Tire Reviews: Wide vs Narrow Winter Tires Tested

[CapriRacer]

Tire Reviews: Wide vs Narrow Winter Tires Tested

The conclusion? It doesn't matter as much as choosing the actual make/model.

I found this very interesting. I may use this as a basis for an article on my website - properly crediting Tyre Reviews, of course!

If I have a criticism, it's that part of what is supposed to make narrow tires better is the ability of narrow tires to push through the snow down to the pavement. Even a bit of pavement is soooo much better than snow for traction. But that would be extremely difficult to test. I mean how the heck do you set up a course where you can consistently ensure that the tire is penetrating the snow down to the pavement?

 

[Vercingetorix]

Seems to me at the absolute limits, an infinitely wide tire would have zero grip, while an infinitely narrow tire would have infinite grip.

 

[Astro14]

Always thought narrow was better…substantially better. Good to know.

 

[andyd]

Got to do with contact patch size and applied torque. Also, narrower tires are cheaper than wider ones

 

[SubLGT]

The snow depth on the snow handling track looks like it is only 2" deep. Not much of a challenge even for a wide tire.

 

[edyvw]

There are problems with the test, and I am actually not surprised by the results.
1. To me first problem is the difference between the narrowest and the rest of the tires. But, I get why they could not do a test with the same tire.
2. I always considered the advantage of narrow tires to be in deep snow, slush, and especially, and this is VERY important, in changing lanes and hitting snow leftover from other cars or snow plow between lanes. That is where narrow tires shine. Next, also a very important thing is hydroplaning in wet, where narrow tires have a clear advantage. There is a lot of driving in winter on wet roads, and that is something to take into consideration.
3. A narrow tire means a higher sidewall=less possibility of damage if car slides and hypothetically hits the sidewalk etc.
4. Price.

I tested several times this. Would run sets of regular sizes on vehicles, and once I wear them out, buy the narrower set, and the narrower set always felt better suited for snow, especially slush and wet roads.

 

[Bighorn2500]

I always lean towards a narrower winter tire for more pounds per square inch on the ice/slush/snow to cut through or grip better. Same/similar overall diameter but go up a series like 265/70 to 245/75 or 235/80 in a light truck tire.

 

[chris719]

The snow depth on the snow handling track looks like it is only 2" deep. Not much of a challenge even for a wide tire.

You aren't going to "cut through" more than that with a narrow tire anyway. Narrow tires are still pretty wide. I think the best case for the narrow tire is actually light snow. On a loose and endless surface like sand, wider is usually better.

 

[fsdork]

I always lean towards a narrower winter tire for more pounds per square inch on the ice/slush/snow to cut through or grip better. Same/similar overall diameter but go up a series like 265/70 to 245/75 or 235/80 in a light truck tire.

Pounds per square inch is set with your air compressor, assuming the weight over each tire remains the same. Changing tire width as the only variable won't get you anywhere in that regard.

 

[Rand]

Pounds per square inch is set with your air compressor, assuming the weight over each tire remains the same. Changing tire width as the only variable won't get you anywhere in that regard.

airing up also changes the contact patch dimensions. And a shorter contact patch can lead to instability if taken to far.

ie a rubber band tire at 50 psi is going to be significantly worse vs the opposite.

Also this article features hankook tires which are usually below average winter tires.

 

[edyvw]

You aren't going to "cut through" more than that with a narrow tire anyway. Narrow tires are still pretty wide. I think the best case for the narrow tire is actually light snow. On a loose and endless surface like sand, wider is usually better.

How you mean he won’t cut through it?

 

[fsdork]

How you mean he won’t cut through it?

The difference between a wide and narrow automobile tire isn't night and day in terms of how it displaces loose material. It's not a comparison between a road racing bicycle tire and the ones on the lunar rover. That's not to say there's no difference or advantage to a narrower tire in loose material, but the tire still needs to use the tread voids to move water or slush.

 

[edyvw]

The difference between a wide and narrow automobile tire isn't night and day in terms of how it displaces loose material. It's not a comparison between a road racing bicycle tire and the ones on the lunar rover. That's not to say there's no difference or advantage to a narrower tire in loose material, but the tire still needs to use the tread voids to move water or slush.

I understand very well differences.
I am not sure does it has to be mentioned that running 205 instead of 225 won't suddenly turn the vehicle into some snow-plowing beast. The narrower tire has to move less water or slush because it has less frontal contact, and it does it easier because it is applying the same weight.
I used winter tires of regular size and then narrower size numerous times, and I would ALWAYS go narrower, 100% of the time. There is a difference, and a pretty significant one in slush and water.
One argument for wider tires is ice. With wider tire, there is a higher probability of catching onto imperfections or non-icy surfaces.

 

[fsdork]

I understand very well differences.
I am not sure does it has to be mentioned that running 205 instead of 225 won't suddenly turn the vehicle into some snow-plowing beast.
But, THERE is a difference!

I must have misunderstood what your were asking for clarification about, then.

 

[edyvw]

I must have misunderstood what your were asking for clarification about, then.

I edited my post.
My question was that it was confusing whether it would cut. For example, I run 215/65 R16 on Tiguan while summer is 235/50 R18. It is an absolute beast in the snow, and it transported 40+ people who got stuck during 2019 "Bombgenesis" storm here. It does feel undertired in dry, especially dry warm weather, but snow? Through loose snow, it will find a surface underneath in an instant.

 

[JWC86]

Pounds per square inch is set with your air compressor, assuming the weight over each tire remains the same. Changing tire width as the only variable won't get you anywhere in that regard.

Can you elaborate please.

 

[chris719]

How you mean he won’t cut through it?

I meant deep or compacted snow where there’s no asphalt to reach anyway.

 

[Vercingetorix]

It would be great if he could repeat this test at 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the wet and dry.

 

[Astro14]

Can you elaborate please.

Basic physics. While the tire structure carries some weight, the following is essentially true - contact patch area x psi = the weight on the tire.

Wider tires have a different contact patch shape than narrower tires, but on the same car, with the same inflation pressure, both tires will have about the same contact patch size.

You don’t get a bigger contact patch with a wider tire, unless you’re running a lower pressure.

 

[edyvw]

I meant deep or compacted snow where there’s no asphalt to reach anyway.

In those conditions as I said it doesn’t really matter. Narrow tire advantage is in slush, loose snow, water.