Second set of wheels with winter tyres

[D3DSL]

There is an alternative to winters in the winter & "normals" in the summer and that's "all season" tyres.  I run Vredstein Quadtrac 3s on my GD jazz on the original 15" rims.  They are proper winter tyre rated (snow flake & mountain mark) and are superb in the winter conditions around Speyside, do much so that the limitations on snow is when the car starts to get lifted up.  In the summer I haven't noticed any change in handling over the OEM Bridgstones.



Howeve for the GE ES (i think) Jazz I purchased a set of OEM 15"ers and put Conti proper winters on and swap them over.  My favourite trick is going up a local hill in a few inches of snow, a hill that normally only "proper" 4x4s can get up.  Well recommended. 

[Wildernessman]

I have thought about Quadtracs (or other all season tyres). 

I have always hesitated because on tests on snow and ice they are just not quite as good as a good winter tyre.  And when I am out and about on the snow and ice, I want the best grip I can get!

[D3DSL]

Dedicated winter tyres may be better but not that I've noticed, the Jazz (on Quadtracs) runs out of ground clearance in snow well before it looses grip.  I (& SWMBO) have driven through deep snow, on ice, on refrozen slush in temps down to -20c, and everything in between.  Speyside winters can be a bit nippy & severe, 09/10 winter being the winter from hell!  The only time when the Jazz was just left in a snow pile was in 2009 as even the tooled up Disco 3 struggled with the depth of snow.  Party of the reasoning behind getting Quadtracs was that we'd never get caught out by the first proper snow (can be in October) or the last proper snow (can be in May).

The Jazz backed out of this once I cleared the windows, she was on Quadtrac 2s then. 




Mind you, when it was too much for the Jazz it was play time, hopefully beating the plough.

[Wildernessman]

Ahhhh - you clearly have more skill when it comes to driving in the snow than me!

[D3DSL]

Probably just more practise, plus I fairly regularly drive off road and a lot of the techniques are valid.  Driving on snow is fun, driving on ice is far more interesting.

[Defender]

I'm a firm believer in winter tyres, I've used them for the past 4 winters and had my first issue in March this year when the Jazz ran out of ground clearance, clearly I should have taken the Land Rover  

[culzean]

with winter just around the corner it may be worth discussing winter tyres again – problem may be if you have winter tyres and everyone else has summer, you can go and stop but they can’t – so if you get stuck in traffic – no advantage and if you brake they are going to hit you anyway.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/66692/winter-tyres-4x4-grip-test-video

I saw the result of this first hand with our neighbour who had a Toyota RAV4 on summer tyres, no good at all on snow in our street - couldn't even get off their drive.

this is a good site if you want to know what different size winter tyre and rim you can fit and not affect your speedo reading (185/55 R16 are not common, but 175/65 R15 are)

http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-comparison/

My niece has used Nokians on her Astra for last couple of winter with good results

link

Edit by Admin - fixed link

[guest4078]

I used to use winter tyres, but then last autumn I got the set of Bridgestone A001 on steel rims (currently on sale on e-bay) and they were fantastic.

If they don't sell I will put them on the hybrid for winter. I don't know how the cvt will be with icy conditions yet, time will tell.

The A001's give a nice ride, are quite neutral in handling and are fairly quiet. I have not been using them because they are not 'eco' tyres and do knock a few percent of the mpg. Would be worth it though, to get to the hillier places on my area for work.

[Ozzie]

I have been considering these http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/skw.pl?bestellnummer=7805--R-240197&cart_id=3607851.110.1885&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi&csuchen=1&Gmarke=&Gdub=&Ggroesse=175/65%20R15%2084T&Gfelge=15%20inch&Gf_last=15%20inch&achse=A&syt_d=&Hersteller=Honda&PKWtyp=JAZZ%201.3%20IMA&felge=15%20inch|4%20x%20100.00%20x%2056.00|4|45.00&PKWtypgenau=|123558||1339|65|201104|%20|56.00|100.00|4|GP%201%20||P|E6*2007/46*0012*..&my_1_car=Honda__JAZZ%201.3%20IMA____|123558||1339|65|201104|%20|56.00|100.00|4|GP%201%20||P|E6*2007/46*0012*..

[guest4078]

They look good, are the Dunlops a good tyre?

You could have a look at Oponeo, I have used them and they were very good.

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/steel-wheels-for/honda

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-finder/s=1/winter/t=1/car/r=1/175-65-r15

Or there is always these: 

eBay item number:
221518076532

[culzean]

Has anyone who has taken alloys off to fit steel winter wheels noticed that the bearing caps in wheel hub are missing ? I can see the end of shaft and Hexagon nut that holds the wheel on on my wifes Jazz Si.  Don't Honda fit these anymore with alloy wheels ? more to the point can anyone point me in the right direction to get caps to fit ? last resort would be plastic wheel trims on the steel wheels to try to keep all the water and dirt out of bearings.

addition - have taken another wheel of my wifes Jazz and looks as though they don't fit these grease / dust caps when alloys are fitted.  There is room inside the alloy to fit them and depth is there.  Measured the inside diameter of the hub and it is tapered from 48mm down to 46mm so I guess these 47mm ones would fit.  They don't cost a fortune anyway so will order some and update if they fit or not.  I will leave them in when I put alloys back on as the inside of the hub and nut are proper rusty, looks like Honda don't care about water and grit getting in - especially as the plastic Honda badged cap in centre of alloys is pretty flimsy bit of kit.

http://www.autow.com/trailer-parts/trailer-suspension-spares/grease-caps-hub-bearings/SHG523

http://www.tridenttowing.co.uk/trailer-parts-spares-c3/grease-hub-caps-c10/knott-avonride-avonride-grease-cap-47-mm-%C3%B8-p10501

[ricksmith]

Has anyone who has taken alloys off to fit steel winter wheels noticed that the bearing caps in wheel hub are missing ? I can see the end of shaft and Hexagon nut that holds the wheel on on my wifes Jazz Si.  Don't Honda fit these anymore with alloy wheels ? more to the point can anyone point me in the right direction to get caps to fit ? last resort would be plastic wheel trims on the steel wheels to try to keep all the water and dirt out of bearings.

addition - have taken another wheel of my wifes Jazz and looks as though they don't fit these grease / dust caps when alloys are fitted.  There is room inside the alloy to fit them and depth is there.  Measured the inside diameter of the hub and it is tapered from 48mm down to 46mm so I guess these 47mm ones would fit.  They don't cost a fortune anyway so will order some and update if they fit or not.  I will leave them in when I put alloys back on as the inside of the hub and nut are proper rusty, looks like Honda don't care about water and grit getting in - especially as the plastic Honda badged cap in centre of alloys is pretty flimsy bit of kit.

http://www.autow.com/trailer-parts/trailer-suspension-spares/grease-caps-hub-bearings/SHG523

http://www.tridenttowing.co.uk/trailer-parts-spares-c3/grease-hub-caps-c10/knott-avonride-avonride-grease-cap-47-mm-%C3%B8-p10501

Hi

My partner also has the SI and likes it. Excuse my ignorance but could you make the point about the dust caps clearer or even better a picture.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Rick

[culzean]

There is a hole in centre of the hub,  on cars with steel wheels fitted as standard these are covered with a ' dust cap' or 'grease retaining cap'  as shown in websites I included in previous posts.  There is a hole in centre of steel wheels that unless  the wheel is covered (and even if they are fitted) with 'faux alloy' plastic wheel trims is open to the elements and water etc can possibly get into bearings.

There is also a hole in centre of alloy wheels (attached is picture of my Civic wheel with centre plastic cap removed) that is covered with a click-in plastic cap with 'H' (for Honda) on it - this plastic cap is not doing a good job as the inside of hub and end of axle is going rusty. 

when I fit winter wheels I want to fit a 47mm steel cap into the hole, and will leave it in when I put alloys back on.

I am sure this 'missing cap'  is the case with every car fitted with alloys - but we do expect better from Honda engineers.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[ricksmith]

Hi
I now understand.  I will purchase some of those 47mm caps.
Thanks again
Rick

[culzean]

Hi
I now understand.  I will purchase some of those 47mm caps.
Thanks again
Rick

I have ordered some 47mm, and some larger ones which may fit the Civic hub - if you want to wait until I am sure they will fit I should know by end of this week and will update this thread.