driving mgf f tf in snow

[mgfneal]

Hi guys im just wondering if anyone has driven there f tf in snowy conditions and if they have how do they react and handle or is is it best not to try? I just looked at the weather forcast for next next few weeks and it looks likecsnow is a possibility and as my f is my daily car i need to use it to get to work :/

[colintf]

winter tyres are well recommended and take it very easy on the throttle out of corners / rounabouts etc

[mgfneal]

Im asuming the mid engined layout gives reasonable grip at the rear but with minimal weight over the front is the steering not a going to struggle to
grip in the snow .

[colintf]

You need to watch the back end as well I believe

[mgfneal]

cheers mate il just have to find some were to get used to it should be fun

[Bigfootmgf]

just make sure you have deep tread on the rear tyres or you will not be going anywhere and when you do get it moving it will keep on wanting to go in the opposite direction to where you want to go!

[Steffi]

I use my TF also as my daily car and we have snow almost every year
driving the TF in the snow is lot of fun.
Most important thing are winter tyres, hope you still get some in uk?
Than find yourself some nice snowy place and find out how your car reacts.
Drifting in snow with my car is the best thing I can imagine in winter time, besides driving topless at minus 10 degC through snowy landscape with blue sky and Sophie

[colintf]

I use my TF also as my daily car and we have snow almost every year
driving the TF in the snow is lot of fun.
Most important thing are winter tyres, hope you still get some in uk?
Than find yourself some nice snowy place and find out how your car reacts.
Drifting in snow with my car is the best thing I can imagine in winter time, besides driving topless at minus 10 degC through snowy landscape with blue sky and Sophie

Sophie, for those of us this side of the English Channel, is the Sun

The cost of importing a set of winter tyres from say Germany isn't a lot more expensive than buying here in the uk (if you can still get them) from memory it was about £5 a tyre more and that included shipping. That was the same tyre both here and Germany, but we last looked a couple months ago

Winter tyres are not just for the snow! From memory they become advantageous at 7 degC and below that's grip while cornering and more importantly stopping

I know Dunlop were doing a lot of winter tyre promoting earlier this month along with some of the BTCC drivers and teams / manufacturers (including MG) I was invited to go but was sadly due to be working overseas so had to decline! I gather it was comparing like for like the same cars with and without winter tyres on

[adrianclifford]

Neal, it's basic careful driving and keep the revs low. There are a few things to look out for but as the F/TF is quite low you need to be aware of snow build up under the car, it can cause problems, it's water based don't forget so knock off any build up including under the wheel arches.

As Colin says winter tyres are not really used in Britain, this is one of the reasons we suffer badly at the first snowflake (sort of thing), therefore I would suggest getting four steel wheels (as used in the spare), they are easy to get from breakers and the classifieds then fit them with winter tyres, this saves you changing them twice a year and you don't need wide low profile tyres in the winter, narrower with a higher profile is better, the steel spoares are 14" by the way so you will have, maybe, an 80 profile tyre.

Keep your alloys salt free and wrapped up for the whole winter. The tyres will be slightly noisy and you will not feel the handling is as it was, of course not but you will feel safer when the conditions are bad, over to you, it's your choice.

[Geoff.F]

Summer tyres begin to loose grip below 7 Deg.C due to the rubber becoming hard and not flexing.
Winter Tyres have a different rubber composition.
Steel wheels were used for winter tyres on Fs simply because a set of Alloys were only available new and cost an arm and a leg. A set of good used 15in alloys now cost +/- £50.
The MGR Size for winter tyres is 185/55 R15 (according to my Swiss Certficate of Compliance where they are compulsory).
16in wheels should not be used as snow chains will take out the wing liners.
I have a Set of Marangoni which now cost £60 a corner including shipping from Germany from http://www.mytyres.co.uk There is no Importing requirements from an EEC country as they are MWST paid. They must be only fitted as a set of 4..
Todays job and it is b****y cold outside.
Geoff.F

[colintf]

Interesting article in the new Dec issue of the MGOC magazine that arrived in the post today

[adrianclifford]

I'm not a member any longer, what was interesting ?

[HenryB]

Thinking of getting a cheap set of 15" alloys and tyres to fit to my F while its laid up over the winter. I have fitted new tyres and regularly turn the wheels round to stop flat spots developing.
Can someone confirm that all 15" alloys will fit. I currently have 15" alloys fitted to my 2001 'F.
Regards
Henry

[Mykel]

Yes Henry, if 15" alloys do fit at all (standard brakes), all kinds of them will fit. I have my winter tyres (185/55R15) on the standard early MGF 6-spokes, which can be found for very cheap money. The problem is, they are a bit worn on one axle so I will have to change two of them this month (TÜV/MoT time in the middle of the winter ).

I have done a bit more research on the winter tyre topic and from what I learned, the old idea of "the narrower the better" is an old tale from the days of winter motoring on summer tyres. Today's high-tech winter rubbers take their grip not so much from the pressure per sq in but from the road (or rather: snow) surface covered, as is with summer tyres. Grip on snow is improved by finely carved sipes, the more of which to have, the better. And as always, the better pair go on the rear axle. Minimum tread on winters is 4mm, by the way.

So I will indeed go for the official tyre sizes on 15" alloys, 185s on the front, 205s on the rear. Not many brands produce this combination for winter tyres, my choice is the Hankook Ice Bear W300, which is widely available. At least here, that is. Probably because the 185 is the same size as on Grampa's A-class Merc

[HenryB]

Cheers Mykel. Missed a set of 4 alloys on ebay for £30 english pounds. So very cheap.

[adrianclifford]

Henry, that's good advice from Mykel, make sure you can get four winter tyres in the sizes quoted before buying the wheels. You can get 15" mpi alloys regularly on E Bay and the like, they don't even need to be in good condition as they'll be dirty most of the time, as long as they're not damaged of course.

[colintf]

We had snow here in Germany today
Steffi had no trouble in her TF thanks to winter tyres today and we drove 220km

[mgfneal]

Well it looks like i can practice my snow driving very soon My tyres are new so have very good tread a spare mat incase i get stuck and iv just given my f a service de.So bring it on winter! !!!:)

[3 DUCKS]

. .And as im a radio ham a vhf 144mhz handheld radio i So bring it on winter! !!!:)

i belive that GB3MP would be handy for you
73's

[mgfneal]

Thats fairly close gb3mn is bit further away but just as strong to me i always carry a handie in car you never know when you may need it may even take a 290r wonder if it will fit in the arm rest