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matt-j

Member Since: 04 Jul 2010
Location: lancashire
Posts: 79

2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Zermatt Silver

The Doctor wrote:
ad210358 wrote:
If the extra safety of the Wintracs means that I can stop in six inches less than the Wranglers it may save me a claim on the insurance which will more than pay for the Wintracs, but more than that it means my family have a better chance of getting home safer.

When you have tried them then you will perhaps understand, what you've never had you never miss.

Just one question: If I ever reached a point where I could afford them and thought sod it, the wranglers get me about no probs but I will follow ad210358 and buy some anyway for extra safety, why should I buy wintracs over other brands?

I highlight this because athelstan said wintracs were more middle order and by no means the best. Is it a case of value for money?

i think the wintracs are more suited to the uk winter (hit and miss) there are better more aggressive winter tyres but i think they are more suited to places like the alps.

when i was due to change my tyres 12months ago i was looking at winter tyres and a lot of the manufacturers websites just didnt give a clear indication of what there tyre did (strange thing but i knew nothing about winter tyres so i needed an idiots guide). So i headed to the tyre comparison websites (european) and the wintrac4's came out with the highest ratings and reviews. all the tyres had reviews by customers and most of the tyres had a bad review by users but the wintrac4's had nothing but good reviews...although none of these where off FL2 owners.

then i looked at prices and the wintrac4's came up a lot cheaper per corner than equivilants...still aprehensive though as i'd never heard of vredsteins

so i started threads on here and D3 to ask for reviews/info off of land rover owners and i got really good feed back regarding performance, road noise, tread wear etc etc. all came back positive. AJS (site sponcer) also advised me that he had a D3 customer who ran them all year round with no performance issues....

so i bit the bullet, got them and they have been great, i was going to get another set of alloys/tyres for summer but with more important things cropping up i never got round to it. I live in the pennines in lancashire and ive driven to paris in winter and cormwall in summer and these tyres have not given me a single issue.

they where also £20 per corner cheaper at the time than replacing the factory fitted tyres with another set of wranglers.

for me it has been win win win. great purchase.

and on the other hand - standard tyres........ LOL

25th Sep 2011 2:40 pm

russben

Member Since: 03 Dec 2010
Location: lancashire
Posts: 314

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Manual Santorini Black

I fitted general Grabber UHPs on mine, 235/60x18. Superb in the dry, lovely smooth and quiet. Great in the wet, no problems on the motorway in torrential rain and not a hint of aquaplaning. It hasn't snowed yet so can't say how good they are on snow, but they are M&S rated. Snow grip is heavily influenced by the tread at the side of the tyre.
My driving is 99% on road that's why I chose them. Did a gentle gravelly/grassy BOAT/greenlane recently with no issues. Poke it, Poke it, make it do it again!!

Gone - 2008 Freel2 HSE Santorini Black
Hello - 2010 RRS TDV6 3.0 HSE Santorini Black

25th Sep 2011 4:33 pm

donny

Member Since: 05 Mar 2010
Location: Usually knocking about the north
Posts: 215

2007 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Auto Izmir Blue

The Doctor wrote:
Each to their own but for those of you have gone for it, did you find a lack of grip and safety etc with your other tyres?

My story:- I work for me; if I don't get into work then I can't really invoice for my time. I drive a lot of miles as I work all over the north and we are now regularly seeing snow in winter, particularly on the hills I often need to cross. Although they are not essential, the benefits of winter tyres at temps <7degC is well documented.

The original Contis were poor when down to 4mm and it was autumn when they needed replacing. Wintracs were a good value option with very good reviews on 4x4 forums. However, I never intended to run them all year (you can but I chose to save them for the cold weather) so I picked up a set of spare rims (dirt cheap) and fitted some of the new GGATs.

I also go shooting - sometimes taking the FL2 and would not like my tyres to hinder my progress.

Once you have bought the rims then two set tyres are costing your no more than one- after all you are doing the same mileage - just across two sets of tyres not the one set.

All that said, I also have a D3 which doesn't do much and runs AT tyres all year.

Am I a fan of Wintracs? - yes
Am I a fan of GGATs? - yes
Equally I also like Pirelli ATRs
So many tyres - so little time - or is that women?

25th Sep 2011 5:45 pm

landy19840

Member Since: 13 Mar 2011
Location: Non
Posts: 1817

2007 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Zermatt Silver

Check these out on the bay .........140607166856

£400 for the 4

25th Sep 2011 5:57 pm

The Doctor

Member Since: 09 Jul 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 4615

matt-j wrote:
and on the other hand - standard tyres........ LOL

Winter tyres would not suffer that I will agree but if that's what standard tyres can do in arctic proving grounds, I am not disappointed that I can't afford winter tyres. The UK snow and ice would not be as extreme as those proving grounds I suspect.

In any case, considering those were normal M+S tyres, that is testament to the abilites and set up of the FL2. On the same tyres, I bet a Q5, X3 et al would make harder work of it or not make it at all.

LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

25th Sep 2011 6:06 pm

The Doctor

Member Since: 09 Jul 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 4615

3 Questions please guys:

1: Being as I can't stretch to a set of winter tyres, what if I bought 2 winter tyres just for the front wheels. Will this simply not work for various reasons?

2: What about second hand wintracs with 4mm tread left £60 a pair, I am not up on tread depths etc so roughly how much mileage is left in the wintracs at 4mm and what performance would you guys expect?

3: How do you rate these?: http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-latitude-alpin LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

25th Sep 2011 6:23 pm

donny

Member Since: 05 Mar 2010
Location: Usually knocking about the north
Posts: 215

I would have a chat with your tyre supplier or Andy at AJS (Forum sponsor?) for answers to your questions

I recall reading somewhere that winter tyres do not perform well in snow when they have around 4mm or less tread.

25th Sep 2011 7:17 pm

ad210358

Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Here and There
Posts: 7464

The Doctor wrote:
3 Questions please guys:

1: Being as I can't stretch to a set of winter tyres, what if I bought 2 winter tyres just for the front wheels. Will this simply not work for various reasons?

2: What about second hand wintracs with 4mm tread left £60 a pair, I am not up on tread depths etc so roughly how much mileage is left in the wintracs at 4mm and what performance would you guys expect?

3: How do you rate these?: http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-latitude-alpin

Doc, leave the part worn Wintracs alone,
A. I would want to be absolutley 100% sure of their history.
C. Wintrac recommend that when they are down to 4mm they are past their best for winter use.
D. It is not recommended to fit only 2 as when you brake you will easily do 180's. There is some you tube footage on this.

25th Sep 2011 8:00 pm

chicken george

Member Since: 06 Dec 2007
Location: N. Yorks
Posts: 13289

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Santorini Black

best tyres should always go on the back,so the fronts dont write cheques that the back cant cash At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

25th Sep 2011 8:13 pm

ad210358

Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Here and There
Posts: 7464

Normally with the winter tyres, the supplier will only sell in sets of four.

25th Sep 2011 8:40 pm

EdSnow

Member Since: 28 Feb 2008
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 131

chicken george wrote:
best tyres should always go on the back,so the fronts dont write cheques that the back cant cash

I beleive this was true of the Freelander 1, because of the viscous coupling (rather unintelegent centre differential, more of a limited slip diff) needs both axcels to be traveling at around the same speed, and if the front is going slower than the back it will cause the back to scrub, but with the haldex unit on the Freelander 2 acting as a very inteligent centre differential then I beleive you can put the best tyres on the front if you want to. The front axcel will being going slower so the ECU will think you have normal traction on the front and therefore wont engage the back. Freelander 2 XS 2.2 TD4 Met Black, with Winter pack, 18" alloys with General Grabber AT2 wellies, MANTEC Sump and Tank Guards

26th Sep 2011 9:24 am

chicken george

Member Since: 06 Dec 2007
Location: N. Yorks
Posts: 13289

I meant with any car, not even considering 4x4's and differences in rolling circumference etc, its safer to loose cornering grip at the front of the car than at the back, the first causes understeer warning you to slow down, the second can cause a spin too late do do much about it

EDs traction comments are true but not when the car is braking or coasting as no power is going to the wheels either way At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

26th Sep 2011 10:00 am

EdSnow

Member Since: 28 Feb 2008
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 131

chicken george wrote:
I meant with any car, not even considering 4x4's and differences in rolling circumference etc, its safer to loose cornering grip at the front of the car than at the back, the first causes understeer warning you to slow down, the second can cause a spin too late do do much about it

EDs traction comments are true but not when the car is braking or coasting as no power is going to the wheels either way

ahh I hadnt been thinking of it that way. Now I see what you're getting at. Although personally, even when having a 2 wheel drive car I have always prefered having the best tyres on the driven wheels, which in my case has always been front. With the front wheels doing the steering and driving you can generally work on the principle that if they grip then you can point and go where you want to, leaving the back to do what it wants. Provided as you say it doesnt go so far that you're facing the wrong way, but that being the case it probably has little to with your tyres and more to do with how you are driving. Freelander 2 XS 2.2 TD4 Met Black, with Winter pack, 18" alloys with General Grabber AT2 wellies, MANTEC Sump and Tank Guards

26th Sep 2011 11:24 am

Past master

Member Since: 30 Jun 2010
Location: Isle of Ely
Posts: 2710

This has been covered before. The general advice is that new tyres should always go on the BACK (eg see http://www.klebertyres.co.uk/KleberUK/fron...mp;lang=EN ). Personally, I would always try to fit a complete set of 4 to a Freelander - even to the extent of buying a couple of spare wheels to keep the best tyres until another two need replacing! When I last changed mine after a long continental trip I was thinking I might have a couple of good ones, but by the time I'd eliminated two with nails and one with a sidewall tear I only had one left, and that went on the spare!

26th Sep 2011 11:48 am

sweetfreedom

Member Since: 27 Aug 2011
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 64

Yep, I always thought newer tyres should go on the back, even with a front wheel drive

And I insist that Wranglers are c**p....GoodYear have loads of clout an dmanage to get their products OE on lots of 4x4's but most people who need real traction never replace them with more Wranglers

We sell veterinary equipment and tow offroad most days and with Wranglers on our cars we got stuck and in the snow it was, well, embarrassing.... No, and of course it does depend hugely on useage but if you do actually use your 4x4 as intended, even just now an dthen, you'll need Coopers or Generals

Incidentally, our Coopers are giving 35k miles FL2 GS Auto '58reg

26th Sep 2011 9:07 pm

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