Use of 'summer' tyres below 7 degrees

[BTB 500]

Re. wear, that's very good. The email I got today from M-B says

when temperatures start averaging over 7°C in the morning, usually from March on, normal radials should be used because at 20-25°C, Cold Weather tyres can have a 15% higher wear rate.

 

[st13phil]

Having swapped over to winter tyres at the weekend, I'm pleased to report that despite dire warnings about longer stopping distances and less cornering grip at temperatures above 7 degrees (or was it 2 degrees? ), I neither rammed another vehicle ahead of me nor ended up in a ditch on my round trip to and from work today at temperatures ranging from 9c to 11c. This despite the roads being wet(ish) as a result of moderate drizzle

While I accept that this cannot be claimed to be either a scientifically controlled or exhaustive test, I thought it was useful to share with the MB community at large

On a slightly less tongue-in-cheek note, the tyres are 225/55 R16 Conti WinterContact TS830P's on 8J x 16 rims. Two obvious advantages already noticed over the OEM 245/45 R17 Pirelli P7's are that they are marginally quieter, and that the very faint pull to the left that the car has had on UK roads from new (beginning of May this year) has disappeared and the car will now track straight with no steering input. The 5-Twin Spoke rims (part# A2124010202) are a close fit over the front calipers, but I'd already checked the fitment with MB Customer Service and they're an approved option for the 350CDI.

 

[Rory]

the very faint pull to the left that the car has had on UK roads from new (beginning of May this year) has disappeared and the car will now track straight with no steering input.

That'll probably come back as the outside edge of the nearside tyre wears. I swap mine over now and again to equalise it, but you can't if the tyres are directional.

 

[Mercy1]

Having swapped over to winter tyres at the weekend, I'm pleased to report that despite dire warnings about longer stopping distances and less cornering grip at temperatures above 7 degrees (or was it 2 degrees? ), I neither rammed another vehicle ahead of me nor ended up in a ditch.

No surprise there then!

When you think about it, you would only spot a difference, if you:
a) slammed the anchors on at exactly 50 mph until you came to a halt; got out and measured your stopping distance and compared that with the last time you did that on summer tyres (!! ?? ) ) Ooooh, that took me an extra car length to stop!!

or b)

screamed around corners and bends until you lost it (in which situation you may have come a cropper on summers too!)

I'll be changing my tyres to winters sometime soon and when I do I don't expect to notice any difference in the wet, driving carefully and with due regard to the conditions. But hopefully I will see the benefits in the white stuff...

 

[fuzzer]

That'll probably come back as the outside edge of the nearside tyre wears. I swap mine over now and again to equalise it, but you can't if the tyres are directional.

Can't you still swap them front to back on the same side if they are directional?

 

[Rory]

Can't you still swap them front to back on the same side if they are directional?

You could do if the set-up isn't staggered, which mine, and many MBs, are.

But the point of swapping the fronts is the wear caused to the outside of the nearside front, which tends to exaggerate the drift left, has the opposite effect when the the tyre is put on the offside. So it's helpful to put the worn tyre on trhe offside.