Winter tyre handling question

[Matto]

I have recently fitted a set of brand new Nokian WR A3's in the 225/45/17 guise. I have found that they feel quite disconnected from the road. Haven't really tested how grippy they are due to the fact they don't fill me with confidence. I understand they will feel different to my summer Hankooks. Not sure if its the sidewall construction or not but the car feels quite spongy and very loose.

I am currently on a set of H&R springs with Whiteline rear arb on medium. Hurdy mentioned on saturday he has softened his up for winter and I'm just wondering whether that might help in my situation. Tyres are also correctly inflated to 0.2 bar above standard which Nokian recommends.

Another thought is that it is fairly mild at the minute aswell so that could be a contributing factor.

What are other people thoughts?

[RSam84]

I find my winters very wallowy but going from 18s to 15s im not surprised, probs due to the massive sidewalls!! I think im guna get some cheap 18s for next year

[PDT]

Checked pressures since they were fitted? Lots of tyre fitters just use a preset value such as 28psi and don't bother checking what they should actually be.

[Snoopy]

How new are they?
My nankangs felt similar to what you are describing when brand new until they had a few miles on.

[Deacon]

It's my second year on the Nokian WRA3's. They felt as you described for the first few hundred miles but since then I've found them just as good as my  summer's on the whole apart from when the temperature climbs into double figures and they start to feel quite wallowy.

[Matto]

Checked pressures since they were fitted? Lots of tyre fitters just use a preset value such as 28psi and don't bother checking what they should actually be.

Yeah I always check them after fitting as like you say, they just put whatever they think in.

How new are they?
My nankangs felt similar to what you are describing when brand new until they had a few miles on.

They are almost brand new. Had them fitted last saturday but have only done a couple of hundred steady miles on them.

It's my second year on the Nokian WRA3's. They felt as you described for the first few hundred miles but since then I've found them just as good as my  summer's on the whole apart from when the temperature climbs into double figures and they start to feel quite wallowy.

Maybe it is a combination of the mild temperatures and the fact they are still new. Will see how I get on after a few more miles.

[Hedge]

The fact that there are huge gaps between the tread blocks is why they feel wallowy.

[Matto]

Cheers for the replies 

[zerolag]

Another thought is that it is fairly mild at the minute aswell so that could be a contributing factor.

It's definitely this.  I use Goodyear Ultragrip and although they are good for sedate driving, if your pushing on, they are no match for decent summer tyre at the right temperature.
I've put my Summers back on the front until it snows (Have 8 monza wheels, so easy to swap about)
Left the winters on the rear, and will put the other winters on the front when it snows or pro-longed <5*C tempeartures hit.

[invisiblekid]

Another thought is that it is fairly mild at the minute aswell so that could be a contributing factor.

It's definitely this.  I use Goodyear Ultragrip and although they are good for sedate driving, if your pushing on, they are no match for decent summer tyre at the right temperature.
I've put my Summers back on the front until it snows (Have 8 monza wheels, so easy to swap about)
Left the winters on the rear, and will put the other winters on the front when it snows or pro-longed <5*C tempeartures hit.

I'd suggest this also. My experiences were vey similar. Last year I put a set of Goodyear Ultragrip on my Cupra expecting a year like the one previous. Wrong. We had a mild year like this. The tyres were crap unless it was really cold (<5C). Warm (8C upwards) and wet and I was like Bamby on Ice. When the tarmac and ambient temp was low the tyres were very good.

I've got about 6mm left all round on the tyres, but unless we see constant low temps I'm not bothering buying a set of 18s to put on the .:R. Mind you the last 2 years it was necessity as I was running around on R1Rs  

[LouCyffer]

Some cold weather tyres are very pressure sensitive. For example, my Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme tyres are recommended to be run at 4psi above normal tyre pressures.