Winter Wheels 2008 XC90

[CondorXC90]

I am new to Volvo having driven only BMW's for the past 10 years and a Range Rover before that.......had winter wheels for them and thought I should find out what I should be looking at for the XC90. Bought a 2008 venerable D5 XC90 which we are collecting on Saturday.......

Advice and info welcomed, hope this forum is as welcoming as my former BMW "home" forum, it certainly seems really comprehensive and I joined the VOC as well.....just for good measure!!!

[Tannaton]

Any wheels can be winter wheels.... however the smaller the diameter, generally the more (and lower cost) options there are for winter tyres. Or you could just swap the tyres over in November/March?

All XC90's in the UK had the same brakes so any Mk1 XC90 alloys will fit any model. However the hubs are different on the Mk1 XC90 to any other Volvo model so only Mk1 XC90 alloys can be used.

For winter wheels the "Neptune" wheel is popular as it's 17 inches. The more common ones (like Atlantis) are 18".

[SwissXC90]

Narrower tyres provide ore grip in winter.

My car was equipped with the following ex-factory:
Summer: CRATUS 20x8 on Pirelli Scorpion Zeros 255/45 (now Pirelli Verdes)
Winter: NEPTUNE 17x7 on Continental WinterContact 4x4 235/65.

That 1 inch makes a difference!

[CondorXC90]

Thanks for replies - I was a very early adopter of winter rubber in the UK in the years when people whinged that it never got cold enough for winters, so just wanted to check sizes and suitable wheels - I think I have found a decent set now with good winter tyres.

[Dastardly Diesel]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

Narrower tyres provide ore grip in winter.

My car was equipped with the following ex-factory:
Summer: CRATUS 20x8 on Pirelli Scorpion Zeros 255/45 (now Pirelli Verdes)
Winter: NEPTUNE 17x7 on Continental WinterContact 4x4 235/65.

That 1 inch makes a difference!

Not completely true. In fresh, uncompacted snow conditions a narrower tyre can provide more grip by cutting through to the firm surface below. In all other cold weather scenarios a bigger footprint provides more grip.

[okedave]

Originally Posted by CondorXC90

I am new to Volvo having driven only BMW's for the past 10 years and a Range Rover before that.......had winter wheels for them and thought I should find out what I should be looking at for the XC90. Bought a 2008 venerable D5 XC90 which we are collecting on Saturday.......

Advice and info welcomed, hope this forum is as welcoming as my former BMW "home" forum, it certainly seems really comprehensive and I joined the VOC as well.....just for good measure!!!

I just put michelin cross climates on the standard rims, they have been awesome, and no need to change over from summer/winter and back again.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Dastardly Diesel

Not completely true. In fresh, uncompacted snow conditions a narrower tyre can provide more grip by cutting through to the firm surface below. In all other cold weather scenarios a bigger footprint provides more grip.

Er.... that’s not true at all, in fact the opposite is the case...

On any snow and any ice, pressure exerted on it causes it to melt - if the pressure is sufficient this is instantaneous.

Ignoring dynamic loads every wheel has a fixed weight, the greater the surface area of tyre in contact with the road then the less pressure exerted by the tyre. So a narrow tyre is better for grip in any cold conditions that a wider tyre of the same diameter. If the diameter is also reduced then this also improves grip.

It’s the same principle as using a large plastic sheet as a sledge to slide down a snowy hillside. Stand at the top in your boots - not much happens.

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-articl...res-for-winter

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

On any snow and any ice, pressure exerted on it causes it to melt - if the pressure is sufficient this is instantaneous.

Ignoring dynamic loads every wheel has a fixed weight, the greater the surface area of tyre in contact with the road then the less pressure exerted by the tyre. So a narrow tyre is better for grip in any cold conditions that a wider tyre of the same diameter. If the diameter is also reduced then this also improves grip.

This is why ice skates are so narrow.
A narrow skate blade has much more grip than a wide piece of metal.
(For the identical tread pattern: none)

[Harley Dave]

Eh???

Surely with skates you want less friction (grip) to make you go faster

The "grip" comes from pushing with the side of the skate

Cheers

Dave

[SwissXC90]

yeah i was wrong.