Winter tyres in Scandinavia

[baggins]

Hi Guys,
I've just discovered this forum whilst doing research on a years trip around Europe, Scandiavia, Russia and north east Asia in my 2003 series 2 discovery.
My partner and i wanted to do a reccy trip to sweden over christmas but i'm a bit confused about the right tires i need.
I currently run on Pirelli Scorpion str's M+S.
Now i know that winter tyres are mandatory in Sweden during the winter, would these tyres be classed as winter tyres or not?
They don't have the snow flake symbol on them.
If these aren't a viable tyre, would the addition of chains be acceptable? (yeah, i know not the most comfy way to travel).

Thanks in Advances

Baggins

PS, this really is a great forum

 

[Red90]

You should get some proper winter tires. You do not want to use chains on the road.

 

[Timo K]

M+S is fine, snowfalke symbol is not mandatory. The STR's seem an OK tyre for snow, most likely much better than most Mud Terrains. You should do fine. Only take chains if you intend to or need to drive on unplowed rural roads. Most of these are well maintained during the winter anyway and are plowed regularly, you're likely to run across an unplowed road only during a snowstorm or otherwise heavy snowfall, before morning. Plows are up and running often before 5AM anyway.

And keep in mind snow is often not the most slippery road surface. Ice and black ice especially are much more treacherous. Take it easy and get a feel for the grip on different surfaces. Don't let other road users pressure you into driving faster than you're comfortable.

 

[baggins]

Thank you for that. i know it is the rubber compound that really makes the difference in colder weathe

 

[Lemur]

Hi

The M+S should be fine to drive here in Sweden. I have the Pirelli tires myself but tend to change for the off road tires in November. More because of the puddles than anything else. Right now we got a lot of snow in a short period of time so take it slow and easy, and keep you distance. A Disco is a heavy car and sharp turns and braking are the weak spots when it comes to driving in the snow.

If you get any problem or like some advice, you can always check with the Swedish Landrover owners club, SLRK.

/Johan

 

[unseenone]

In order to run "chains" you would need to purchase a very specialized set, and you can only run them on the front as I recall. If you need them, I will find a link I saw somewhere on them. Nothing better than a good set of tires, and perhaps you an also run studded tires there, and change them out in the summer.

 

[Sirocco]

In order to run "chains" you would need to purchase a very specialized set, and you can only run them on the front as I recall. If you need them, I will find a link I saw somewhere on them. Nothing better than a good set of tires, and perhaps you an also run studded tires there, and change them out in the summer.

Chains are not that specialist and I believe that Scandinavian countries require chains on all 4 wheels if your using them.

I will be studding my KM2's for a run to Nordkapp next February and returning via Finland through to St Petersburg and onto Siberia

G

 

[Timo K]

A) You don't need a "specialized" set of chains.
B) You can run them on the rear axle, front axle or both front and rear axle.
C) If you run chains, there's a very low speedlimit set by the chain manufacturer, for my Mafri's for example it's 50km/h.
D) In Scandinavia there's no legislation for when you need to use chains. Common sense is key.
E) Studded KM2's are a bad idea. Plain and simple. Get a set of chains and proper studded winter tyres instead.

 

[Sirocco]

Studded KM2's are a bad idea. Plain and simple. Get a set of chains and proper studded winter tyres instead.

why do I need chains if im only planning to drive ploughed roads?

you said yourself M+S is fine and you dont need chains unless driving unploughed roads.

I know KM2s are not the best idea as they are a harder compound but we will only be on your roads for 3 weeks. I'm not running winter tyres for 3 weeks and then taking them on a 10 month tour of through Central Asia, Siberia and onto Australia. Overlanding is always a gear choice compromise.

See you in Helsinki around late Feb Timo, we can talk Tdi and you can buy us a beer :ylsmoke:

G

 

[Timo K]

If you're not planning on diverging from normal roads then just stick with the KM2's, but studding them is a waste of time. It's been tried here before, difference is minimal to nonexistant. Without a soft compound and siping the studs will do next to nothing. Just drive carefully and save your time and effort.

Shoot me a PM closer to your arrival and we can definitely meet up for some tyre kicking. Or depending on where you're coming here from I can meet you up a bit futher away and show some nice backroads Some pretty countryside here down south too.

 

[Bergum]

Bring a bottle of tire cleaner. If you hit snow, cleaning the tread part of the Tyre will help.
Skipp chains. When you will need them, then it's to late.
Drive safe, and hold your distanse and speed as other cars.
And.
If you have to drive slow, help the cars behind you to pass...


B4x4.no

 

[REDrum]

Forget studding the KM2s, you'll just toss'm at hi speeds. And the KM2s will get hard below -20C. Run what the locals run: Nokian or Gisslaved.

I first learned how good Nokian tyres are back in 1995 while traveling in Finland. Guys I were hanging with were cruising at 120kph on snow packed roads at -40C, as it if was tarmac! Since then, I've owned 8 different sets of Nokians, and currently race snow rally on Hakkapeliita 4s. For snow and deep cold, its not just about tread, its more about compound of rubber and sipping. And, snow tires are not about getting un-suck, they are about having grip and braking threshold on snow and ice.

I ran Nokian WRG2s for 3 years all over new england and quebec on my 4RNR. Unfortunately when I bought my UZJ100 3 years ago, Nokian did not make big enough. However, now Nokian makes a snow biased all season AT for SUVs, the Rotiiva. I know of one guy who ran'm last year on highlander and in the snow he could not believe they were all seasons. I may pick up pair for a new project truck.

That reminds me, gotta go put the snows on...

 

[ZG]

The funny thing about snow tires is, the longer they last, the worse they are as a tire. Snow tires should be VERY soft, and therefore not last long. The later you can install them, and the earlier you can take them off the better.

 

[Per]

This is the list of dot aproved tires in sweden.
http://stro.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Winter_150603_Swedish.pdf