aloha surfers...

[Ski_Extra]

Been a Surf owner since Saturday, and surfin' this board since Sunday!

I thought I'd post a quick hello, I couldn't seem to find a 'introduce yourself' thread.

I'm picking up a red one tomorrow (hopefully, maybe Thursday). '92 SSR-X 2.4TD.

I spent 3 days looking at 4x4s with the missus, we had 'sort of' decided we wanted a disco <ducks>, after driving 7 discos and a hybrid range rover with 4" sus lift we were no closer to buying. We looked at two almost identical Surfs on Saturday and paid up 20 minutes later.

I've always wanted a Hilux, then I wanted a double cab, and now I'm super stoked to own a beautiful Surf. Happy Days.

We've bought the Surf to take to Verbier, Switzerland where we run a ski chalet company, so over the next few weeks I'm going to be pestering you guys for help and advice (don't worry I can use the search function) on getting her (him? it's called Yoda) set up for the winter...

My first question is tires:

It's currently got some BFG A/T tires but they're a little thin on tread. Our chalet has steepish drive that will get lots of snow on it this winter (we hope). Sometimes 2-3' (it falls faster than I can shovel sometimes...). What sort of tires should I go for?

I've already searched for snow tires and found a icelandic Toyjero and Colways (sp?) that have mud / snow tread.

Are mud treads OK for snow or do snow tires have different rubber compounds?

I want the biggest tires I can get away with.

We have to drive 650 miles to Verbier in 3 weeks but then most of the driving for the next 5 months will be short, slow and on reasonably clear roads, bar the snowy drive way and the odd trip up the motorway (plus a little experimenting 'off-piste' ). Then the 650 miles on the way home.

I won't know the rim sizes for a couple of days, I guess they are stock.

Your help is appreciated...

Gavin /
Ski Extra

edit:

I forgot the photo:

[joker??]

welcome to the surf site gavin !!! where did you get you surf from ??
dont know about tyres that are good in the snow,aint had a lot to try them
nice surf ..................apart from .............................. .

[TonyN]

Popular opinion has it that A/T 's are better than M/T in fresh snow. A/T's are certainly better on slushy wet serfaces than M/T's

Snow sticks to itself (a-la making snowballs) M/T's self clean to efficiantly so will dig holes, the snow will pack in the A/T treads better and stick to the snow on the track.

For more slippery/wet/ice roads look for tyres with siping on the tread blocks (lots of little cuts) as this give more edges to grip the road than a flat block of rubber.

Personally in your situation I'd be getting another set of BFG A/T's and chains.

[Ski_Extra]

welcome to the surf site gavin !!! where did you get you surf from ??
dont know about tyres that are good in the snow,aint had a lot to try them
nice surf ..................apart from .............................. .

It came from a dealer in Bristol. I was looking for private sales but in the end decided it worked out OK on the £ side, and we got 12 months MOT & 3 months warrenty...

Tony N Good points about the A/Ts, I was thinking something along the line of a 50/50 M/T. Will look at more A/Ts...

We are looking at chains too for towing our clients out of the garden. I understand that some imports come with chains?? Is it likely I can pick some up on the cheap?

[joker??]

It came from a dealer in Bristol. I was looking for private sales but in the end decided it worked out OK on the £ side, and we got 12 months MOT & 3 months warrenty...

Tony N Good points about the A/Ts, I was thinking something along the line of a 50/50 M/T. Will look at more A/Ts...

We are looking at chains too for towing our clients out of the garden. I understand that some imports come with chains?? Is it likely I can pick some up on the cheap?

you sure can filgreen is selling some chains in parts for sale

[Sancho]

Snow tyres are pretty much useless on the road so I wouldn't bother with them unless you just leave them on for the season.

I agree with Tony, stick with what you're got and take some chains. I've driven a few times on snow with roads tyres and A/Ts and put chains on when it all starts getting a bit lively. Even with the chains on, you have to be bl00dy careful. I'm not saying chains are bad, I'm saying that once the snow is too slippery for A/Ts it's too slippery for anything other than chains, and they only just do it.

You can get snowchains from the roofbox company (www.roofbox.co.uk). They cost about £100 for a Surf though. If the Swiss are anything like the French, you'll need chains just to keep the coppers happy on some of the roads.

[Ski_Extra]

The police in Switzerland tend not to stop big 4x4s too much to check for chains, but we'll have them anyway...

I've driven 3 Pajeros in the snow, they all had A/T tires. The SWB could handle anything and it's never needed chains, the two LWB that I've driven slipped all over the place and resulted in a bit of chain use.

I've spent 6 winters driving in snow so I can handle the driving side. Just looking for some pointers on some new treads...

Looks like BFG A/T are the correct tires to have, should I just replace the worn ones? I can't picture the exact condition of them, will have more details Wed/Thur.

Which forum should I post the other q's in? Technical - Mechanical - General?

[Apache]

Khumo MT's have little holes in the blocks at the edge of the tread, are these for studs? Get some of them and pray for pack ice.

[BUSHWHACKER]

My Colway M/Ts have the little stud holes too.
Never had any dramas in the snow with them either and there's a lot of hills where I live. I just reduce the pressures in them if I do.

[POPEYE]

Hi Gavin and welcome, Nice lookin truck too, A chalet i switzerland eh! sounds nice, a bit like my chalet in warren park overlooking the beautiful and vast estate of the park leigh see we have the same surname! are you rich by any chance Enjoy the surfin

[That Ruddy Squirrel]

Hi,

welcome to the mad house,

If it's just been imported and they are Japanese tyres then dump all 5 otherwise you will have entertaining drives


Trev

[Ski_Extra]

No it came over a few years ago, I'll see what the treads like...

Ian619, sadly I don't own the chalet... we just rent it and then sell holidays...

[surfenstein]

hi and welcome to the surf emporium of pleasure.

[POPEYE]

Oh well, never mind Gavin, Thought you may have been a long lost rich relative, Disregard the begging letters then

[andycook]

I use snow tyres on subaru forester over winter up here in scotland
october through to may
the subaru performs better than 4runner (mud tyres) in snow
although when its gets over 1ft deep - the 4runner gets an advantage due to better ground clearance

narrower tyres are deemed to be better in snow, to cut through soft stuck to get better grip,
I have seen plenty of audi quattros with nice fat low profile tyres floundering in snow!

so dont rule out snow tyres, they give better grip on tarmac below around 7degC and good on wet roads.

we get a hell of a lot more snow in NE scotland than people see downsouth, although newspaper & news coverage would indicate otherwise. up here less populated and people more used to it so get on with life, nearer bigger citys life grounds to a halt when it snows!