Nothing to do with bikes but plenty to do with snow.

[Lonewolf]

Yep, snow, its only round the corner whether you want to believe it or not!
I'm after some 18" steel wheels to fit some snow tyres to so that I can store my alloys and 'normal' tyres over the cold white winter we are having predicted. Its a Ford and it seems Ford dont do 18" steel wheels, tried a few after market companies and a similiar story, happy to sell me a set of 18" alloys but apparantly nobody on the planet sells that size steel wheels. Is that a sales tactic to get me to spend more money....I'm a Northerner, it aint going to work!  ;D
Last year I used snow socks which were brilliant but the simplicity of having snow tyres on is appealing and clearly more practical. If anyone can suggest where I might get what I am looking for that would be appreciated.   8)

[Martin#30]

LW, are you sure they make snow tyres in 18s? 16s are the biggest I have seen when I have looked in the past.

I would suggest smaller size tyres (with a much larger profile to bring the rolling radius back up) will be cheaper, easier to find, and perform better in the snow as they have more ability to flex and build temperature in the carcass.

Martin

[Lonewolf]

Martin, funnily enough it had been suggested to me that I might have trouble getting 18" snow tyres!! I just thought if they made normal 18's they'd be 18" snow tyres somewhere out there.
When you mention smaller size tyres with a much larger profile to bring the rolling radius back up I have to admit I dont know what that means. My normal tyres are 235/40 ZR18 95W XL
Ideally I want a suitable temporary replacement which wont play havoc with the speedo and any other of the gubbins, i.e. traction control, abs etc.

[Martin#30]

LW,

The /40 bit in your 235/40 tyre size is the aspect ratio which means the tyre's sidewall height, measured as a percentage of the tyre's width - eg. 40% of 235mm = 94mm.

Thus the total wheel and tyre diameter is 18" + 2 lots of 94mm (yes, it is poor form that tyre measurements combine units) = 645.2mm.

If you were to swap to 235/55 16" wheels and tyres, your total diamater now is 664.9mm , essentially 2.9% bigger than your current wheels and tyres.

http://www.willtheyfit.com is one of many website where you can play with tyre sizes to see what will work.

All that matters to your speedo and the ABS/TC etc is that the overall tyre's circumference remains the same, or very similar. The diameter of just the wheel is irrelevant.

Hope this makes a little sense,

Martin.

[Lonewolf]

How do people know all this shit?

Many thanks Martin, as you say this looks like the only viable option.

[mecki]

Internet Mr Wolf.
I found for instance that Bridgestone definitely make 235/40 R18 Winter tyres.
I don't know if they sell them in the UK, though.
But they are available in countries like Germany where winter tyres are compulsory on cars in the cold months.
They aren't cheap @ over £200 a pop.
Maybe you can get some 18" steel wheels on the continent too.

[Winston Smith]

Steve,  go for a smaller wheel size with a deeper sidewall (as explained above) and you will get cheaper tyres!

They aint cheap.  Don't need snow tyres really, just winter tyres. 

If you really need to go for snow capability get some snow chains, but in this country I doubt you would use them much (and they are a PITA to fit.)

Snow Socks are crap really, so I wouldn't bother.

Winter tyres are designed to work better than standard at 7 degrees and lower.

Snow tyres are mega bucks usually in comparison and the 'snow' bit wears quickly on non snowy roads reducing them to winter tyres (they lose the fine sipes)

[pembsgtr]

On the door pillar drivers side is tyre size and pressure data sticker. Just check that out and as previous poster says go for smaller wheel with deeper side wall and you should be sorted ATS do storage for tyres in an advert I saw last week.

[Lonewolf]

Thanks folks for all the info, reckon thats the right direction to go then, smaller wheels, tyres with a deeper side wall.

[Therenback]

car booked in beginning november, had looked at those fabric auto socks as we only get "soft southern snow but been assured money best spent on winter tyres, anyone got any hints on do's/dont's for purchasing em ??

[Lonewolf]

Internet Mr Wolf.
I found for instance that Bridgestone definitely make 235/40 R18 Winter tyres.
I don't know if they sell them in the UK, though.
But they are available in countries like Germany where winter tyres are compulsory on cars in the cold months.
They aren't cheap @ over £200 a pop.
Maybe you can get some 18" steel wheels on the continent too.

My Brother in law gets his winter tyres deleivered from Germany and it seems he's going to get some for me from there. He'll order them from work as he works in the car trade and probbaly get a bit of discount which is always handy.

[Lonewolf]

car booked in beginning november, had looked at those fabric auto socks as we only get "soft southern snow but been assured money best spent on winter tyres, anyone got any hints on do's/dont's for purchasing em ??

The winter tyres are always the best option as they are hassle free. I used snow socks on the Mondeo last year and I have to admit they were brilliant. Just a bit faffy putting on when needed and then taking off when you get back onto a stretch of snow free tarmac. If you leave them on you damage the Kevlar.

[Therenback]

Gonna go with tyre option but also discovered a Polaris quad dealer near may pick up a cheap one if snow warrants it

[mecki]

I used to ride a Honda XR500 in Winter.
With Enduro tyres they are great on snow and ice; and if you should drop it you just pick it up and ride on.
And who wants to ride at 80+ mph in Winter anyway?
But nowadays there isn't enough chance of snow to justify the expense of having 2 bikes for me.

[Lonewolf]

Mecki, not sure about that. The last two winters have been pretty bleak and white and it's forecast for a similar experience this winter. I think snow fall has even been forecast in certain parts of the Scottish Highlands this month.