Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 15:16:18 +0100
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: More counter-intuition re traction (some token VW content)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

John,

My personal opinion is that the studs are not as good as the general driver
might think. They only give good grip when the tires are new (0-6000 miles),
after that the worn, and the effect is down at least 50%. Depends of the driving
style, of course, but this is average. I prefer studless tires, and I wont be
buying another set of studded tires again. It is also from an environmental
point of view, the studded tires eat the asphalt on the roads, and it causes
very much dust when every other car drives on studded tires. I believe that 40%
of norwegian car owners have dropped studded tires in favor of studless now, and
that number is growing.

PerL
87 Syncro 112i

"John P. Flaherty" wrote:

> Per:
>
> Well, I've driven numerous rear wheel drive vehicles with studded tires on
> the rear only, never found it to be a problem. Only had one get away from
> me, that was a 79 bus, was going along at about 40 in what would have been a
> 55 zone without the snow when some fool pulled out of a driveway ahead. They
> took up both lanes as they turned, leaving me no room to swerve around them.
> I had to brake hard, knowing what would happen. Spun around about 3 times,
> watching the telephone poles go by, hoping I didn't hit one. Landed in the
> ditch between the poles, didn't hit a thing. Composed myself, started it up,
> drove it right up out of the ditch and continued my trip.
>
> Never had a rear wheel drive car with studs on all four, so I can't say if
> they handle better, and never had a front wheel drive with any studs at all.
>
> John
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Date: Monday, December 27, 1999 6:58 PM
> Subject: Re: More counter-intuition re traction (some token VW content)
>
> >"John P. Flaherty" wrote:
> >
> >> Interesting addition to this thread. Here in Maine, a new law took effect
> >> this winter. It requires that front wheel drive cars which use studded
> snow
> >> tires must use them on all four wheels. Rear wheel drive's still just
> need
> >> them on the back wheels. Any other states with similar laws?
> >
> >This sounds dangerous, to only have studs on the rear. Here in Norway, you
> can
> >have two studless and two "summer" tires on the car, but not two studed and
> two
> >others. Either four studed or none. Also, if you damage the car on slippery
> >roads, without proper tires (m+s markings) you can risk no compensation for
> >damages. (So, it is understood, but not a written law, that m+s marked
> tires are
> >required in the winter)
> >
> >PerL
> >87 Syncro 112i
> >