price, they didn't charge her anything on Thursday for getting one off.
I've booked it in for tomorrow, I can't do it and needs must as I have no way of getting a wheel off at the moment.

[macafee2]

when I hear about people getting stuck on our roads I often wonder how many of the vehicles are fitted with winter tyres. I never hear anyone that's stuck and interviewed asked if they have winter tyres fitted and it is never suggested on the news about fitting them.

Now I admit I don't have them but I don't venture out in the snow in-case I get hit.

if they fitted the wheels last time then they should remove them for free if they have done them up so blessed tight

macafee2

[victorgte]

It’s beyond me that more people don’t use winter tyres. I don’t mean all season or cross climate it’s proper snow tyres.
All season/cross climate is marketing twadle used to con people to buy and think they will cope in the snow. 2 out of the 4 cars have them so we both have a vehicle to get to work in any weather. They will be replaced around 1st March with their summer set of alloys. The 75 has all 4 but the Streetwise has just the front 2 snow tyres. Yes I have to store 3 sets of alloys in the shed but then that’s what it’s for.😃

[vitesse]

Yes, winter tyres do make the world of difference but so too does the mind set that you have a egg between your foot and whichever pedal your working. All too often I see UK videos of people endlessly spinning their wheels and then wondering why they aren’t getting anywhere or get stuck.

I sincerely hope that the OP isn’t using just two winter tyres otherwise he might find the rear of his car / van overtaking the front. With four good winter tyres it’ll be possible to get up and down Ford hill (Plymouth) even in the worst of conditions providing he remembers the egg shell.

Agree with macafee2, if the garage fitted the wheels unreasonably tight then they should free them at no cost.

Part of the driving test here in Sweden is passing a course on a skid pan, not terribly realistic in my opinion but for over cautious drivers not willing to “play” in unused carparks better than no preparation at all.

Regards

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

Originally Posted by victorgte

It’s beyond me that more people don’t use winter tyres. I don’t mean all season or cross climate it’s proper snow tyres.
All season/cross climate is marketing twadle used to con people to buy and think they will cope in the snow. 2 out of the 4 cars have them so we both have a vehicle to get to work in any weather. They will be replaced around 1st March with their summer set of alloys. The 75 has all 4 but the Streetwise has just the front 2 snow tyres. Yes I have to store 3 sets of alloys in the shed but then that’s what it’s for.��

Completely agree, I've got a garage full of wheels and tyres too but at least I know me and the wife will getting into work when the cold stuff arrives.

Originally Posted by macafee2

when I hear about people getting stuck on our roads I often wonder how many of the vehicles are fitted with winter tyres. I never hear anyone that's stuck and interviewed asked if they have winter tyres fitted and it is never suggested on the news about fitting them.

Now I admit I don't have them but I don't venture out in the snow in-case I get hit.

if they fitted the wheels last time then they should remove them for free if they have done them up so blessed tight

macafee2

I shout "probably no winter tyres" at the TV when seeing rows of snowed in vehicles on the A30 etc. You're right nobody says fit winter tyres, especially all these jack knifed lorries be interesting to see what tread they have on their trailer tyres? People seem more happy to spend their money on the latest iPhone or cable TV than making sure they are safe on the roads.
The garage fitted the winters to my van, I fitted the current wheels on the 75 back in October. For some reason the only the front o/s was ****** tight, the 4 standard bolts were a struggle to undo. I slipped the socket on the locking nut and it chewed up, I tried the n/s front but it wouldn't do that either as I kept slipping. I didn't even attempt the rears.

Originally Posted by vitesse

Yes, winter tyres do make the world of difference but so too does the mind set that you have a egg between your foot and whichever pedal your working. All too often I see UK videos of people endlessly spinning their wheels and then wondering why they aren’t getting anywhere or get stuck.

I sincerely hope that the OP isn’t using just two winter tyres otherwise he might find the rear of his car / van overtaking the front. With four good winter tyres it’ll be possible to get up and down Ford hill (Plymouth) even in the worst of conditions providing he remembers the egg shell.

Agree with macafee2, if the garage fitted the wheels unreasonably tight then they should free them at no cost.

Part of the driving test here in Sweden is passing a course on a skid pan, not terribly realistic in my opinion but for over cautious drivers not willing to “play” in unused carparks better than no preparation at all.

Regards

I am using only 2 winter tyres at the moment and yes it does need to be driven sensibly and cautiously. The main reason being that I was unable to source enough spare wheels to make up a winter set, as I didn't want to pay again to put the summers back on. So if anyone has a 15" x 6J, 5x110 pcd, with offset 49mm Vauxhall wheel please send me a PM
On Tuesday when entering the garage on the industrial estate, I briefly lost the front end at under 10 mph on black ice. As a test on the way out, with winter tyres, I tried to lose the front end on the same icy patch without any luck. Proof to me that they work.

[mbrenn]

I find Hankook all-season tyres great and would recommend them.