HELP?? What tyre size

[scousefly1367]

I currently run 245/40/18s on my B8 Audi A4 SLine. Im looking to fit some winter rubber for a trip to somewhere snowy so what size do I need to get? Should I stick with the 245s or can I use a narrower setup.......say 225/45/18????

Cheers

 

[X_Splinter]

The larger the tyre is the better grip will have.
So grab a 245.
The only advantage of a narrower one is the price and the car fuel consumption

 

[rezulteo]

Simply enter your car's details here and suitable tyre sizes should come up

Tyres, compare tyre prices. Which tyre? Where to buy?

 

[scousefly1367]

Cheers guys the comparison site says I can use both an to be honest I think 225 is sufficient. I agree about the grip in the summer months but think that winter and snow skinny is better, after all look at the rally tryes I know they are studded but they are skinnier than usual

 

[X_Splinter]

Cheers guys the comparison site says I can use both an to be honest I think 225 is sufficient. I agree about the grip in the summer months but think that winter and snow skinny is better, after all look at the rally tryes I know they are studded but they are skinnier than usual

No mate, you need more grip in the winter and snow. it's physics the larger the better. The wider tire has more surface to grab the road before it slips laterally, so it gives you better handling. However they are more expensive

 

[hades-]

 

[scousefly1367]

Not convinced mate, a wider tyre basically plows through snow were a skinnier tyre would cut through snow

 

[X_Splinter]

Not convinced mate, a wider tyre basically plows through snow were a skinnier tyre would cut through snow

It's your car so it's up to you mate

 

[andywil13]

If driving on snow then get the narrow tyres. If just cold weather /ice then wider

 

[Audi.Quattro]

I'm running 245/40 x 18 winter tyres, Michlin Pilot Alpin PA3 (97V) XL. They are real good, serious wet grip, similar in dry too, they are also quiet, more than I was expecting.
The ride quality is nice too, very comfy (I was on 19's), no tugging, pressures are 40F-36R (as per Michlin website)

I can't say what they are like in the snow yet, as since I put them on, it ain't stopped raining and that was in the new year!, they good in the rain though.

 

[rum4mo]

Exactly, has that person ever tried physics - maybe have a look at what Audi suggest in their "winter tyres" section. I'm sure that you know the best bet is two sets of wheels. One thing that might "fix" your choice is, for every rim width there are a range of preferred tyres widths, with that in mind, Audi, when they suggest a winter tyre/wheel combo tend to offer a narrower section wheel to suit the correct winter tyre they have suggested. In my case, I have an S4 that came with 19" wheels, so I bought the alternative 18" wheels and fitted the M&S size suggested on the door pillar in the full knowledge that they were not the ultimate best size for winter use, but they suited the Audi wheels I bought for winter use, and will probably sell on when I sell the car - buying the complete Audi package would have cost more and left me wheels that were narrower than normal to sell on later.

 

[rum4mo]

I'm running 245/40 x 18 winter tyres, Michlin Pilot Alpin PA3 (97V) XL. They are real good, serious wet grip, similar in dry too, they are also quiet, more than I was expecting.
The ride quality is nice too, very comfy (I was on 19's), no tugging, pressures are 40F-36R (as per Michlin website)

I can't say what they are like in the snow yet, as since I put them on, it ain't stopped raining and that was in the new year!, they good in the rain though.

I've got the same but PA4's with the curious asymmetric tread pattern - I find the Michelin site a tricky/useless to navigate, I've forgotten the pressures I'm running - though will have them written down some where! Yes, they do seem okay as far as I can tell from driving on heavy frost - and as you say lots and lots of rain.

 

[SI-W85]

Skinny tyres for snow otherwise they turn in to a sledge if they are too wide, but whatever you go for they will be better than summer tyres.

 

[rabhrab]

No mate, you need more grip in the winter and snow. it's physics the larger the better. The wider tire has more surface to grab the road before it slips laterally, so it gives you better handling. However they are more expensive

Sorry, must disagree with this. As various other posters have said, for snow the thinner tyres are the better as they 'cut' through the snow to make contact with the road, whereas wider tyres tend to 'sit' on the snow surface .

 

[hades-]

i thought everyone knew thinner tyres for snow
the poster that says wider
please when its snowing come drive my beemer running 285 and my fizzy running 185/55/14 god its better than a rangy

 

[rum4mo]

i thought everyone knew thinner tyres for snow
the poster that says wider
please when its snowing come drive my beemer running 285 and my fizzy running 185/55/14 god its better than a rangy

Well my wife's Fiesta she had about 25 years ago, had something like 135/80 x 13 and they were even better than your 185/55 x 14 - in fact you could jump it up on top of snow piles, but then when you drove on, the handbrake cables would get ripped out of their storage clips and dragged on the road - that spoiled the effect quite a bit (who is that idiot?).

My brother in law, once had the misfortune of inheriting a BMW CSI with the big tyres - in ice and snow, even after pressing all the buttons, progress was very slow - me, I had my brilliant Cav GSI 4X4 at that time, no fuss, just safe quick progress, and that was before I had thought about using winter tyres. Actually, I seem to remember I parked up, went back and pushed him round as he could not even turn that thing round in ice and snow.

 

[X_Splinter]

Well my wife's Fiesta she had about 25 years ago, had something like 135/80 x 13 and they were even better than your 185/55 x 14 - in fact you could jump it up on top of snow piles, but then when you drove on, the handbrake cables would get ripped out of their storage clips and dragged on the road - that spoiled the effect quite a bit (who is that idiot?).

 

[rum4mo]

That is nothing like me, and I hate that stuff!