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      12-22-2009, 07:40 AM   #1
chris330D
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Snow socks - quick review

I have seen all the threads about people having problems in the snow. This year I tried out 'snow socks' for the first time. I bought a pair of Weissenfels weissSocks. The idea seems pretty good, slip them over your tyres when the going gets tough anf then take them off when you are on clear road.

the good news is they work (sorry no pics). Tried the car with two on the driven wheels and with only one on. With one on the non-covered tyre spun easily whilst the other just gripped. With both on I could easily got to the top of the steep hill I live at the bottom of. Without the socks the car fish tailed like mad and would only get up the hill if very determined.

The bad news. Be very careful if you have larger wheels/tyres. Mine has the standard 18" M Sport alloys with 255/35 tyres on. With this combo it is really tricky to pull the 'sock' over the inside edge of the wheel. To fit the sock you have to pull an elasticated edge of the sock over the top of the wheel and behind the inside edge of the tyre from roughly the 10 o'clock to 2 O'clock position. With mine this required scrapped knuckels and lots of swearing. it is tight! I have 18" wheels with standard ride height. Anything more and you would need the thinnest wrists.arms ever to get the sock over. Comes off really easy though.

All in all a good idea. It comes flat in its own little bag so takes up little space in the boot but does give you significantly more traction. Just be very careful if you have lowered suspension and/or 19" wheels.

Hope this helps, sorry I don't have any pics at the mo'. Chris
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      12-22-2009, 08:11 AM   #2
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Thanks for the review Chris, was thinking about a set of these, but opted for some Winter tyres instead! Doesn't sound like I'd get them over a set of 265/30/19's.
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      12-22-2009, 09:36 AM   #3
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I skinned all my knuckles getting them over my 18s so unless there is an easier way to do this I think you would be stuck whith your wheel/tyres.
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      12-22-2009, 10:15 AM   #4
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Rear only, Chris?

I wondered about some, but then wondered whether you'd near a rear and a front seat?
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      12-22-2009, 11:36 AM   #5
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Yeah rear only. I suppose you could do the fronts as well but the makers only suggest the driven wheels. Worked fine once on.
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      12-22-2009, 11:44 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris330D View Post
Yeah rear only. I suppose you could do the fronts as well but the makers only suggest the driven wheels. Worked fine once on.
I think that would worry me on a RWD car with traction on the rear and no grip on the fronts?
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      12-22-2009, 11:49 AM   #7
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Agreed you have to be careful but the idea is it is something small that you keep in the boot and gets you going once stuck. Only really for a short distance back on to a clear road. With my car the issue is the grip at the rear. Front tends to be ok unless you over do it.
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      12-22-2009, 11:50 AM   #8
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Cheers for the info Chris good to hear.
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      12-22-2009, 03:58 PM   #9
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The one thing that bothers me is that you have to eventually take them off (as with tyre chains). So, you put them on to get out of the snow and onto cleared roads. To take them off you have to pull off of said cleared road onto an uncleared layby and you get stuck again. So you put the socks back on, drive to the next layby and repeat.

OK, I know that is taking it to extremes but it's still plausible.
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      12-23-2009, 05:09 AM   #10
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Any chance of link and / or pictures?
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      12-24-2009, 05:14 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris330D View Post
I have 18" wheels with standard ride height. Anything more and you would need the thinnest wrists.arms ever to get the sock over. Comes off really easy though.

All in all a good idea. It comes flat in its own little bag so takes up little space in the boot but does give you significantly more traction. Just be very careful if you have lowered suspension and/or 19" wheels.

Hope this helps, sorry I don't have any pics at the mo'. Chris
Thanks for the info but I have a stupid question to ask.

Regardless of 17", 18" or 19" rims, surely the whole idea is that the rolling circumference is the same (bigger rims = thinner rubber) to these things should be just as hard or easy to fit regardless of rim size. The only thing that would make it harder is if you have a lower ride.
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      12-28-2009, 02:57 AM   #12
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No such thing as a stupid question. The reason the wheel size is important is that to fit the 'sock' you must get the elasticated edge over the inside edge of the tyre. This is easy on the smaller sizes as there is room between the wheel arch and the top of the tyre. With mine (18") I had to push the sock through with my hands flat but my knuckles still scrapped on the top of the wheel arch.
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      12-28-2009, 04:06 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris330D View Post
No such thing as a stupid question. The reason the wheel size is important is that to fit the 'sock' you must get the elasticated edge over the inside edge of the tyre. This is easy on the smaller sizes as there is room between the wheel arch and the top of the tyre. With mine (18") I had to push the sock through with my hands flat but my knuckles still scrapped on the top of the wheel arch.
Yes but my point was that on a 330D regardless of you having a 17" rim, an 18" rim or even a 19" rim, that gap between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch will be the same as the rolling circumference of the wheel must remain constant between rim sizes.
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      12-28-2009, 04:35 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m@rk View Post
Yes but my point was that on a 330D regardless of you having a 17" rim, an 18" rim or even a 19" rim, that gap between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch will be the same as the rolling circumference of the wheel must remain constant between rim sizes.
How can the gap at the top of the wheel arch be the same on 17, 18 and 19" rims? The radius on 19" wheels is longer than on 17s.
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      12-28-2009, 04:45 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rushall View Post
How can the gap at the top of the wheel arch be the same on 17, 18 and 19" rims? The radius on 19" wheels is longer than on 17s.
Correct but the profile of the tyre gets smaller as the rim gets bigger

If this were not the case then the speedo would not read the same for all rim sizes and I have not seen anybody on here complaining that since they put new rims on, they have been getting loads of speeding tickets because the speedo is way off.

The total size from the centre of the wheel to the outside edge of the tyre must always be the same.

To maintain this, you have a lower profile tyre on the larger rims.

Therefore, as I previously said, regardless of what rim option you have, the rolling circumference remains constant and thus the gap between the edge of the tyre and the wheel arch is the same.

This tool http://www.etyres.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator.htm will let you play with the numbers so you can see for yourself. See how as you increase the rim size, the profile gets smaller.
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      12-28-2009, 04:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m@rk View Post
Correct but the profile of the tyre gets smaller as the rim gets bigger
Right, didn't know this. Makes sense now you mention it!
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      12-28-2009, 06:41 AM   #17
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      10-31-2011, 03:49 PM   #18
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I had snow socks on my 335d last year, rears only (255/35/18). Getting on was hard but 10 mins only with minor scuffed knuckles.
Difference was stunning in the snow & ice.
Taking them off........... OH MY GOD.
40 minutes, 6 knuckles almost to the bone. Only a stanley knife saved me from A & E.

This year, Pirelli winters due to be delivered this week. Expensive but money back in the long run as Summers last twice as long!! Simples.......
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