[magic77]

mine arrived this morning, via DHL not bad for £40 now just case of waiting for the snow

[FlyHigh757]

Hi

Have any of you found some snow socks that will fit 255/30/R19's?

Made a few phone calls to people on eBay and they insist it can't be done - needs to be an exact profile i.e. 30/19". A few tried to flog me snow chains but on the lowered 335d I don't fancy that!

I don't have the space for winter tires & I live only 100m from a main road, but I was caught out 2 weeks ago, only 3m from a junction but still had to be towed!

Is there a solution????

Also, anyone got a spare O/S Head Light washer nozzle in Black Sapphire? Lost that last week too!!

Cheers

Si

[FlyHigh757]

After much digging around, I've found AutoSock does a fitting for the 255/30/R19. Their product code is 685.

I've just bought a pair from Pentagon Vauxhall in Derby for £65. Vauxhall are official dealers for the AutoSock and did have quite a few 685's in stock, but the sales guy said he'd sold 6 pairs that day - all to BMW drivers!

Good luck with the snow!!!

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by FlyHigh757

After much digging around, I've found AutoSock does a fitting for the 255/30/R19. Their product code is 685.

I've just bought a pair from Pentagon Vauxhall in Derby for £65. Vauxhall are official dealers for the AutoSock and did have quite a few 685's in stock, but the sales guy said he'd sold 6 pairs that day - all to BMW drivers!

Good luck with the snow!!!

Interestingly, that part number fits dozens of different wheel/tyre sizes!

[FlyHigh757]

I spoke with a number of suppliers on eBay - mainly the Goodyear socks, and they were all adamant the Goodyears wouldn't fit a 255/30/R19.

However, cross checking the AutoSock website, they quote 255/35/R18 is also "685" and the Goodyear 255/35/R18 is code "F"

AutoSock website, they quote 255/40/R17 is "685" and the Goodyear 255/40/R17 is also code "F"

I'm sure the Goodyear "F" will be fine, would be interesting to hear if anyone has tried them. Just don't tell them your tyres are the 30/R19 otherwise they won't sell them to you!!

Cheers

Si

[dbramley]

I found fitting them an a massive pita.

Its impossible to get your hands under the clearance and bear in mind it'll be minus temperatures and no way can you use gloves...

Took me 10 minutes per wheel to get on and 5 or so to get off. So 20 minutes before I can get going, only to drive 1/2 a mile and then take them off again!

Yes they work, and yes I can drive up slopes I wouldnt have dreamt of but too difficult to get on.

[magic77]

went out yesterday few inches down on the ground had to navigate a nice steep road down and up the socks where a doddle to put on and gave the b-class tonds of grip abnd control even on full sheet of compacted snow/ice. The merc has 18" AMG wheels so putting on was a bit tight as not much room in wheel arches for my hands but now I've done it once its very easy.

I woudl not say its a supplement for winter tyres but certainly a good quick substitute.

What amazed me more are the tyres.

The Merc has Conti Sp2 18" AMG so fat and very low profile, the amount of grip in snow, black snow mush and even compacted hard snow is amazing.

While yes its FWD the amount of grip is amazing previously had a FOCUS 2.0 TDCI and in snow it was pants.

Though I think one or both cars will end up with winters for next year

[magic77]

Originally Posted by dbramley

I found fitting them an a massive pita.

Its impossible to get your hands under the clearance and bear in mind it'll be minus temperatures and no way can you use gloves...

Took me 10 minutes per wheel to get on and 5 or so to get off. So 20 minutes before I can get going, only to drive 1/2 a mile and then take them off again!

Yes they work, and yes I can drive up slopes I wouldnt have dreamt of but too difficult to get on.

I recon on a 3 it would be a lot harder but removing took seconds you just give a hard pull on thepull tabs unless yours dont have them. What I like is you can drive on normal wet tarmac for few miles so in my case it means I can do the 5 mile journey to the nursery in mornings if it snows. then next year get the snow tyres

[AlanIOW]

I can't believe how good my snow socks were on Saturday, we came to a halt on the M25 on the steepish bit near the Gatwick junction, no one was moving as the traffic all came to a halt. Rather than being stuck there for hours we made our way across the traffic to the Reigate slip road, which is even steeper, but we got about halfway up before coming to a halt again, by this time there was about 8" on the road and I got the snow sock out. The first one took about 5 mins to fit, but only about 3 for the 2nd even though my M Sport was heavily loaded. We then weaved through the various stuck cars, trucks and even 4x4's, it was amazing how much grip there was even though the snow was up to front splitter. We easily got to the top of the slip road so we went back down onto the M25 as the junction is at the top of the hill. The motorway was completely deserted as nothing much could get uo the hill past the stuck lorries and cars. We then drove for about 10-15 miles on fresh snow to the A3 at about 20mph with no problems at all. I decided to take them off as the snow had thinned and 2 tyre lines were appearing and we had another 60 miles to get back home on the Isle of Wight. Very easy to remove them and I was very surprised how undamaged they were. Had to put them on again 1/4 mile from home to get up a very icy 1:6 hill and home. It took 7.5 hours from Essex, but we made it. Stupidly I took them off to put the car in the garage, but then could not get the car up the drive so its still on the drive!!

They might be a slight PITA to fit, but alot better than being stuck for hours on the M25!!

[mjh93sa]

Fitting them is a PITA, but there are methods that you can use to help.

A couple of dowels helps push the top over, flip the elastic back over them and push them over the top. You can use gloves, but they do need to be fairly thin or you will be eating up the clearance again.

One thought that a friend had was to use a jack to raise the car and so increase clearance to the wheelarch. Not tried it myself, but anything that increases clearance would help.

[Fugly M3]

dowels are a good idea, I am thinking about the Autosock 685s for my 255/30 19s. I am surprised that I don't see more socks for sale in the US, according to the autosock.us site, they are now approved for trucks in Colorado- if CO approves them they're good enough for me- that and the CA laws state "any device that improves traction" satisfies as a chain

[Kenno]

I bought a pair of these a few weeks ago and they are great to have in the boot.I have 17" wheels with msport suspension and the first time I tried to put them on it took me about 10 minutes ,so I practised a few more times and now I can put them both on in under 5 mins.They actually come off easier than they go on!.I tried them out when we got a few inches of snow and they work a treat.It's almost like the snow isn't there.I even drove about a mile on tarmac too and they were fine when I removed them.I used my bare hands and apart from the odd scratch and being completely filthy I was ok.I keep baby wipes in the boot too.

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by Kenno

I bought a pair of these a few weeks ago and they are great to have in the boot.I have 17" wheels with msport suspension and the first time I tried to put them on it took me about 10 minutes ,so I practised a few more times and now I can put them both on in under 5 mins.They actually come off easier than they go on!.I tried them out when we got a few inches of snow and they work a treat.It's almost like the snow isn't there.I even drove about a mile on tarmac too and they were fine when I removed them.I used my bare hands and apart from the odd scratch and being completely filthy I was ok.I keep baby wipes in the boot too.

hey- if you got m-sport 17s then that means you have 255/40 17 out back right?

if that's the case then our tires- mine are 255/30 19 are the exact same size in terms of overall diameter and width and makes me more confident I could for sure slip these on.

[Kenno]

Originally Posted by E46M54325Ci

hey- if you got m-sport 17s then that means you have 255/40 17 out back right?

if that's the case then our tires- mine are 255/30 19 are the exact same size in terms of overall diameter and width and makes me more confident I could for sure slip these on.

Yes I have 255/40 17 at the rear.
You too will be able to venture out further than your drive if you get a pair of snow socks.

[Dizzle]

*BUMP*

Anyone purchased the TEX snow socks Asda are now selling in store?

http://direct.asda.com/TEX-Car-Snow-...efault,pd.html

Is the consensus that the pair on the rears is fine? i.e. Don't require a set for the fronts?

[chedixon]

Originally Posted by Dizzle

*BUMP*

Anyone purchased the TEX snow socks Asda are now selling in store?

http://direct.asda.com/TEX-Car-Snow-...efault,pd.html

Is the consensus that the pair on the rears is fine? i.e. Don't require a set for the fronts?

I'm going to buy a set of these although they don't list a 255/30/19, not sure if the XL or XXL would be the size to go for (XL lists 245/35/19 and XXL lists 245/40/19)

Any help appreciated guys