S40: S 40 -- can't drive with snow tires / tyres?

[ruffday]

Originally Posted by Bendolfc

38psi is pretty much spot on.

Well I dont own one but all I could find listed for the later S40 T5 recommended 31-32Psi or 2.1-2.2 bar.
So I accept if this is wrong.

[ruffday]

Just a thought what size 16 inch tyres have you got fitted?

[Volvo6]

I go back to the dealer and tell them to get rid of the Gslaveds and put on some Nokians. (This is the winter tire I have always used on my Saabs, with excellent results.) The Nokians are slightly better than the Gslaveds, but the car still wallows and waddles, feeling at every minute as if it's on its way to a rollover. Yea, the suspension could be rebuilt, but who the deuce has ever heard of buying a "Swedish" car that can's be outfitted with snowtires? Help?!

All I can say is that that is a world away from my experience; I've got Continental WinterContacts on and yes the car feels softer and a little bit more wandering at high speed but there is no change in the stability of the car, I still very much feel I can chuck it into bends and it will go round as if on rails...

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by Volvo6

All I can say is that that is a world away from my experience; I've got Continental WinterContacts on and yes the car feels softer and a little bit more wandering at high speed but there is no change in the stability of the car, I still very much feel I can chuck it into bends and it will go round as if on rails...

That's interesting. My S60 never feels like its in any real danger, but it's not just me who finds it a little wandering - I've noticed my passengers start looking nervous as well, so clearly they can feel it too. That's why I described it as 'instability'. Nowhere near as bad as tbass's S40, though, from the sound of things.

I've also gone down a size, from 225/45 17s to 205/55/16s, which may be clouding the comparison somewhat. Rims are volvo-supplied (steel) so are correct offset & fitment for the car. Tyres are Nokian WR G2 currently at about 36psi.

[tbass]

The Nokian tires/tyres are 215 55 R16s. They were installed by the dealer, so one would presume that these are the correct size. They are designed to be run at 38 PSI.

I am alarmed by the confession that even _passengers_ notice how badly these Volvos handle with snow tires. Help!?

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by tbass

I am alarmed by the confession that even _passengers_ notice how badly these Volvos handle with snow tires. Help!?

To clarify, that's only on fast & tight & familiar bends (eg certain motorway slip roads), towards the limit of sensible driving when the weather's good, that I was talking about. It doesn't bother me at all, I just slow down a smidgen, at which point the passengers relax again as well. Who cares if some Audi or BMW (or even a T5 on summer tyres) then pulls away from me? I'm smug in the knowledge of how silly he'll look when there's snow on the ground.

Never tried winter tyres on other cars, so can't comment on whether Volvos are any different.

[Volvo6]

I would be very surprised if Volvos were set up for winter tyres any less than any other car brand, I mean in Scandinavia pretty much everyone has them during the winter and in Germany (a large Volvo market) its the law to have them. Pretty much everyone who's fitted them observes a softening of the handling but there must be some other explanation for the degree of difference that the OP has experienced. Are you sure the handling was OK before you put them on?

[t5_monkey]

Check the underside just in case you have a broken rod or rollbar.

[tbass]

Sorry, I made a mistake with the numbers--confusing what's on my Saab with what's on my Volvo. The S40 is running with 205/55 R16 Nokians. Again, these are dealer installed, on new steel rims--presumably the recommended tires for the car, and, yes, the car is still driving as badly as ever. As I tell my sons when they take it out on the road, "Just drive straight. It will do fine, so long as you don't make any turns."

[961]

Winter tyres should make little difference to the handling of the car. If the car is handly badly something has been broken or badly/incorrectly fitted

I'd get a check done at another dealer to ensure the wheels that have been fitted are actually correct for your car as regards offset etc and not just a set your original dealer had in stock he wanted to move on

Also, many winter tyres are designed to move in one direction only. In other words they can be fitted to the wrong side of the car so that they are revolving in the wrong direction. Do your tyres have arrows on the sidewalls and if so are they ALL fitted correctly

From UK recommendations 38psi is high for tyres on your car unless heavily loaded. Try 34psi

Has something been broken on the suspension while fitting the tyres, e.g. has a jack broken part of the steering/suspension while lifting the car?