Winter tyres?

[Wodens Winkie]

Hi everyone, I know there is a few posts on here about winter tyres for use in snowy conditions, but I am after motorhome tyres for a muddy slippery hill. I have a 1999 hymer swing with Vanca camper tyres on it. Earlier this year I purchased an acre of woodland with my pension lump sum to conserve and camp in. Since the end of lockdown, we have spent quite a few lovely weekends camped down the woods. Until it rained! We were stuck on a slight hill on the track leaving the woodland for two hours This is after burning through plastic grip mats and almost rolling the van trying to take the hill at speed, as it directly after a 90 degree bend with no run up!
The hill does not have thick mud just slippery surface mud, can anyone suggest a tyre that would be suitable please, as I would quite like to carry on camping down there in the winter?
The tyres I have been looking at are Continental all season contact, Continental Vanco winter 2 and Vredestein Contrac winter. Any other suggestions or experiences would be most welcome.
Thanks Richard

 

[Emmit]

Lofty1

What are those Knobbly tyres on your outfit.
They look fit for the North face of the Eiger.

 

[Podney]

Buy an old tractor and keep it there to tow you out. .

If it’s steep and wet or icy I doubt any tyre will make that much difference.

Or put hardcore down on the tricky bits.

 

[georgio]

In my experience tyres will not make a difference in such situations. you will need at least diff lock or 4 wheel drive . might be best to hardcore it all

 

[hymerman]

I've had similar problems with all of the front wheel drive vans I've had, one solution that may work is to reverse out, difficult but I've had to do it, and it got me out.
It's one of the reasons that I now have a dual rear wheel drive van , as I go to a lot of festivals on muddy fields and was fed up getting stuck.
Problem is with front wheel drive is that most of the weight is at the back, whilst the traction is at the front.

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[Dorset Diver]

Would this help?

 

[Wodens Winkie]

Thanks for your replies, I just wandered if anyone had experience with 4 season or winter tyres in slippery conditions it's more slippery than muddy, I thought is there much difference between slippery snow and surface mud. I think the the track had been type one surfaced in the past and the van always makes it three quarters up, so just needs an extra bit of traction. Would winter tyres give it that extra?

 

[Dorset Diver]

You could try dropping the front tyre pressures by 10-15 psi.

 

[Lenny HB]

I have just fitted Toyo Observe Van tyres to my van, they are a winter tyre but not used them in adverse conditions yet.

 

[jollyrodger]

Dont know what part of the world you are in but a set up on classifieds at the moment I believe
As already said reversing off can be helpful

Falken eurowinter tyres 215/70R 15C

Set of 4 falken eurowinter tyres. Size 215/70R 15C. Only driven 1000 miles. Towed back from France after skiing accident. Selling as bought new vehicle and don't fit. Collect from glasgow.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[Guffy60]

Hi, watching people car trialing in normal road cars, we have found it’s the gaps in the tread patern and the patern which makes a bigger difference. Winter tyres being no better in mud than some summer tyres, and time of the year making no difference unless there is snow on the ground.

as suggested elsewhere dropping the pressure can make a big difference to help you get grip. On car trials, people will let as much pressure out of their tyres as the rules allow, you used to see tyres 30 ish psi to mid teens

 

[Lofty1]

Lofty1

What are those Knobbly tyres on your outfit.
They look fit for the North face of the Eiger.

All terrain, not getting stuck on the alps again

 

[Emmit]

All terrain, not getting stuck on the alps again

Tell the OP what they are Alan. He wants to know.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Hi everyone, I know there is a few posts on here about winter tyres for use in snowy conditions, but I am after motorhome tyres for a muddy slippery hill. I have a 1999 hymer swing with Vanca camper tyres on it. Earlier this year I purchased an acre of woodland with my pension lump sum to conserve and camp in. Since the end of lockdown, we have spent quite a few lovely weekends camped down the woods. Until it rained! We were stuck on a slight hill on the track leaving the woodland for two hours This is after burning through plastic grip mats and almost rolling the van trying to take the hill at speed, as it directly after a 90 degree bend with no run up!
The hill does not have thick mud just slippery surface mud, can anyone suggest a tyre that would be suitable please, as I would quite like to carry on camping down there in the winter?
The tyres I have been looking at are Continental all season contact, Continental Vanco winter 2 and Vredestein Contrac winter. Any other suggestions or experiences would be most welcome.
Thanks Richard

I swear by Michelin Alpin Winters

Had them on three motorhomes, two Sprinters and a Fiat. Also run two Sprinter vans on them

Fantastic Grip, incredible longevity. Unlike a lot of Michelin Tyres these days.

Toyo H09's were good but discontinued.

We Have

Pirelli P-Zero All-Season - Range Rover
Michelin Alpin Winter on Fiat Ducato and Sprinter.
Michelin Cross Climate All Season - Audi A3
Good Year Ultragrip 9 Winter - Audi A2
Continental TS850 Winter - 2 x Toyota People Carriers
Good Year Ultragrip - Winter BMW 1 series

Michelin Alpins are the vest tyres we run on.

 

[tribalbrit]

Get a load of bread trays. cut the bottoms out, tie 5 or 6 together with tie wraps and put under wheels, have two single ones to run on to so you can move the others.
My mate works a fairground and has moved some large trucks using this method.

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[Northern Boy]

I live in Estonia (60 degrees north, about the Faeroe island for those not latitude aware) and when I first arrived here a few years ago with my Michelin 'Cross climate' tyres on my car, with the three mountains and snowflake emblem! I thought I was sorted! No, the man at the local Tyre company just laughed at me and explained they were winter tyres in central Europe but useless up here in the Nordic regions.

I have learnt that its about ice and not so much snow or even mud. Proper winter tyres have either ice tread or studs (nails), In November I change my all season tyres on my car for studded tyres as for me that's the only way to deal with ice on the road, although the roads are cleared by snow ploughs there is often a layer of ice we drive on. Even on the motorway the outside lane is often compact ice and I still wince as I see my fellows driving at 90kpm down sheet ice, but its ok with the right tyres. I am told by the locals who use non studded winter tyres that they can be nearly as effective as studded tyres if you are prepared to pay for the best quality tyres. I dont know what they are but its about paying the money for the quality.

Tyre's with M&S written on them are useless in Nordic winters, you need proper ice tyres. And in a few years M&S tyres in the winter are becoming illegal here.

So to revert back to the post and mud on a track, yes tread and M&S tyres will give you traction but mud and wet roads are a whole world apart from snow and ice. In mud you need 4 wheel drive and differential locks. You cant grip (much more) in mud with winter tyres studded or not. The only time I would need 4 wheel drive or a differential lock in mid winter is when the snow was slushy or mud like.

On my MH I have winter tyres on all year (cant be bothered to change them and I can jump in my car if its -30; road covered in ice and I need some bananas), The MH is just under 3500kg. Out of interest any vehicle over 3,500kg does not by law need to fit winter tyres; under 3,500kg is law. I dont know but I am guessing that the heavier the load on an axle the less need for winter tyres! (I am ready to be educated as I just dont know why). No lorries have winter tyres they just keep on trucking summer +30 to winter -30 on the same old rubber.

And that's my opinion and observation after 3 years in the land of wild camping. Always happy to be educated further...

 

[Lofty1]

Tell the OP what they are Alan. He wants to know.

Sorry we old folk have only just woken up from afternoon nap

 

[Lofty1]

Hi everyone, I know there is a few posts on here about winter tyres for use in snowy conditions, but I am after motorhome tyres for a muddy slippery hill. I have a 1999 hymer swing with Vanca camper tyres on it. Earlier this year I purchased an acre of woodland with my pension lump sum to conserve and camp in. Since the end of lockdown, we have spent quite a few lovely weekends camped down the woods. Until it rained! We were stuck on a slight hill on the track leaving the woodland for two hours This is after burning through plastic grip mats and almost rolling the van trying to take the hill at speed, as it directly after a 90 degree bend with no run up!
The hill does not have thick mud just slippery surface mud, can anyone suggest a tyre that would be suitable please, as I would quite like to carry on camping down there in the winter?
The tyres I have been looking at are Continental all season contact, Continental Vanco winter 2 and Vredestein Contrac winter. Any other suggestions or experiences would be most welcome.
Thanks Richard

Hi we have fitted b f Goodrich all terrain tyres that you normally find on land rover type vehicles good for 4.5 ton

 

[Lucky]

Here's an interesting article on fitting All Terrain Tyres to a campervan.

The ultimate guide to fitting all terrain tyres on a campervan - Vanlife TV

An ultimate guide on choosing all terrain tyres for a campervan. I explain how I chose the BF Goodrich All Terrain tyre for my Vauxhall Movano camper van

vanlife.tv

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Front mounted Winch ?
Tea Bag

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[Wack]

Buy a winch , fit it to the front of your van , either winch out using a tree or buy a ground anchor

 

[Wack]

Just wanted to add , a winch will have a 100% success rate , buy one that sells well used then when you’re done with it you can sell it to someone in the off road 4x4 community , my philosophy has always been buy the best you can because the cost of ownership will be the difference between buying and selling.

 

[Happy1]

Summer ie normal tyres in new forest with traction plus got us off pitch but sure wardens not too impressed with tyre tracks! Winter better than all season but no contest with 4x4 or a tractor to pull you out, sounds idyllic good luck with it all

 

[Googlebot]

Forget the faff with winches etc. Just get some hardcore and do it properly. You only need a small strip each side. Whichever way you use tyres or winches, the ground will churn up and then you will end up doing it anyway.

Sounds amazing though and we know someone who has done the same.

 

[Guffy60]

Winter are no net

Summer ie normal tyres in new forest with traction plus got us off pitch but sure wardens not too impressed with tyre tracks! Winter better than all season but no contest with 4x4 or a tractor to pull you out, sounds idyllic good luck with it all

Winter are no better, it’s down to how aggresive the patern is. In warmer weather winter can be worse.

based on experience of competing on production car trials.

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[cmcardle75]

Hi everyone, I know there is a few posts on here about winter tyres for use in snowy conditions, but I am after motorhome tyres for a muddy slippery hill. I have a 1999 hymer swing with Vanca camper tyres on it. Earlier this year I purchased an acre of woodland with my pension lump sum to conserve and camp in. Since the end of lockdown, we have spent quite a few lovely weekends camped down the woods. Until it rained! We were stuck on a slight hill on the track leaving the woodland for two hours This is after burning through plastic grip mats and almost rolling the van trying to take the hill at speed, as it directly after a 90 degree bend with no run up!
The hill does not have thick mud just slippery surface mud, can anyone suggest a tyre that would be suitable please, as I would quite like to carry on camping down there in the winter?
The tyres I have been looking at are Continental all season contact, Continental Vanco winter 2 and Vredestein Contrac winter. Any other suggestions or experiences would be most welcome.
Thanks Richard

Goodyear Wrangler AT.

Although winter might give better grip anyway, as the mud will be colder and less sloppy.

 

[Wack]

Don't go with anything too knobbly if you go down the tyres route , i used to have a defender with knobbly tyres

On the motorway they sounded like you were bring chased by a helicopter

 

[tacr2man]

Changing your tyres is not going to do the job , even going as extreme as a full on Mud terrain type tyre , might not be a 100% guarantee of enough traction . THe cheapest and most reliable method would be tyre chains . Modern chains are relatively quick and easy to fit , and give a quantum leap in grip . thats why the have them on logger units . Either that or you can go to a MoHo like mine with 6 wheel drive , cross and interaxle diff locks and traction control

 

[Jaws]

Thanks for your replies, I just wandered if anyone had experience with 4 season or winter tyres in slippery conditions it's more slippery than muddy, I thought is there much difference between slippery snow and surface mud. I think the the track had been type one surfaced in the past and the van always makes it three quarters up, so just needs an extra bit of traction. Would winter tyres give it that extra?

Hankook M&S ! Got my Miller out of some very sticky, slippy, muddy situations

But in the long wrong ( i.e. thinking long term ) it might be both better and cheaper getting a few cubic yards of hard core and laying that down on the track
Sooner or later continued use of even the most solid forest track will eventually turn it in to slurry

 

[Wodens Winkie]

I was also looking at Hankook M&S what was the particular Hankook you went for, there seemed to be a few M&S Hankook models? My size is 215 70 r15 . I know Goodrich don't do a 15inch At tyre.
Cheers

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